Mario Sommer
Head of Technical Assistance/Project Consulting, Sopro Bauchemie
Mario Sommer started his career at Ato Findley Deutschland GmbH, Germany, as a construction consultant and seminar leader. In July 1999, Mr Sommer joined Sopro Bauchemie GmbH in Wiesbaden, Germany, as Deputy Head of Technical Assistance, where he is now Head of Technical Assistance and Project Consulting. Since 2009, Mr Sommer has been an authorised signatory of Sopro Bauchemie GmbH and since 2014 he has also been a publicly appointed and sworn expert for failures in buildings with ceramic coverings. Mr Sommer also participates in various working groups and standards committees. He has been a board member of the BAKA Bundesverband Altbauerneuerung e.V., Berlin, since June 2023.
Modern, Bitumen-free Waterproofing Systems for the Protection of Buildings
In the past, bitumen-based waterproofing materials were used to waterproof external basement walls, i.e. components in contact with the ground. Their application was and is not always easy due to weather conditions and is a challenge for the installer.
The search for a replacement waterproofing material had been going on for decades. Time and again, this has failed due to the particularly high crack-bridging capacity of bitumen products, which is necessary due to the movements taking place in the structure.
In the last two decades, however, it has been possible to further develop bitumen-free, in this case cement-bound sealing slurries, which now have highly elastic properties and are increasingly replacing bitumen products on the exterior basement walls on construction sites. They are also easy to work with and have a certain weather resistance during application. Furthermore, these waterproofing products can be finished in a variety of ways with plaster, paint, tiles or natural stone. They are a valuable solution for the renovation of buildings (especially basements) and can also cope very well with negative water pressure. In road construction, gardening and landscaping, they are used to seal cisterns, flower pots, basins or masonry walls. The same applies to terraces or roofs of prefabricated modules, such as prefabricated garages.
Breakout XI – Solutions for Modern Construction – 12 September 2025 – 11:30 – 12:00 – Room 1