Amenity decks on high-rise residential buildings can be among the most challenging areas to waterproof and repair.
These assemblies often combine waterproofing membranes with planters, paving systems, pools and spas, landscaping, drainage, railings, penetrations, and architectural finishes. Many of the most critical waterproofing transitions are ultimately concealed beneath finishes that owners expect to remain attractive and functional.
When these assemblies fail, the solution is rarely as simple as removing an existing membrane and replacing it.
At Waiea at Ward Village in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, the Association of Unit Owners retained Allana Buick & Bers, Inc. (ABB) to investigate and design repairs centered on the highly visible seventh-level amenity deck. ABB’s involvement continued through construction administration, construction monitoring, testing, and restoration of the finished amenity areas.
The project demonstrates how successful amenity deck remediation requires coordination between waterproofing design, material selection, testing, field conditions, construction observation, and the realities of an existing occupied high-rise.
Project Overview
Project: Waiea at Ward Village
Location: Honolulu, Hawai‘i
Building Type: High-Rise Luxury Residential
Residential Units: 178
Primary Area: Seventh-Level Amenity Deck
Client: Association of Unit Owners
ABB Services: Assessment, remedial design, construction administration, construction monitoring, waterproofing testing
ABB completed a comprehensive assessment in 2019 to identify construction and/or design defects and develop recommended repairs.
Following the assessment, ABB was retained to design the repairs and provide construction-phase services intended to properly waterproof the amenity deck while restoring its high-end finishes.
The repair scope extended beyond a single open deck area and included private garages, gardens, planters, a pet area, locker rooms, a spa, private gymnasium, and playground areas.
The project followed a comprehensive remedial process:
Assessment → Repair Recommendations → Remedial Design → Construction Administration → Construction Monitoring → Testing
Why Was the Waiea Amenity Deck Repair So Complex?
The seventh-level amenity deck incorporated numerous building components and waterproofing conditions that needed to function together.
Systems involved in the project included:
- Podium-deck waterproofing
- Planter waterproofing
- Roofing
- Window wall
- Curtain wall
- Concrete
- Fire-resistive construction
- Mechanical systems
- Domestic water systems
- Electrical systems
Even though waterproofing was the principal focus, these surrounding systems affected what could be removed, how replacement assemblies could be installed, where transitions needed to occur, and how the completed conditions would perform.
The waterproofing was also located beneath expensive architectural finishes and landscaping.
Once paving, planters, and other amenities were restored, many critical waterproofing conditions would no longer be accessible. Resolving details and testing the waterproofing before concealment therefore became particularly important.
Developing a Comprehensive Amenity Deck Repair
The remedial scope at Waiea was extensive.
ABB’s design addressed removal and replacement of the existing exterior finishes and podium-deck waterproofing, as well as planter waterproofing and overburden, steam-room and shower waterproofing, and existing thermoplastic membrane roofing.
The scope included:
- Removal and replacement of podium-deck waterproofing
- Removal and replacement of planter waterproofing
- Removal and replacement of associated overburden
- Repair of steam-room waterproofing
- Repair of shower waterproofing
- Replacement of thermoplastic membrane roofing
- Restoration of exterior finishes
The scope demonstrates why large amenity deck remediation should be approached as an integrated building enclosure project, rather than simply as a membrane replacement.
Integrating Podium and Planter Waterproofing
One of the successful elements of the project was the coordinated replacement of the horizontal deck and planter waterproofing systems.
ABB’s project documentation states that the project achieved complete waterproofing replacement and successfully integrated a single manufacturer for both the podium horizontal waterproofing and planter waterproofing.
This allowed the systems to be covered under a single-source warranty.
This was particularly important because planter and horizontal deck waterproofing meet at potentially challenging transitions.
Coordinating the adjoining systems helped address compatibility, detailing, installation requirements, and warranty responsibility at these critical interfaces.
Testing 100% of the Waterproofing Before Concealment
One of the strongest technical aspects of the Waiea project was the extent of waterproofing testing.
According to the project documentation, 100% of the horizontal and planter waterproofing was tested using Electronic Leak Detection (ELD) by ABB’s team before the waterproofing was covered by overburden or finishes.
This was especially important because once deck finishes, planters, soil, paving systems, and other overburden were installed, locating and repairing waterproofing defects would become significantly more difficult.
Testing before concealment provided an opportunity to identify discontinuities while the waterproofing membrane was still accessible.
The project team therefore did not rely solely on visual observation. The horizontal and planter waterproofing systems were tested before the finished amenity deck was rebuilt above them.
Addressing Wind Uplift and Coastal Exposure
Waterproofing was not the project’s only performance consideration.
The replacement paving and pedestal system around the pool deck also needed to satisfy significant wind-uplift requirements associated with the high-rise environment.
At the same time, existing top-of-concrete and adjacent finished elevations limited the available height for the replacement paver and pedestal assembly.
The design therefore needed to balance several requirements:
Wind resistance + Limited assembly height + Material durability + Waterproofing integration + Coastal exposure
The manufacturer’s available options were limited, and galvanized trays were required to meet the uplift requirements.
However, ABB had concerns about the long-term performance of galvanized metal in Hawai‘i’s corrosive marine environment.
Using Laboratory Testing to Evaluate Corrosion Resistance
ABB developed a more robust perimeter-edge solution for the pedestal paving system, incorporating waterproofing details and a powder-coated tray system.
Rather than relying solely on assumptions about material durability, ABB sent samples of the manufacturer’s trays to a testing laboratory.
One sample was galvanized and another was powder coated. The samples underwent salt-spray testing before the powder-coated solution was specified for the project.
This allowed the team to evaluate the proposed material against the conditions it would encounter at the property.
The question was not simply:
“Can this system resist wind uplift?”
The design also needed to address:
“Can the supporting components remain durable in a corrosive coastal environment?”
The testing helped inform the material selection before the final system was installed.
Responding to Concealed Conditions During Construction
As with many existing-building remediation projects, not every condition could be known during design.
The project documentation notes that numerous conditions remained concealed until construction began.
Drawings, visual assessments, and exploratory openings can provide valuable information during design, but some existing conditions cannot be fully understood until finishes and assemblies are removed.
At Waiea, this required ongoing coordination between ABB’s field personnel and design team.
As concealed conditions were uncovered, the process became:
Field Discovery → Design Review → Revised Detail → Installation
This allowed the repair design to respond to the building conditions actually encountered during construction rather than treating the original construction documents as fixed.
Developing Details for Unforeseen Field Conditions
ABB’s field personnel worked closely with the design team as previously concealed conditions were uncovered.
The team developed comprehensive details intended to avoid leaving critical waterproofing conditions and tie-ins open to contractor interpretation.
This is particularly important in remedial waterproofing.
Generic instructions such as “tie into existing waterproofing” may not provide sufficient direction when the actual substrate, geometry, or adjacent assembly differs from what was anticipated during design.
Developing condition-specific details helped maintain continuity between the remedial design and actual field conditions.
Construction Monitoring During Waterproofing Installation
ABB’s role continued through construction with both construction administration and construction monitoring.
This involvement was particularly important because the waterproofing would eventually be concealed beneath restored finishes, planters, paving, and other amenity-deck components.
Critical waterproofing conditions can occur at:
- Perimeters
- Planter transitions
- Penetrations
- Drainage interfaces
- Walls
- Changes in elevation
- Equipment supports
- Roofing transitions
- Expansion and movement conditions
Many of these details can disappear beneath completed finishes shortly after installation.
Construction observation and testing provided an opportunity to review these conditions while they remained accessible.
According to the project documentation, construction monitoring was instrumental in confirming proper waterproofing application and successful reintegration of the finishing materials.
Balancing Waterproofing Performance With Architectural Quality
Waiea is a luxury residential property, so waterproofing performance was only one part of the project objective.
The completed amenity deck also needed to restore the high-end architectural finishes and amenities expected by residents.
This creates a different design challenge than repairing a conventional roof.
The project needed to balance:
Waterproofing → Drainage → Structural Requirements → Wind Resistance → Durability → Architectural Finishes → Resident Use
The completed repair therefore needed to provide effective long-term water management while maintaining the functional and visual qualities of the amenity area.
What Can Owners and Associations Learn From Waiea?
The Waiea project provides several lessons for owners and associations dealing with failed waterproofing at elevated amenity decks.
Start With a Comprehensive Assessment
ABB first assessed the property to identify construction and/or design defects before developing recommended repairs.
This allowed the repair strategy to respond to the underlying conditions rather than simply replacing visible finishes.
Coordinate Adjoining Waterproofing Systems
The podium-deck and planter waterproofing were integrated using a single manufacturer, supporting system compatibility and a single-source warranty.
Test Waterproofing Before It Is Concealed
At Waiea, 100% of the horizontal and planter waterproofing underwent Electronic Leak Detection testing before overburden or finishes were installed.
This provided an opportunity to identify discontinuities while the waterproofing remained accessible.
Consider Local Environmental Exposure
Material selection should account for the conditions in which a system will actually perform.
At Waiea, the project team evaluated not only wind-uplift requirements but also the effects of Hawai‘i’s corrosive marine environment.
Expect Concealed Conditions
Existing-building remediation often reveals conditions that could not have been fully documented during design.
Maintaining coordination between the field and design teams allowed ABB to respond as those conditions were uncovered.
Do Not Leave Critical Interfaces Open to Interpretation
Specific details were developed for newly discovered conditions and waterproofing tie-ins rather than relying solely on generalized field instructions.
Continue Waterproofing Consulting Through Construction
Construction monitoring and testing allowed critical waterproofing conditions to be reviewed while they remained accessible and before architectural finishes were restored.
From Failed Waterproofing to a Coordinated Amenity Deck Repair
The Waiea at Ward Village project demonstrates why successful amenity deck waterproofing remediation involves much more than replacing a membrane.
ABB’s work progressed through:
The project brought together podium waterproofing, planter waterproofing, roofing, paving, wind-uplift requirements, coastal corrosion considerations, concealed conditions, and high-end architectural finishes within a coordinated repair program.
For owners and associations experiencing failed waterproofing at an elevated amenity deck, the first question may not be:
“Which waterproofing membrane should we replace this with?”
A more useful question is:
“Why did the existing system fail, how do the waterproofing and finish systems connect, and how will the replacement be evaluated before it is concealed?”
Waiea demonstrates how assessment, remedial design, testing, construction administration, and field observation can work together to address those questions.