For Patrick Lowery, Sr. Environmental Manager with SUMMIT Engineering, Laboratory & Testing, Inc., a multi-disci plinary environmental consulting firm and valued Land Science® client, a career in environmental remediation was sparked by an interest in geology, a field his grandfather worked in. Lowery initially planned to follow his grandfather’s path and become a geologist, but then realized his true passion involved assisting in the cleanup of our planet. He shares, “My grandfather was a geologist for Shell Oil in the Permian Basin, near Midland Texas. Throughout college my focus was to work in the petroleum industry. I took a year off from school after earning my Bachelor of Science in Geology from the University of Alabama and was going to attend Colorado State University for my Masters in Geophysics, however, while working with a consulting geologist that year I found I enjoyed the environmental field.”
Featured Video: Nitra-Seal Applied as Preemptive Vapor Mitigation Solution for Town Hall and Library Complex
A growing community near Charlotte, North Carolina was seeking a site to construct a new town hall and public library complex. The city planners had identified a land parcel that would meet the spatial requirements for the new complex, but the site was a former gasoline service station which operated on a portion of the land for nearly two decades. As part of the City’s due diligence, a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) was completed and revealed the underground storage tank (UST) system was decommissioned in 1991 with the tanks abandoned in place. However, no records existed which documented environmental conditions at the time of UST removal. Consequently, the USTs were listed as a recognized environmental concern (REC) in the Phase I ESA. In early 2020, a geotechnical investigation identified soil with odors and elevated photoionization detector (PID) readings, a further indication of petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) contamination in the subsurface.
Introducing a New Advanced Nitrile Composite Vapor Barrier System
Nitra-Seal is an update/improvement on current vapor barrier systems. Originally, passive vapor barrier systems were waterproofing systems adapted for use as contaminant vapor barriers. An acknowledged weakness in these systems is in the penetration and perimeter termination locations, where spray-applied core material composed of Styrene-Butadiene (SBR)- modified asphalt is used. While excellent at repelling water, aggressive chemicals such as petroleum solvents and chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs), will permeate into the SBR-modified asphalt at a relatively high rate particularly in sensitive areas of the building construction such as barrier seams, slab penetrations and perimeters. Nitra-Seal offers a substantial upgrade as it employs a more chemically resistant nitrile latex instead of the more susceptible SBR material. Nitrile is recognized throughout the environmental engineering industry as being more chemically resistant than rubber or SBR and is often used in personal protective equipment when working on hazardous waste sites (e.g. nitrile gloves).
Nitra-Seal is a composite system creating the ideal blend between constructability and chemical resistance by using both high density polyethylene (HDPE) and nitrile-advanced, spray-applied asphalt core.
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Land Science is pleased to be 2021/2022 Annual Platinum Sponsors for AVIP! The purpose of AVIP is to build a community of professionals dedicated to advancing the industry and providing a forum for informational exchange of knowledge and science related to Vapor Intrusion (VI); as well as establishing a central resource for technology, guidance, standards, credentialing and best practices for both those in the industry and those seeking VI related services.
SAN CLEMENTE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Land Science, a division of REGENESIS, is pleased to announce its support and involvement in the newly launched 
When developing properties on sites with known environmental impacts, one of the biggest issues is the risk to human health. Failure to address these issues can result in adverse health effects and millions of dollars in legal exposure. TerraShield was designed specifically to eliminate risk of exposure by employing innovative technologies to provide best-in-class chemical resistance and durability. Backed by a robust warranty and installed by Land Science-certified applicators, each TerraShield installation is rigorously tested to ensure the quality of every seal and ultimately the complete vapor barrier system installed.
Land Science is pleased to be 2021/2022 Annual Platinum Sponsors for AVIP! The purpose of AVIP is to build a community of professionals dedicated to advancing the industry and providing a forum for informational exchange of knowledge and science related to Vapor Intrusion (VI); as well as establishing a central resource for technology, guidance, standards, credentialing and best practices for both those in the industry and those seeking VI related services.
Nitra-Seal is an update/improvement on current vapor barrier systems. Originally, passive vapor barrier systems were waterproofing systems adapted for use as contaminant vapor barriers. An acknowledged weakness in these systems is in the penetration and perimeter termination locations, where spray-applied core material composed of Styrene-Butadiene (SBR)- modified asphalt is used. While excellent at repelling water, aggressive chemicals such as petroleum solvents and chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOCs), will permeate into the SBR-modified asphalt at a relatively high rate particularly in sensitive areas of the building construction. Nitra-Seal offers a substantial upgrade as it employs a more chemically resistant nitrile latex instead of the more susceptible SBR material. Nitrile is recognized throughout the environmental engineering industry as being more chemically resistant than rubber or SBR and is often used in personal protective equipment when working on hazardous waste sites (e.g. nitrile gloves).
A growing manufacturer looking to expand its operations purchased a vacant industrial facility in Lansing, Michigan, where chlorinated solvents were used and spilled into the subsurface. The environmental consultant was asked to address the suspected vapor intrusion concerns resulting from the former industrial operations. In working with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE), the consultant proposed utilizing the Retro-Coat® Vapor Intrusion Coating System, in combination with passive venting, to ensure safe indoor air for the future workers.
The Center for Freshwater Research and Education at Lake Superior State University (LSSU) in Michigan was undergoing a $14.5 million expansion to replace its successful aquatic research lab. Tri-Media Environmental & Engineering’s Maura Pliska, the environmental project manager working with LSSU, recommended TerraShield Aluminum Nitrile Vapor Barrier to ensure a safe and healthy environment for LSSU’s learning community. Balancing the concerns of cost, speed and effectiveness, TerraShield was chosen because it offers the highest level of chemical resistance of any vapor barrier on the market today, protecting against any possible level of vapor intrusion.
A new indoor sports training facility in Michigan includes two open-field playing areas, encompassing approximately 20,000 square feet. The facility was constructed near a former landfill, and a combination of soil gases act as potential vapor intrusion sources, including methane, petroleum hydrocarbons, and chlorinated solvents. The building’s foundation consists of caissons with grade beams in the areas spanning the waste material and trench footings along the edges. The engineering consultant, SME, compared the soil gas results to the listed screening levels to support the design of the vapor mitigation system. The project development team selected MonoShield® over a 20-mil, taped-seam vapor barrier due to its superior chemical resistance and quality control testing by a Land Science certified applicator, making the application more efficient and providing a high degree of confidence to the project stakeholders.
In Sacramento, CA, Roebbelen Contracting Inc. was engaged by their client to build an electrical substation in the downtown area. Due to extensive industrial use at the site historically, heavy subsurface contamination posed a significant vapor intrusion risk. As a result, the development was in need of an effective vapor mitigation system as part of the construction project. The environmental consultant at the site recommended TerraShield from Land Science. TerraShield offers the highest level of chemical resistance because of its nitrile asphalt latex spray-applied core and metalized film, providing the highest level of protection from contaminant vapors available on the market today.
Nitra-Seal® is a new advanced nitrile composite barrier system. It represents an update/improvement on current vapor barrier systems. An acknowledged weakness in these systems is in the penetration and perimeter termination locations, where spray-applied core material composed of Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR) latex/asphalt is used. Nitra-Seal offers a substantial upgrade as it employs a more chemically resistant nitrile latex instead of the more susceptible SBR latex. Nitra-Seal is a composite system creating the ideal blend between constructability and chemical resistance by using both high density polyethylene (HDPE) and nitrile-advanced, spray-applied asphalt core. Learn more and download the product brochure below.
Vapor intrusion occurs when there is migration of vapor-forming chemicals from any subsurface contaminant source into an overlying building. When vapor intrusion is detected, it becomes necessary to design a solution to mitigate the problem. Retro-Coat™, a chemically resistant coating designed to resist aggressive chemical vapors, is a cost-effective technology with many advantages over alternative options for existing structures and has been gaining popularity and acceptance as an effective vapor intrusion mitigation strategy. To learn more about the benefits of Retro-Coat, download the eBook.