Nitra-Seal Ensures Long Term Vapor Intrusion Protection for Quick Service Restaurant
Case study highlights:
- Quick service retail restaurant required an effective preemptive vapor mitigation solution to protect future employees and customers from potential vapor intrusion risks
- The project development team determined Nitra-Seal was the safest, most expedient and cost-effective vapor barrier system to install on this site
- Land Science Certified Applicator S&H Waterproofing and Construction, installed Nitra-Seal and performed smoke testing as part of the quality control process to confirm proper installation of the barrier
This project development site is a newly opened quick-service restaurant in Conyers, Georgia. Offsite chemical spills from historical operations had resulted in low-level volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released to the subsurface, creating a potential for vapors to intrude into new buildings constructed in the affected area. Recognizing the risk and placing emphasis on future workers’ safety, the forward-thinking client decided that a preemptive measure be instituted, requiring the installation of a vapor mitigation system as part of the construction specification.
Ease of Installation Saves Time and Money for Preemptive Solution To Mitigate Potential Gasoline Vapors
Project snapshot highlights:
- Nitra-Seal protects future restaurant workers and guests
- Former Gas Station
Property developers for a national restaurant chain planned a new restaurant building on an old gas station in Galveston, Texas. It is common practice in the retail restaurant industry that when confronted with building a restaurant on a former gas station, the property developers will specify a vapor mitigation system (VMS) into the construction plan. The VMS serves as a preemptive measure to address gasoline contaminants that might have escaped detection during the site closure process. In these instances, the property developers require that the vapor mitigation system installation be completed efficiently and at a competitive cost while providing comparable or better chemical resistance. After evaluating VMS options, the property development team specified Nitra-Seal as the technology best suited for this purpose. According to the Land Science certified applicator, in comparing their experience installing generic styrene-butadiene-rubber asphalt emulsions, Nitra-Seal’s spray-applied nitrile-advanced asphalt latex core material was easier to apply and cured more rapidly. This saved time and money for the VMS installation, improving the project’s overall construction efficiency, and enabling the restaurant to proceed toward its opening.
Nitra-Seal Ensures Worker Safety For New Office Campus
Project snapshot highlights:
- New Office Campus in Pennsylvania
- Site-Specific Design for Unique Foundation Layout
- 16,000 Square Feet Installed
An established, construction services company was developing a new corporate campus on a former industrial manufacturing site where chemical degreasing agents were used. Prior to the building’s planned construction, an investigation was conducted, identifying chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the subsurface. Based on the investigation results, the project stakeholders specified the installation of a vapor mitigation system to address the potential VOC vapor intrusion risk to future building occupants. The consultant and their client were familiar with Land Science’s full suite of vapor barrier systems and had installed their vapor mitigation technologies at other building sites in the past. The team specified Nitra-Seal® for this project based on its top-performing chemical resistance and installation efficiencies compared to other spray-applied barrier systems considered. The building’s unique foundation layout required a nuanced approach and site-specific design support from the Land Science team. The Land Science Certified Applicator installed the Nitra-Seal vapor mitigation system efficiently and according to specifications, allowing the new office campus construction to proceed without delay.
Nitra-Seal Facilitates National Restaurant Chain Expansion into Growing Texas Market
Project snapshot highlights:
- Petroleum Hydrocarbon Vapor Contaminants Effectively Mitigated
- Solution Chosen Based on Best Combination of Chemical Resistance,Installation Efficiency and Price
An expanding quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain planned a new store in the rapidly growing central Texas market at a former gasoline station site. Although there was no active environmental incident associated with past use, it is common for petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) to remain in the subsurface, undiscovered at former gas station sites. Using their knowledge and experience in developing similar properties, the QSR client recognized the potential risk of petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) vapor intrusion. To ensure their future associates’ and guests’ well-being, the QSR client specified installing the Nitra-Seal® vapor mitigation system as a preemptive measure to protect against PHC vapor intrusion. They chose Nitra-Seal because it provided the best combination of chemical resistance, installation efficiency and price compared to other similarly priced vapor barrier systems. The Land Science certified applicator completed the installation according to manufacturer recommendations within aggressive time and budget constraints, allowing the restaurant to proceed toward its scheduled opening in the Fall of 2020.
Nitra-Seal is Integral to Revitalization of Downtown Hayward
Project snapshot highlights:
- Downtown Revitalization Effort Moves Forward
- 70,000 Square Feet Installed
Lincoln Landing is a mixed-use development project in Hayward, California that includes 474 affordable to moderate-income residences and 82,000 square feet of retail space. Petroleum hydrocarbon vapors migrating from an offsite source posed a potential vapor intrusion risk to future building occupants. The superior chemical resistance and constructability afforded by the Nitra Seal® nitrile-advanced asphalt latex factored into the project development team’s selection of a vapor mitigation solution. Nitra-Seal does not require taped seams, eliminating potential vapor breakthrough along the weaker taped-seam joints present in other vapor mitigation systems. This feature was especially important for this project, given the number of penetrations and terminations required by the building floor plan, including seven elevator shafts. The installation was successful, allowing the development of the property to move forward while eliminating exposure to potentially harmful petroleum hydrocarbon vapors. City officials expect Lincoln Landing to help revitalize downtown Hayward as it replaces a department store building that had been vacant for over a decade. Lincoln Landing is the first Nitra-Seal project initiated in Alameda County.
Brownfield Redevelopment is Transformed Into Safe, Multi-Family Residences
Project snapshot highlights:
- Nitra-Seal Ensures Safety for Future Residents
- Highly Efficient Installation Meets Tight Schedule
A former brownfield site in northeastern New Jersey was targeted for redevelopment. The past industrial activities resulted in chlorinated solvent and petroleum hydrocarbon releases into the subsurface, resulting in persistent, low-level soil gas vapors that would need to be addressed in order to move forward with the multi-family residence construction. The engineering consultant recommended installing a vapor mitigation system (VMS) to the development team to ensure safe indoor air for future residents. The construction plan included a number of interior footings and utility penetrations making installation of a VMS a challenge while adhering to the construction schedule’s tight timeline. To keep pace with this fast-moving development project, the team chose Nitra-Seal® which incorporates a spray-applied nitrile-advanced asphalt latex creating an effective seal around the footings and utility penetrations while maintaining installation efficiency. As a result, the installation was completed quickly, on time, and within budget.
Best-In-Class Vapor Barrier System Will Protect Modern Senior Residential Development from Hydrocarbon Vapors
Project snapshot highlights:
- Nitra-Seal Provides Safe Environment for Seniors
- Land Science Provides Turn-Key Approach to Streamline Project
- 10,000 Square Feet Installed
This project is a new, 135-unit luxury independent, assisted living, and memory care community in Maryland. A short distance from Washington D.C., it is described as the “most modern senior-living community in the area.” The development is in a brownfield where historical fuel spill(s) have resulted in petroleum hydrocarbons vapors in soil. Due to the potential risk of vapor intrusion into the new residences, the Maryland Department of Environment required implementing a solution to address the threat. The project development team desired a single contract, turn-key approach for design, installation, waterproofing at the elevator pits, and third-party testing of a vapor mitigation system (VMS) to streamline the process. Through our extensive network of consultants, certified applicators, and third-party testing companies, Land Science provided a value-added benefit by quickly assembling and effectively steering the VMS project team, saving time and money for the developer. The vapor mitigation installation was successful, allowing the project to proceed toward its scheduled opening in 2021.
Safety from Chlorinated Solvent Vapors is Ensured for Charlotte, NC Townhome Residents
Project snapshot highlights:
- New Townhome Development Quickly Moves Forward Thanks to Installation Efficiencies
- 22,000 Square Feet Installed
The site is a new townhome development in a growing Charlotte, North Carolina neighborhood. As one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States, housing demand is outpacing supply. The demand for housing most often results in a fast moving building environment as developers push construction to meet the need. At this site, chemical spills from nearby industrial activities contained chlorinated solvents that migrated through the subsurface and resulted in low levels of these compounds in the soil gas. The property developers required a preemptive solution that would eliminate the risk of vapor intrusion in residents’ homes, while maintaining construction pace. Ultimately, the developers chose Nitra-Seal® to provide a combination of best-in-class chemical resistance and installation expediency. The nitrile-advanced asphalt latex reduces the installation time to effectively seal numerous slab penetrations for this 22,000 square feet townhome development, allowing for on-time completion of the townhome community.
Nitra-Seal Applied at Major Office Complex in Midtown Atlanta
Project snapshot highlights:
- Land Science Provided Project Oversight to Ensure All Specifications Were Met
- 2,000,000 Square Foot Campus
The site is earmarked for approximately two million square feet of office space in Midtown Atlanta and consists of two office towers, twelve covered parking levels, and more than 250,000 square feet of multi-use space. The office campus is the future home of a global transportation company who chose this site for its prime location in an up-and-coming area of Atlanta. In considering long-term liability, the forward-thinking property developer and environmental consultant opted for the Nitra-Seal® vapor barrier system to provide reliable, lasting protection against the intrusion of soil gas vapors containing chlorinated solvent and petroleum hydrocarbons. Given the project’s scope, the team requested Land Science’s oversight to report to the general contractor and property owner on the vapor mitigation system’s installation status while ensuring compliance with Land Science specifications. The installation was successful, meeting manufacturer specifications and on-time completion.
Nitra-Seal Protects Indoor Air Quality for Customers and Tenants at a New Retail Center
Project snapshot highlights:
- Nitra-Seal Protects Indoor Air Quality at Retail Center
- Petroleum Hydrocarbons Abated
- 10,000 Square Feet Installed
The project is a commercial retail center in St. Louis, and part of a larger, decade-long redevelopment project. A nearby, historical fuel spill resulted in petroleum hydrocarbon compounds, including benzene, ethylbenzene, and naphthalene, being detected at concentrations exceeding Missouri’s Risk-Based Corrective Action indoor air screening levels. Consequently, the soil gas was considered a vapor intrusion risk to future building occupants and required a vapor mitigation solution. The engineering consultant selected Nitra-Seal® with a TerraVent™ low-profile, passive venting system to address the risk. Selection factors included its ease of installation and superior chemical resistance offered by Nitra-Seal’s spray-applied, nitrile-advanced asphalt latex. Land Science teamed with the engineering consultant in the design process by developing the venting layout and vapor barrier system’s specifications. Additionally, the environmental consultant, a Land Science Certified Inspector, provided oversight on the installation and documented compliance with the project specifications per the development team’s request.