Historic Conservation

Restoration Well Underway at the University of Virginia

The prestigious Lawn at the University of Virginia is currently in the middle of an enormous restoration campaign. This past summer and fall, the sod was completely replaced to allow for a new drainage system. All of the 105 chimneys were repaired using LimeWorks.us custom Ecologicā„¢ Mortar. Removal of the decades of damaging mortars that had been installed during the mid 20th Century, that may have inappropriately contained Portland cement were replaced with the Pure and Natural Hydraulic Lime (NHL) based mortars provided by LimeWorks.us. Ecologicā„¢ Mortars contain no inappropriate Portland cement or Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag, (GGBS), used in HL and not found in the original historic mortars.

Each of the 10 pavilions and 54 student rooms received their repaired chimneys this past summer during a repair campaign that was prompted in part by the east coast earthquake in August, 2011.

The mortar used for this repair, and a number of other ongoing repairs across the lawn, is not only a compatible mortar possessing important properties like breathability and a proper compressive strength, but it is also by nature environmentally friendly. Natural Hydraulic Lime releases approximately 80% less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere compared to the manufacture of Ordinary Portland Cement and NHL does not off-gas like Hydraulic Limes (HL) containing GGBS. NHL continues to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere during its entire lifecycle moving it closer to being carbon neutral.

Watch the video above to see more about the restoration taking place at UVA and keep up to date with us to learn about the ongoing historic restoration campaign at Thomas Jeffersonā€™s Academical Village.

Video courtesy of UVA Magazine

ā€“LimeWorks.us

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