Just in time for the new school year, the STEM Academy in Reading, PA, was completed in August 2025. PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, was specified to protect the Academy's below-grade concrete structures from the site's high groundwater levels.
ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Just in time for the new school year, the STEM Academy in Reading, PA, was completed in August 2025. PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, was specified to protect the Academy's below-grade concrete structures from the site's high groundwater levels.
The home of the real-life Reading Railroad from the Monopoly board game, Reading, PA, is a city of over 95,000 in southeastern Pennsylvania. Today, with its proximity to Philadelphia, New York City, Lancaster County, and the Amish country, the city attracts new residents thanks to an ongoing rejuvenation of its neighborhoods, parks, and riverfront areas, combined with its low cost of living and low crime rates.
The STEM Academy was designed by D'Huy Engineering. It is a satellite school to Reading High School (currently 3,500 students) and dedicated to specific STEM-related (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) courses of study. The new 145,000-ft2 (13,182-m2), four-floor building can accommodate 1,000 students. The facility features specially designed STEM classrooms, tech education and science labs, a media center, common learning spaces, an auditorium/dining hall, and rooftop courtyard.
"The STEM Academy helps alleviate some of the overcrowding at Reading High School – and also provides state-of-the-art academic programs to help students focus on STEM career pathways," explains Richard Farmer, Eastern Regional Sales Manager for Penetron USA.
The layout of the STEM Academy includes a 72-space indoor parking garage. After reviewing plans for the garage, the D'Huy Engineering team elected to replace the originally specified waterproofing membrane system with an integral concrete waterproofing solution.
Rahns Concrete, the ready-mix supplier, added PENETRON ADMIX SB in soluble bags to the concrete during batching, simplifying the dosage and batching process. The approximately 1,100 yds3 of PENETRON ADMIX-treated concrete was used to protect the below-grade concrete retaining walls and columns of the garage from groundwater penetration.
Once mixed into the concrete, PENETRON ADMIX SB unleashes a catalytic reaction activated by moisture to generate a non-soluble crystalline formation. This permanently seals the pores and capillary tracts normally found in concrete against the penetration of water or liquids from any direction, substantially reducing the permeability of usually porous concrete.
"Not only did the choice of PENETRON ADMIX SB help the contractor avoid the labor-intensive installation of a membrane system, but it also helped save time on the construction schedule," adds Richard Farmer. "For the long-term, PENETRON ADMIX-treated concrete with low permeability, corrosion mitigation, and self-healing properties has virtually no future maintenance costs."
The Penetron Group is a leading manufacturer of specialty construction products for concrete waterproofing, concrete repairs and floor preparation systems. The Group operates through a global network, offering support to the design and construction community through its regional offices, representatives, and distribution channels.
For more information on Penetron waterproofing solutions, please visit penetron(dot)com or Facebook(dot)com/ThePenetronGroup, email CRDept(at)penetron(dot)com or contact the Corporate Relations Department at 631-941-9700.
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Corporate Relations, The Penetron Group, 631-941-9700, [email protected], www.penetron.com
SOURCE The Penetron Group
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