2022-2023
CopelandBEC provided building envelope investigation and design services to assist a Massachusetts higher education institution with addressing ongoing water leakage below a plaza courtyard.
Our condition assessment revealed numerous defective courtyard waterproofing conditions, including various locations of ponding water at existing drains, aged and undersized stormwater piping, and water leakage into occupied spaces housing sensitive materials below and adjacent to the courtyard. These issues resulted in damage to existing building components.
As a result, our we designed repairs to the waterproofing and related systems including:
- removing all courtyard assemblies (hardscape and greenscape) down to the structural concrete deck
- providing improved slope-to-drain with a cementitious overlay
- installing additional bi-level drains to facilitate increased drainage
- installing a new cold fluid-applied PUMA waterproofing membrane
- installing protection and drainage materials, greenscape, and asphalt pavers
- removing and replacing egress doors adjacent to the courtyard
- localized curtainwall repairs at buildings adjacent to the courtyard
CopelandBEC worked closely with Wise Construction (general contractor), Tripi Engineering Services (structural engineer), Fitzemeyer & Tocci (MEP engineer), and Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (landscape architect) to develop innovative solutions providing durable, long-term resistance to water ingress.
