With the declaration of 2024 as the “year of insulation and insulation” under the leadership of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, waterproofing regulations and imported products in this field took their place among the main agenda items of the construction industry.
Alper Doğruer, President of BİTÜDER (Bituminous Waterproofing Manufacturers Association), said that bituminous membranes used for waterproofing purposes in buildings are one of the most critical construction materials to prevent corrosion and thus prevent the reinforcement from being damaged in an earthquake. He warned.
“Imported bituminous membranes put earthquake safety at risk”
Alper Doğruer, President of BİTÜDER, which was founded by those who produce at CE (Conformité Européenné) standards in Turkey, made the following statement on the subject: “We have the capacity to meet all the needs of the construction industry by producing at international standards in our country. In addition to imported products of similar quality, we observe that imported bituminous membranes that do not meet the standards are used in projects in our country in recent years. These non-standard products continue to be used in our country, ignoring the standards set by the waterproofing regulations. “Aside from creating an unfair competitive environment, I would like to underline that this situation also poses a much bigger problem in terms of earthquake safety of our country.”
“Buildings without waterproofing lose 66% of their carrying capacity”
BİTÜDER President Alper Doğruer stated that if waterproofing is not done with a qualified product and application, corrosion begins in the iron reinforcement and said, “Corrosion causes the load-bearing system of the structures to decay and weaken over time. “Research shows that buildings without waterproofing lose 66% of their initial bearing capacity just 10 years after they were built,” he said, adding:
“We make it our mission to explain the importance of bituminous membranes for proper waterproofing and the impact of using quality materials on building quality on every platform. In order to get the most effective efficiency from waterproofing, the materials that best suit the characteristics and needs of the building should be selected. Care should be taken to ensure that the products used for waterproofing have CE certification, which certifies European compatibility. The use of imported, low-quality, non-standard products is extremely dangerous in terms of building static and corrosion. “In addition, it may result in negative comfort conditions, such as technical losses due to lack of adequate waterproofing in the building.”
“We aim to contribute to earthquake safety”
Underlining that they will be involved in all kinds of work to increase the quality of products and the capacity to inspect applications in cooperation with the public authority to create safe structures, Alper Doğruer said, “Poor quality imported products increase unfair competition in the sector. We invite all our stakeholders to raise awareness so that these products do not threaten building safety. As an association that gathers all polymer bituminous membrane manufacturers operating in the waterproofing sector under the same roof since 2006, we take care to maintain the quality standards of the sector. “We aim to ensure production in accordance with national and international standards, contribute to earthquake safety and achieve healthy growth in the waterproofing market.”
Source: www.dunya.com
