WAI - CHANGING FATE OF WATERPROOFERS

WAI

CHANGING FATE OF WATERPROOFERS CHANGING FATE OF WATERPROOFERS

Waterproofers Association Of India (WAI)–the torch-bearer for the country’s waterproofing fraternity has been determined to educate field professionals on the new-age waterproofing technologies, and help them sharpen their skills.

When it comes to waterproofing, the mind dives deep into a world with zero-seepage buildings. But dream is a dream and entirely cut-off from reality. However, the stakeholders of the country’s waterproofing industry, these days, are taking a serious note of it and seem determined to challenge this truth in whatever ways possible--be it through technological advancements, or through the use of the most advanced products.

The testimony is the establishment of Waterproofers Association of India (WAI), where select members from the industry are trying hard to disseminate the information and educate the fraternity slowly but steadily and help people learn the tricks of the trade.

The path which some time back looked difficult has started showing a ray of hope as people getting associated with WAI are finding their association

fruitful. The goal is to meet and exchange ideas to find out solutions on what can be done in this typically tropical geographic region.

Since its establishment, WAI has organised quite a few workshops/ sessions including--one each in Shimla (Himachal Pradesh), Gurugram (Haryana), and Mumbai (Maharashtra). It has received overwhelming response to its call for amalgamation and contribution to the cause.

The stakeholders participating in the event include architects, designers, consultant, contractors, structural engineers, and building material manufacturers/suppliers who are responsible for developing, manufacturing and supplying the latest advanced products.

In all the sessions, WAI’s main concerns remain the same: first to identify the topography and then choose the appropriate solution. Having extreme conditions, the requirements of waterproofing solutions differ with so many agroclimatic and geo zones, including deserts and forests, arid and humid atmosphere, rivers and mighty mountains, etc.

With such a varied topography, the need is to assess the impact of the surroundings on the structures that are being made and accordingly choose materials that are smart, coupled with the right kind of technology followed by their proper implementations.

Take for instance, hilly regions! Despite the fact that the architecture on hills are beautiful, attractive and soothing to eyes, challenges for architects and structural engineers for planning, design and construction of those buildings remain intact-especially with respect to waterproofing.

The reasons are many, including difficult terrain, steep gradient, adverse climatic conditions, rich flora and proneness to natural hazards, which together make the task tedious and demanding. Similarly, when it comes to coastal region, the requirements for waterproofing solutions differ for its humid atmosphere.

To uplift the waterproofing fraternity, WAI has decided to enhance the capabilities of the waterproofers who are involved in providing complete waterproofing solutions, irrespective of the nature of structures. The members at WAI strongly believe that the present specifications have come of age and seek immediate attention of the government/stakeholders. These need to be revised on an urgent basis considering the incorporation of smarter building materials being used to develop futuristic infrastructure.

Recently published reports highlight that rapid urbanisation has resulted in the occurrence of urban heat islands (UHI) which are the result of the making a larger number of buildings and roads. These infrastructures absorb and re-emit more heat than natural landscapes.

These together have catapulted the contours of the urban land where the communities are shifting towards the concept of green roofs to limit the heat island effect caused due to lack of vegetation in cities. This trend would ultimately boost the demand for waterproofing solutions in the future.

E X C E R P T S E X C E R P T S

It is the mindset of stakeholders which is a big concern. Waterproofers are already imbibing new advancements available in the market and prefer using latest products. The problem lies at the specifiers' end. The architects, consultants and civil contractors generally do not consider using new products which are much-much better. So, there is an urgent need for the change in the mindset.

Sandeep Chaudhry, President, WAI

Waterproofing needs a revamp especially that of the specifications which have become obsolete. Those were made for 60s and are not suitable for modern day or futuristic buildings. New products, materials and technologies are available in the market which specifiers don’t consider because they are not updated, which is why WAI has been formed.

Kunjjaan Popat, Secretary General - WAI Proprietor, Trifix Technologies LLP

Look at the government organisation, the specifications that they have, are age-old. To achieve desired result, they need to switch over to the high-tech products and solutions. The most important thing is that the dynamic products that are available in the market need to be introduced in the entire construction industry. The developers, contractors, and applicators need to be trained on the usage and application of such products and technologies.

The Market Potentials

Industry experts believe that Indian waterproofing market is in its infancy, vis-à-vis other developed or emerging economies. Nonetheless, an evolving consciousness for tackling waterproofing has been observed amidst specifiers, including structural engineers, designers and real estate developers--especially that of metros. But the mindset of both, end customers as well as waterproofing professionals, in Tier-2 & -3 cities needs to evolve as the unwillingness, for shifting over advanced solutions, is pretty visible.

Growth Avenues

The growth of the waterproofing industry is driven by its increasing applications owing to the rising construction activities. Waterproofing is a rising concern across the segments and not limited only to the wet areas of any building. Apart from waterproofing of roofs, walls, tunnels and landfills, the avenues for waterproofing practices are going to be a must in the water conversation & wastewater treatment infrastructure and repair & renovation of existing infrastructure as well.

No doubt, the Indian waterproofing market holds a stupendous potential and the need is to identify

E X C E R P T S

There’s an urgent need to develop the skills of field professionals regarding new products and latest technologies coming frequently into the market. Our professionals really lack proper understanding of products and their applications. India is a huge country with diverse region, and to disseminate proper information to such a huge population, we need to develop a robust communication platform so as to educate them right in time. Waterproofing has been largely neglected because it is not something which is immediately seen in a structure with the weathering conditions that are there, especially in Mumbai which is close to the coastal areas. We, as waterproofing industry, need to take care and ensure that structures are waterproofed properly. Waterproofing is not an issue to be stopped at that end. It increases the durability and strength of the building. We should use newer kind of materials that should have the sustainability. It should not give a load to resources available.

the avenues. But to tap those opportunities, the drive to educate and enhance the awareness level of the workforce, real estate developers and waterproofing contractors is a must. This is because, to apply the modern waterproofing solutions, the knowledge of advanced waterproofing technologies is inevitable.

Shifting Requirements

Waterproofing is--as always-a challenging task that the construction industry faces. Owing to changing skyline, specifiers are more concerned to reduce the weight of the structure. They deeply recommend the use of innovative materials. The drywall concept is the outcome of such initiative which led the construction industry to use smarter materials for constructing wet areas. No wonder, more reliable waterproofing systems are needed as against the present waterproofing practices which were designed for conventional brick/block masonry works.

Creating Future-Ready Workforce

WAI offers a platform, where its members get a ‘connect’ with the nationwide network of peers, professionals and experts who not only support the members but also provide necessary updates & information along the way. While specifiers like architects and interior designers present their research works addressing issues, building material suppliers showcase latest products as well as technologies which have especially been developed keeping in view the requirements of the future.

We, at BMR, contacted select stakeholders of the waterproofing industry to know their opinion about the contemporary waterproofing solutions and how WAI is helping them grab the domain knowledge and sharpen their waterproofing skills. BMR

Syed Md Ehteshamul Hasan

What The Experts Have To Say?

Waterproofing is playing a very vital role nowadays. Such meets and workshops help us identify the trends and educate our workforce that is lacking the knowledge on how to use the latest technology. At the same time, waterproofing, as a profession, is not very effective till date. This will encourage young entrepreneurs to take up waterproofing as a profession which is yet to get the needed attention. I am associated with WAI since last two years and have attended 3-4 such seminars. It helps our fraternity of waterproofing contractors to enhance the knowledge of waterproofing and its processes. This can lead us to grab more business and better quality waterproofing with the use of latest technology. We are specialised into providing customised products. We develop the products based on the specific taste and requirements of our valued clientele. As far as WAI is concerned, it has provided us the base needed to expand our network of applicators who used to source materials and products from us.

E X C E R P T S

WAI has provided the needed platform to introduce new products directly to the industry stakeholders, the waterproofing fraternity. Concrete is so pervious in nature. So, what we have developed is the waterproofed concrete. We, in fact, tried and found out that if the concrete itself is waterproofed, no other chemical coating would be required.”

We see immense potential in the Indian market and the objective of our organisation is to strengthen small applicators who qualify for MSMEs. The reason for joining WAI is to take the leverage of such a platform and graduate the market by educating applicatorsthe forefront people enabling them to do value selling.

Attending such sessions would certainly add up to our kitty of information. It was actually very enlightening for us and we got to learn many new things. I also learned the new techniques of structure rehabilitation. We are from QuackWrap, a US-based company, represented in India by Rohhri Enterprises LLP. We deal in retrofitting of infrastructure by carbon fibre. At WAI, we got overwhelming response and received numerous inquiries from the attendees and stakeholders. We hope to materialise the same.

Kartik Pahwa, SP Concare Pvt. Ltd.

Jaswinder Singh, Tiki Tar Danosa India Pvt. Ltd.

It was great being associated with WAI. It was meant to bring the likeminded people under one roof to share the knowledge in the purview of repairs, rehabilitation and waterproofing and impart training to all the stakeholders in the industry regarding selection of materials, application procedure, specifications, drafting, and safety precautions. We participated in the event to showcase our range of products, specifically in the corrosion range in repairs and rehabilitation.

Salil Gadgil, Krishna Conchem Products Pvt. Ltd.

I am associated with WAI since one year and have learned many new technologies from both India & abroad. It would certainly help us grow our techniques and would lead us to expand network.

E X C E R P T S

We need to go into detailing about how the product selection is made, in what kind of application it is to be used, what are the environmental factors, what will be the usage of the structure now and in future. So, looking into all such aspects, we should select the waterproofing membrane. Through this platform, we are trying to disseminate these information to our fellow stakeholders. Indian market needs to focus on skill enhancements, not only of civil engineers but also of workers.

Anupam Shil, Head Technical & Marketing Services, STP Ltd.

There is a great deal of standardisation needs to be done on the materials used for waterproofing. Also the need to identify the suitability of the waterproofing systems for a particular environment is under process. This will help avoid the wastage of the materials and increase the performance-cost ratio. So, a lot is to be done in the waterproofing systems.

Dr. Priya S Nair, Indian Concrete Institute

We always want to have water tight condition at every places to make them liveable. Moisture deteriorates the conditions of the house. Waterproofing is vital to enhance the project durability which in turn extend the lifespan up to 100-150 years. Take examples of nuclear power projects, road & railway tunnel, underpasses, and the like. We don’t plan it every year, but once in 100 years.

Mangesh Dhamele, Business Manager, Rely On It

People generally don’t anticipate the damages out of it and opt for the cheaper materials. Moreover, the duplicity in the materials that are available in the market is also a cause of concern. Meanwhile, people aren’t updated on the application methodology of waterproofing.

Davender Singh Adhikari, Former Asstt. Engineer (Civil), CPWD

It is important that WAI chapters should organise such workshops very often and exchange the notes, ideas and work experiences based on which we should prepare the documents which will be useful for budding architects, engineers and contractors.

Dr. Abhay Bambole, HoD, Structural Engineering, VJTI

WAI educates the contractors through these workshops and explain to the contractors how the latest products and technologies should be used. So, WAI is working for and helping the society.

Ubed Chowhan, Chowhan & Sons Waterproofing LLP

Waterproofing is a vital part in the building but often it does not function properly. This is where WAI is playing a good role in letting the waterproofers learn how to identify the problem and then accordingly devise the solution. It trains applicators and contractors on new technologies and the application of different materials for the purpose. This is the case with most of the specialised services in the construction field. This is ironical but true also. More is to do with the kind of practices that we adopt in India wherein we usually neglect these kind of practices. This is despite the fact that it accrues only 1 or 2% of the total cost of the project. We need to change our attitude towards waterproofing. Thanks to WAI for such initiative!

E X C E R P T S

The platform which WAI has created is extremely good for beginners and all the applicators and contractors who are unable to get the knowledge. They can enhance their understanding of waterproofing concepts, new products and technologies. This is because, process is important but using right products and right technology is also very critical in doing the waterproofing job.

Pramod Sahu, Director, Arda Polymers Pvt. Ltd.

Getting associated with WAI is a win-win for us as it has helped us meet new stakeholders, exchange ideas and expand the network for Bronco's specialty products, i.e.; waterproofing and powder-coated materials. We have a gamut of products and solutions with pan-India supply. Many of our products are approved and used in government projects.

Praveen Singh, Bronco Buildsmart LLP

Workshop like this is useful to gain some knowledge and updates on new products and technologies in waterproofing industry. I would suggest that the building material manufacturers and suppliers should keep meeting and discussing things with us. This will help us understanding new products and technologies, and then to make the implementation process smooth.

Ar. Rajiv Sharma, Sr. Architect, HPPWD

Waterproofing is an issue in almost all SJVN’s projects. I am thankful to WAI for such a wonderful amalgamation of the likeminded people. What I feel is that there is a dire need to incorporate waterproofing as a subject in the curriculum, right at the college level to help producing professionals with the ability to mitigate the problem at the right time. Waterproofing is a very broad subject which doesn’t get the needed attention here in our country. Waterproofing of every building is a must to not only save the exterior structure but also the interiors wherein people invest crores of rupees. Waterproofing requirements differ from structure to structure and geography to geography, and accordingly we provide the solutions. WAI provides a platform that keeps us updated on any new development. The materials that have been introduced here, if applied properly, can help us find the waterproofing solution in hilly areas.

Ar. Sarojini Sharma, Joint Sec. IIA, HP Chapter

We are working towards getting the best out of this industry for the waterproofers. Through this platform, we are trying to bring the solutions to the industry for all kind of products that are required. We are collaborating with lot of people, irrespective of their profile. We want more stakeholders to join hands with us and experience the growth together with the industry.

E X C E R P T S

Our objective was to disseminate information about our products and technology to architects and engineers. WAI has provided that opportunity to interact and create a connect with them. It has made our work easy.

Sumendra Maan, MKM Products

WAI provided us the needed platform to showcase our products to not only the waterproofing professionals but also to specifiers, including architects and engineers. They appreciated our products. We received very good response.

Maruthu Pandi, Pronil India

The major issue in waterproofing is that it is still not a much organised industry. So, even though a lot of new materials are there new technologies that are coming in are far away from reaching the right people. The awareness level needs to be enhanced, especially of the applicators. This is what WAI is working towards. The aim is to make the industry more organised and systematic.

Amit Dixit, Consultant, New Technologies

There is a huge potential for waterproofers in India. But to identify them we need some sort of guidelines and specifications towards which WAI is working seriously in collaboration with Indian Concrete Institute. We hope a brighter future ahead for the waterproofing fraternity under the able guidance of WAI.

Anurag Sinha, Group GM, Engineers India Ltd.

If we follow the waterproofing systems properly, i.e.; if we identify the issue, select the right product, and do the right application, there can be a permanent solution of the problem.