Sika Chile demonstrates community engagement and has joined the “Zona Cero” project of the University of Chile. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals in the country were facing an increase of in-patients. The Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the University of Chile, developed auxiliary building modules that could be easily located outside hospital facilities.
Cooperation of Sika with the University of Chile and Health Authorities
The modules developed for the hospitals facilities were fast and easy to assemble and gave patients with symptoms of COVID-19, the opportunity to receive their first attention and diagnosis. The implementation of this modular building design has been made possible due to the expertise of Sika and its technologies.
The construction is based upon a prefabricated element system that allows different configurations, adapting to the complexity and size of the hospital, with materials that are available throughout the territory. Currently, the construction of the prefabricated panel structures of the first module has been completed at the José Joaquín Aguirre University of Chile Clinical Hospital, Santiago.
Expertise in modular building
Sika solutions in the field of modular construction and the company’s expertise in modular building design has led to cooperation with the University of Chile. Sika Chile proposed and provided solutions for sealing and bonding as well as for anchoring. The main solution was put into practice, Sikaflex® 221. A one-component adhesive sealant, which allows sealing in one step, creating a VOC-free environment, muffling the sound of joints. The second solution was delivered to the project, Sika Anchorfix®-3001, a high-performance anchor adhesive. This solution has the seismic certification c1 and c2, and can be applied for use in water and LEED certification.
Zona Cero project: replicable anywhere
Both products are used in the prefabricated panel structures of the Zona Cero Project, which has to avoid contamination inside the health facilities, allowing a diagnosis to be made to patients with symptoms of the disease, to subsequently refer them according to medical evaluation. According to the project coordinators, the purpose is that the model can be replicated in any area of the country and without the need to move complex materials. “Ground Zero” is a great example of an idea that has been made possible by the cooperation of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the University of Chile, the health authorities, and the contribution of companies like Sika.
