Vapor Barrier Speeds Redevelopment of Former Textile Mill
A former textile mill operated from 1926 through 1983. Throughout the years in operation, there were no regulatory guidelines in place regarding the use and disposal of hazardous chemicals used on site. As a result, once operations ceased, the site was classified as a brownfield. The building has been vacant since the early 2000’s and the hazardous environmental conditions have made redevelopment a challenge. However, tax credit financing made it possible for developers to purchase the 24,500 square-foot building in 2015. The developers received $9 million in tax credit financing, making this remediation and restoration project possible. The tax credits included the New Markets tax credits and South Carolina Textiles Communities Revitalization Act.
This case study features the following:
- Site owners are pleased that the quick installation of Land Science Contaminant Vapor Barrier System allowed the project to meet construction timeline goals
- The support of the state of South Carolina through the tax incentive package made it possible for developers to redevelop this brownfield site into new jobs and businesses for the community
- The construction and renovations included elements of historic preservation
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Former St. Louis Chemical Plant Incorporates Geo-Seal and Vapor-Vent for Redevelopment Project
Project Highlights
- Land Science Contaminant Vapor Barrier System applied to over 70,000 square feet of commercial space
- Redevelopment project is projected to create more than 1,000 new jobs in the St. Louis area
Project Summary
A former Solutia chemical plant, located in St. Louis, Missouri, in between the Mississippi River and St. Louis, required environmental remediation for safe redevelopment. The developers plan to turn the brownfield site into industrial and warehouse space. The redevelopment project is projected to significantly impact the area by providing more than 1,000 jobs.
The environmental remediation process included removing contaminated soil and treating contaminated water, as well as protecting buildings from possible vapor intrusion. In order to prevent vapor intrusion, the contractors installed over 70,000 square feet of Land Science Contaminant Vapor Barrier System with a vapor ventilation system. Land Science Contaminant Vapor Barrier System and Vapor-Vent were installed in between the soil pad and the foundation of the new buildings. Installing Land Science Contaminant Vapor Barrier System, a composite and chemically resistant membrane system, effectively seals all entry pathways into the building preventing harmful vapor intrusion. In conjunction with Land Science Contaminant Vapor Barrier System, Vapor-Vent, a ventilation system, allows for the natural buildup of underground vapors to be safely diverted and diffused above ground. The vapor barrier system ensures safety from vapor intrusion for this brownfield redevelopment.
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Response Action Outcome Issued by LSRP for New Jersey Child Care Center Following Successful Installation of Geo-Seal®
Project Highlights
- New Jersey Department of Health Issued Safe Building Interior Certification for Child Care Center.
- Over 45,000 sq feet of Geo-Seal installed, ensuring a high level of vapor protection and meeting strict regulatory standards.
- The vapor barrier met the requirements of the New Jersey Vapor Intrusion Technical Guidance and allowed construction to remain on schedule.
- Indoor air sampling was conducted in conjunction with the close out of construction activities verifying the vapor barrier was performing as specified. The developer was able to open the child care center on time, generating revenue from the leasehold tenants.
Project Summary
The former building site was used for numerous commercial and industrial operations. Lisko Environmental was contracted by the client to remediate the site in order to make way for a new mixed-use building. During this site’s redevelopment, the building site was razed in order for a new building to be constructed in the same footprint. This new building is a mixed use development for two tenant spaces: trampoline park and child care facility. During the initial phases of redevelopment, an off-site source of cVOC’s was identified and suspected to be migrating towards the site. After further inspection, the developers found that there were dissolved phase cVOC’s present beneath the site at levels well above the NJDEP’s groundwater vapor intrusion screening levels.
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USC Village Project Incorporates Geo-Seal & Vapor Vent as Part of $700 million Student Residential Construction
Project Highlights
- USC was able to stay on-time and on-budget while eliminating any future exposure to vapor intrusion.
- A Geo-Seal barrier system was installed to prevent potential vapor exposure as part of the $700 million University of Southern California (USC) student residential village project.
- Geo-Seal vapor barrier provides the new student residential colleges with the highest level of protection against vapor intrusion
Project Summary
As a part of the ongoing growth of the University of Southern California (USC) and in order to continue to attract top student talent, the University elected to invest $700 million in a new Residential Village. This village houses residential colleges, retail spaces, recreational facilities, and learning spaces. The USC trustees, alumni, parents, and friends envisioned the Residential Village to be a living and learning environment unlike any other, incorporating the latest technology with an inspiring aesthetic.
In every step of this expansion, the concern for student’s health and safety was the leading priority. This concern for safety, paired with a vision of a world-class living and learning environment, inspired the developers to incorporate preventative measures including Geo-Seal into their design and construction plans.
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VOC Contaminants Reduced in one month for homeowners in Virginia Following Retro-Coat Installation
Project Highlights
- VOCs reduced within one month of operation
- Achieved site goals of meeting VDEQ and DEH IAQ standards, rendering home safe for habitation
Project Summary
At a residential site in Virginia, vapor intrusion affected the interior living space of a private building due to release of heating oil from an Above Ground Storage Tank (AST) to the sub-slab environment beneath the structure. Indoor air quality sampling after the release revealed several petroleum compound contaminants at concentrations above EPA Residential Screening Levels. To minimize the displacement of the homeowners for an extended period of time, the vapor intrusion mitigation system had to produce good indoor air quality results as quickly as possible.
Leading environmental firm, Duncklee & Dunham, designed and installed an active, sub-slab vapor mitigation system and sealed the surface of the slab in the interior of the building with 1000 sq. ft. of Retro-Coat™ applied. The active system consisted of vertical vent wells installed in the building slab to a depth just below the bottom of the slab and connected to a manifold. Soil vapors were extracted from the sub-slab environment with an electric radon fan and exhausted to the exterior atmosphere. Retro-Coat primer and sealant were then applied to the entire surface area of the interior building slab to provide supplemental vapor intrusion prevention.
Technology
The Retro-Coat Vapor Intrusion Coating System is a complete product line that consists of chemically resistant materials to properly protect existing structures from the threat of contaminant vapor intrusion.
Results
The vapor mitigation system reduced VOCs in the exhaust gas within one month of operation, and reduced levels of petroleum compounds in indoor air to the extent that the building was suitable for occupancy six weeks after the system startup.
About the Consultant
Duncklee & Dunham is an environmental consulting firm based in North Carolina specializing in environmental geology, hydrogeology, site investigation and remediation, industrial hygiene, civil engineering and brownfields. For questions regarding this project, please contact Andrew Rodak, P.E. at (919) 858-9898.
© 2021 All rights reserved. Geo-Seal is a registered trademark of Epro Services Inc.
Ohio EPA generates a Covenant Not to Sue Following Geo-Seal Installation at Former Manufacturing Site
Project Highlights
- Geo-Seal Installation allowed for rapid development of environmentally impacted project site
- GCI provided Ohio EPA with a No Further Action (NFA) letter and Ohio EPA generated a Covenant Not to Sue eliminating any concern over future liability
Project Summary
Ohio cities are experiencing a building boom and real estate investors are eager to build multi-family apartments on available land. A well-known real estate developer recently purchased the site of a former manufacturer where chlorinated and other solvent levels exceeded regulatory guidelines. The developer needed a quick and effective solution to mitigate the vapor intrusion present and turned to Geotechnical Consultants, Inc. (GCI), an experienced environmental consultant. The Geo-Seal system selected by GCI to mitigate the vapor intrusion found excellent results.
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Multi-Residential Project Moves Forward Using Geo-Seal as an Effective Barrier to Protect Against Methane Concerns
Project Highlights
- 186,000 square foot Geo-Seal Barrier installed to meet regulatory goals
- Site development kept on-time and on-budget
- 60-mil barrier system chosen to offer highest level of protection against methane exposure
Project Summary
During initial environmental due diligence, this property was noted to have elevated methane in the subsurface (in excess of 15% by volume). While this was a perfect location for a multi-unit residential development as it was next to major traffic corridors and near many Fortune 500 employers, the environmental concerns paused redevelopment planning.
Modern Geosciences (Modern) was asked to develop a remedial strategy that could incorporate a methane mitigation system within the building design. Drawing on over three decades of methane mitigation experience, Modern’s lead design engineer developed a cost-effective approach that satisfied all the parties plugged into the development. This included a customized passive collection layout and use of Geo-Seal to mitigate potential vapor concerns.
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NFA Letter Received from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management after Geo-Seal Application
Project Highlights
- Geo-Seal application helps obtain a No Further Action (NFA) letter from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM)
- Vapor intrusion barrier successfully reduces harmful contaminants left behind by former chemical plant operations
- Geo-Seal applied to over 3,455 square feet
Project Summary
A fuel production facility in Alabama inherited environmental subsurface contamination when the site was acquired. The site was a former chemical plant operating since the 1960’s. The chemical plant functioned as a large quantity generator (LQG) of hazardous waste, manufacturing hydrocarbon, gum rosin, and tall oil-based resins for over 30 years. Site investigations revealed several contaminants from industrial sources, including chlorinated volatile organic compounds (cVOCs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as naphthalene. Dicyclopentadiene (DCPD) levels posed a particularly significant vapor intrusion threat, with sub-slab vapor samples reaching as high as 48,000 micrograms per cubic meter.
The environmental consultant was hired by the site owner to aid in navigating the ADEM’s voluntary cleanup program. The concentration of DCPD at the site indicated an elevated concern for potential contaminant vapor intrusion at the fuel production facility. Three of the existing buildings―a maintenance shop, laboratory, and control room―were at the highest risk for vapor intrusion based on the sub-slab vapor data. Based on the analytical data collected at the site, ADEM required that engineering controls, including vapor mitigation measures, be implemented in order to receive the coveted NFA letter. As a result, the environmental consultant specified a Land Science vapor intrusion barrier and installed it in the maintenance shop and control room in a retro-fitting capacity.
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Kentucky Division of Waste Management Approves Geo-Seal® for Mitigating Vapor Intrusion to Redevelop Brownfield Property
Project Highlights
- Approved by Kentucky Division of Waste Management
- Approximately 142,000 square feet installed at brownfield site allowing for redevelopment to move forward
- Triple layer protection from chlorinated solvent vapors provides safe and reliable barrier for student housing
Project Summary
Student housing was to be constructed in Louisville, KY over 42 acres of vacant Brownfield property. Chlorinated solvents were discovered in the subsurface soil and groundwater beneath the proposed construction area and caused concern over potential indoor air vapor within the housing complex. Terracon Consultants, Inc. specified Geo-Seal® Vapor Intrusion Barrier and Vapor-Vent Trenchless Venting System in their risk management plan.
The Kentucky Division of Waste Management under the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection evaluated the Geo-Seal vapor barrier along with other membranes and determined Geo-Seal to be an “excellent vapor intrusion barrier system” based on its ability to resist contaminant permeation and breakthrough. 142,000 square feet of Geo-Seal successfully installed.
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Geo-Seal® Receives State Approval From California Department of Toxic Substances Control
Project Highlights
- Geo-Seal® resists contaminant permeation breakthrough for a period 18X longer than simple asphalt/latex membranes
- Installation of 22,000 square feet
- California DTSC Approved
Project Summary
A senior housing facility was constructed over an existing benzene plume creating a concern for exposure to high levels of benzene vapors. Northgate Environmental, with the approval of the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), selected Geo-Seal® vapor intrusion barrier to mitigate the vapor intrusion risk associated with the property.
Geo-Seal provides triple-layer protection and high puncture resistance by using two chemically resistant high density polyethylene (HDPE) layers encapsulating a spray-applied asphalt/latex membrane. Geo-Seal’s exceptional chemical resistance limits the transmission of volatile organic vapors through the membrane. 22,000 square feet was successfully installed at the site.
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© 2021 All rights reserved. Geo-Seal is a registered trademark of Epro Services Inc.