Tall towards taller

“BASF delivers products that increase resource and energy efficiency and improve building life expectancy, lowering expenditure on maintenance and repairs,” says Upen Patel, Business Director, BASF Construction Chemicals (South Asia)
 BASF, originally stood for Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik, is one of the largest chemical companies in the world. BASF is “the partner” for world’s leading tallest buildings in tackling the various construction challenges. Skyscrapers like Burj Khalifa, Taipei 101 and Shanghai Tower depended on BASF admixtures that helped them pump concrete to a height of more than 600 metres. In an exclusive interview with ACE Update, Upen Patel shares how BASF is helping reduce the amount of resources needed for construction and contribute to greater living comfort.
Current construction chemicals marketAccording to data published by the Construction Chemicals Manufacturer’s Association (CCMA), the size of construction chemicals market is currently pegged at Rs 3,300 crore in sales and 900-1,000 KTA in volume during 2013. According to another analysis by the Planning Commission, the construction chemicals industry is slated for a 16 per cent per annum growth.
Trends that keep industry movingGreen building is a current trend worldwide, and this is resulting in the emergence of green building rating and certification systems such as LEED (USA), BREEAM (UK), CASBEE (Japan), HQE (France) and DGNB (Germany). In India, we see that the popularity of the highly energy efficient and performing chemical products and solutions is increasing as a result of growing awareness amongst designers and architects. Despite the growing awareness, the industry is still at a nascent stage. Using construction chemicals for overall construction projects has not been common in Tier-II and -III cities so far. Currently, a draft is being formalised to underline the rules for green buildings, so that designers are aware of the various requirements and work accordingly.
BASF understands sustainable construction as the process of developing built environments that balance economic viability with resource conservation, reducing environmental impacts and taking social aspects into account. As a result, BASF construction experts are actively engaged in green building councils.
As a leading provider of raw materials, systems and finished products to the construction industry, BASF delivers products that increase resource and energy efficiency and improve building life expectancy, lowering expenditure on maintenance and repairs. For example, in the plastic business, these products include polyurethane and polystyrene insulation foams that significantly improve the energy efficiency of buildings.
Tall building trends IndiaCurrently tall buildings are perceived as a premium segment. But with increasing purchasing power and subsequent rise in land cost, settling in a low-rise building becomes more expensive. The investment on the support infrastructure for a city to grow horizontally is much higher and therefore the planning and development authorities in India are looking to grow vertically. Presently Mumbai and the National Capital Region (NCR) are growing vertically, and this trend will soon be followed in other metros as well.
Essential BASF productsBASF offers an array of products and solutions which meets global standards and are used to reduce the amount of resources needed for construction and contribute to greater living comfort.
For example, BASF products reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the construction sector by increasing the energy efficiency of the construction process (supplementary cementitious materials as substitutes for cement clinker), by reducing the energy demand of buildings (a broad portfolio of insulating materials) and by extending the service life of buildings (e.g. repair mortars). BASF’s low-VOC dispersions used as raw materials in adhesives, coatings and sealants as well as those formulated products themselves, reduce indoor emissions in buildings, contributing to comfort and health. Its Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) not only provide outstanding insulation values, but also are lightweight and eliminate the need to transport heavy brick and stone. Its research and development activities aim to continuously optimise the technical and sustainability performance of its products and the processes in which they are used.
BASF and tall buildingsBASF has a strong sales team across the country. The company undertakes regular interactions with developers, architects and consultants to offer unique solutions. Its global presence and experience makes BASF a formidable supplier whom customers rely on.
BASF offers solutions for every construction requirement — right from making basements watertight to making the roof leak proof. The admixtures required for pumping concrete to a height of more than 100 metres is a unique challenge for developers, but its success in helping regional and global projects such as Burj Khalifa, Taipei 101 and Shanghai Tower in tackling the various construction challenges makes BASF a partner of choice.
Burj Khalifa, at 828 metres, is the world’s tallest building. It is an engineering masterpiece, designed to withstand both immense pressure and extreme climatic conditions. BASF’s MasterGlenium SKY concrete admixture was key to meeting these demands, making it possible to pump the concrete, without interruption, to a height of up to 600 metres. The admixture prevents the concrete components from separating despite the high pressure used during pumping. The early strength acquired with each storey allowed building to progress rapidly, completing two storeys per week instead of the one story per week which is standard in Dubai.

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