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 Still during today’s testing economic conditions, sustainability continues to be high on the agenda within both our industry and across the wider construction arena. Through the ongoing development of existing products and innovation in new systems, ELWA and its members continue to promote greener and increasingly sustainable ways of working through liquid waterproofing.
Amongst the many benefits liquid waterproofing offers, the systems are able to fulfill many of the requirements and environmental targets set by main both contractors and end users.Liquid waterproofing systems, by the nature of their application, produce little or no waste on or off site for the installer. The durability and longevity of the liquid systems significantly reduces or removes the need for maintenance or indeed, re-application for many years. This is a key factor for green roof specifier’s who, due to permanency and waterproofing integrity requirements, are increasingly specifying liquid as a preferred method of waterproofing. Those looking to meet wider sustainability objectives are also considering liquid waterproofing when using untreated rainwater runoff in green roof irrigation systems or rainwater harvesting.
Ongoing development of liquid waterproofing is a key factor for ELWA who continue to champion the advancement of greener technologies both within the UK and on the continent. The Committee to which the association subscribe through the CEPMC (Council of European Producers of Materials for Construction) is CEN/TC 350/WG3 (European Committee for Standardisation/ Technical Committee 350/ Working Group 3). Through this and other working groups, ELWA is able to keep abreast of all developments and legislation affecting the waterproofing industry and is able to guide installers on the best and most appropriate ways of meeting the necessary environmental or BREEAM requirements.
Environmental responsibility is and continues to be a key consideration for all ELWA members, many of whom hold the ISO14001:2001 standard. An ongoing and integral part of our member’s daily operation, achievement of this standard is testament to the environmental commitment shown across our industry.
(October 2009)
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