291305.P034-063:Excellence
8/27/09
T
8:07 PM
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HOW CHEMISTRY APPLIED TO T MADE ITS APPEARANCE A
he Biocalce division of the Kerakoll Group started off in chemical laboratories and took flight in the construction field, just grazing the world of biotechnology. In this way, the Modena-based company has become a world leader in the application of chemistry to the building construction sector. Biocalce is Europe’s foremost producer of naturally-derived construction materials for use in the restoration of historically important pieces. Kerakoll materials have made possible the “natural” conservational recovery of some important Italian architectural artifacts, paying due respect to the existing structures and original materials. At the Royal Palace of Venaria at Venaria Reale (near Turin), inaugurated in October 2008 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the company tested new processing techniques and materials
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with compositions that match the original. Only materials from the Biocalce product range were used for the eco-sustainable restoration of the structure at Venaria Reale, ranging from mortars of natural lime to the plasters used to restore the structure. Even the fine plaster finishings used for the surface leveling and decorations came from Biocalce. The all-natural product line recently introduced by Kerakoll includes lime mortars, plasters and paints, all of which are WTAcertified. WTA is the Belgium- and Netherlands-based International Association for Science and Technology of Building Maintenance and the Preservation of Monuments; Kerakoll makes the only product line approved as a suitable solution for the preservative restoration of historical buildings and monuments under the jurisdiction of the Superintendence for Architectural Assets. The same approach was used in completing the repairs to the main altar (Altare Maggiore) of Genoa’s Cathedral of San Lorenzo and in the summer 2007 restoration of
THE ITALIAN EDGE