Local value - Experience centre created by professional partnership of companies in Veszprém

The hexagonal building and its attached annex, inaugurated in 1973, have been renewed inside and out with the contribution of VEMÉV-SZER Kft. in close professional cooperation with Cemix Hungary Kft., also based in Veszprém, which is engaged in the production and distribution of building products. The projects carried out in the county town play a significant role in the life of both companies.

The 2300 square metre main building of the CODE Digital Experience Centre has been renovated to include modern mechanical equipment: new air conditioning, cooling and heating systems, along with maintenance and renovation of the old system. The windows were replaced and the interior was modernised. The energy modernisation included the installation of a new thermal insulation system on the façade of the building and the renovation of the façade and plasterwork in other parts of the building. 

Dialogue and professional support for product use

Lóránt Csehi, Project Manager of VEMÉV-SZER told us that as a contractor they have an excellent professional relationship with Cemix, which was established through their joint work. This excellent relationship was further built on in connection with the Dimitrov renovation, with the manufacturing company providing professional advice at several points of the project.

With regard to the CODE Digital Centre, he pointed out that the Cemix special primer and smoothing products enabled them to create a uniform and high quality surface - in some places on the open floor, while maintaining the original poorer quality plaster - which allowed them to carry out the work in a cost-effective way.

Lóránt Csehi said that they are satisfied with the products provided by Cemix, and that for all joint projects they can discuss technical issues on the spot, in person, to find the best possible solution. He added that the project manager of Cemix has continuously monitored the work processes with their products and provided useful technical advice to the contractors.
 

One building, many professional challenges

Gergő Grosz, regional project manager of Cemix, highlighted three major tasks in the renovation process when asked about the professional challenges of renovating the building. He explained that as a manufacturer, they provided adhesive plaster for the façade of the building complex, for its thermal insulation, and colour plaster for the repair of the base plaster and the finishing coat. The third major unit of work was the partial repair of the monolithic reinforced concrete brackets between the ground and first floors. In some parts of the concrete structure, the extent of the damage was such that the reinforcing steel was showing, and the brackets were renewed using the Cemix range of concrete repair products.

Design of thermal insulation on resistant wall surfaces

Gergő Grósz emphasized that as a supplier, they also offer professional support and cost-effective solutions to their partners. He added that they work regularly with the contractor VEMÉV-SZER. In the case of the Dimitrov project, they also provided on-site advice to the contractor's experts on the design of the façade thermal insulation, the renewal of the surfaces that had not been insulated, and the repair and surface protection of the reinforced concrete structures.

There was no shortage of special situations to solve: the project manager of Cemix highlighted the façade, where they encountered cracked base plaster and a paint layer that had been severely damaged by environmental factors. As the contractor could not install the new facade thermal insulation system on the chalky, powdery paint layer, the building materials manufacturer provided advice on how to consolidate the surface. The substrate was sanded down and then Cemix Tiefengrund, which will be listed in the product range as 2614 Deep Primer from April – was used to prepare the base coat on the façade.

In the next stage of the process, Cemix's experts carried out adhesion tests and based on the results, recommended to the contractor a layering scheme that resulted in a durable and cost-effective solution for the insulation layer placement.  

The institution has a self-cleaning exterior

Deep priming of the surface is crucial for plaster that has been previously treated with dispersion paint, is powdery but still load-bearing, as residues of previously applied materials may remain on the sanded surface. After dust removal and deep priming, the substrate is ready for bonding with 2222 STYROKLEBER EXTRA adhesive. The same product with a high binder content was also used for embedding the mesh.

After installing the thermal insulation system, the foundation was prepared using 2615 Putzgrund plaster primer. In the next phase of the façade renovation, 2737 SILICONOLA plaster, which is primarily used for the final surfaces of buildings located along high-traffic roads. The product was chosen for its self-cleaning and good vapour permeability properties, as well as its high algae resistance.

The plaster that benefits from the rain

The expert said that the silicone thin plaster binder contains silicone resin in addition to resin, which ensures vapour permeability while making it difficult for algae and fungi to colonise the surface. This allows for more durable facades, where the appearance of surface discolouration due to environmental influences - i.e. green discolouration - can be significantly delayed over time. The building, added the project manager, is located in a microclimate where these processes are to be expected, but the use of silicone resin eliminates this problem.

Another important consideration when using SILICONOLA plaster was its self-cleaning properties. For high facades, which are difficult to reach and clean, it is advisable to choose this material. Thanks to its self-cleaning properties, the plaster, thanks to its special components, will remove dust, dirt, soot and other environmental contaminants that adhere to the plaster, together with the water, in the event of a heavy downpour. Another advantage is that the product can be cleaned with a high-pressure washer.

Cost-effective levelling

Another technical challenge during the project was the renovation of those parts of the building where no thermal insulation had been installed on the façade. These areas were also characterised by cracked base plaster and chalky, worn paint layers exposed to the effects of time and weather. Where the base plaster was beyond repair, it was removed down to the structure, and the contractor then applied Cemix cement render, 2002 Kontakt VS cement-based plaster for spot repairs and repairs affecting the entire surface. To create the surface layer required for painting, 2110 RENTI repair mortar was applied at the boundary between the remaining and newly applied plaster to create a homogeneous surface. The process of creating the layer structure was completed by painting with two coats of SILICONTOP. This created a surface that was visually harmonious with the thermally insulated façade surfaces.

The damaged reinforced concrete brackets are reborn

Among the professional challenges, the project manager of Cemix also mentioned the renovation of the building's damaged reinforced concrete structure: there, the contractor used a cement bonding bridge 1515 KONTAKT cement bonding bridge was used by the contractor to prevent further corrosion of the reinforcing steel. Then, the 1615 CT-Max repair mortar, which has proven itself in industrial flooring. The high adhesive and compressive strength of the product was utilised, as it was crucial for the material to remain in place during the setting time on the protruding console. The manufacturer's range of concrete repair products allows concrete structures to be repaired to such a high standard that it is as if there had been no damage to the structure at all.