CommonWealth Magazine｜How BayBrane® Protects Buildings Across Generations

Responsibility that lasts for generations

“How do we know our own children or grandchildren will never cross the bridge we repaired?” This question, often raised by Hydroseal’s founder, reflects the company’s uncompromising attitude toward engineering quality. Founded in 1993 as a corrosion-protection specialist, Hydroseal later expanded into waterproofing, injection, and structural protection. Over three decades, its work has grown from Taiwan to Singapore, Southeast Asia, Australia, and China.

BayBrane®: waterproofing built to last

“We work with concrete and soil every day, but what we truly shape is how people live.” Jerry, Executive Assistant to the General Manager and Head of Marketing, explains that every building affects daily life for decades. Hydroseal therefore applies the same discipline to assessment, planning, execution, installation, and follow-up. Its principle is simple: never cut corners, never reduce material use, and always choose the most suitable method for each project.

Hydroseal originally supplied waterproofing materials to outside contractors, but uneven workmanship made consistent quality difficult. The company responded by creating its own installation team with regular training and certification. The Taiwan High Speed Rail project later pushed the team to refine BayBrane® spray-applied waterproofing for Taiwan’s humid, rainy, typhoon-prone, and earthquake-prone climate. Jack, Executive Assistant in the Engineering Division, notes that adapting both materials and installation methods to local conditions became a key strength of the system.

Protecting railways, tunnels, and cultural landmarks

BayBrane® spray-applied waterproofing has been used on major projects in Taiwan and overseas. In 2004, it was applied to Taiwan High Speed Rail bridge piers to reduce damage from typhoon-driven floods and rock impact. The project later drew attention in Singapore, where the system was used in 2012 for Phase 2 of the MCE485 undersea tunnel, around 20 meters below sea level.

Jerry explains that Singapore’s MCE485 tunnel, two eco-bridges with 2–4 meters of planted soil, and the restoration of Dharma Drum Mountain’s main hall all required long-term waterproofing with minimal future maintenance. BayBrane® is designed for service lives of 30–50 years, helping reduce repeat repairs, carbon emissions, and material waste.

Fewer repairs, longer service life, and less waste support lower carbon emissions and more sustainable construction. BayBrane® has also met international green-building requirements associated with LEED and WELL.

23-year samples confirm long-term performance

“Even after years of earthquakes, typhoons, acid rain, and temperature change in Taiwan, BayBrane® continued to perform well in waterproofing, tensile strength, crack resistance, and concrete protection,” says Andy, Executive Assistant in Administration. BayBrane® is a site-reacted membrane used in both buildings and civil engineering, with proven durability approaching 40 years.

Hydroseal became one of the first companies in the waterproofing industry to remove samples from a membrane installed 23 years earlier and send them for laboratory testing. The results confirmed that both the material and the spray-application method continued to deliver more than 20 years of waterproofing performance in Taiwan.

The Rain Museum: making waterproofing visible

In May 2024, Hydroseal created Taiwan’s first Rain Museum at Xiangti Avenue Plaza in Taipei’s Xinyi District. The exhibition presented BayBrane® waterproofing through an immersive art experience, helping the public understand how waterproofing protects buildings, artworks, and everyday spaces.

Jerry notes that Hydroseal has long worked with Ruentex Development, Continental Engineering, Kindom Development, Fubon Land, and more recently Hsin-Shuo Construction and Dharma Drum Mountain projects. The company continues to expand across Singapore, Southeast Asia, Australia, and China, supported by its specialist BayBrane® installation team.

Hydroseal will continue to develop better waterproofing solutions for major construction, ecological protection, and heritage restoration. Its goal remains the same: apply engineering integrity to every project and create safer, more reliable spaces for every user.

Rain Museum awards