Fa?ade Access Strategies

Every architect wants his design to leave a lasting impression, making each fa?ade increasingly unique. Modern day buildings are high performing and clients have high expectations from these envelopes. For this to be accomplished, the iconic fa?ade must be properly maintained and kept clean. Fa?ade maintenance must not only be practical, but effective and economical as well. Since the strategy of fa?ade maintenance and access will be in place for the life of the building, the development of the same must be thought about during the concept development of the fa?ade. It is one of the key aspect during design of a fa?ade system and can influence the budget attributed to the package.?

Fa?ade maintenance includes regular cleaning of the elements as well as damage rectification and replacement of panels. When building services are beyond nominal reach, it becomes important to design a system for safe and efficient maintenance. The most challenging aspect for any fa?ade maintenance is to access the system with least disruption to its intended use. Hence a system that works on one building at a particular location might not be ideal for a similar building in a different location. Fa?ade access specialists help in optimizing the most suitable system to unique facades, ensuring that building facades are accessible and maintainable.

Often in the past, facade access was considered during the final stage of a project and this has resulted in restricted possibilities for maintenance and replacement. This in turn leads to increased cost for the client when the need arises for replacement or damage rectification. Early involvement allows for optimum use of functional space to design the most effective access solution.

Different methods of fa?ade access

Monorail or Rigid Rail

In this system, a rail is superimposed or mounted onto a building structure to provide continuous access to the fa?ade. The system enables attaching a trolley to the rail system which allows movement around the fa?ades. The same system can be used for regular cleaning and maintenance as well as for damage replacement.?

Image credit: rissafety.com.au

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When designing the monorail it is important that adequate considerations are given for the loading conditions that the system will be imposed to during its usable life time. Consideration for replacement panel weight, 2 operators, tools for cleaning and maintenance and additional fall arrest dynamic load must be taken into account in the loading. The rail system must also consider the number of operators that will be using the rail in adjacent spans or alternate spans.

Rope access and Anchor points

Rope Access is very popular in being the least invasive and easy option for fa?ade access. However, this can be used mainly for cleaning only and will need to be combined with other options such as scaffolding in case the need for panel replacement arises. It is also called abseiler access and is made of skilled and trained professionals abseiling from fixed anchor points in the structure.?

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The design of the anchor points need careful consideration for the loads to be imposed on it. The main loads to be considered are the weight of the abseiler with his tools and accidental fall loads. An abseiler system typically consists of two sets of safety lines, the working and secondary safety line, ideally to be attached to different anchor points. Dynamic loads in case of accidental fall are also to be considered.

Davit Arm?

Davit arms are fixed to building structures and are designed to suspend the operator from the edge of the building. They are popular for being modular and for the ease of installation and use.

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Davit arms can be designed to rotate 360 degrees and are fixed to base plates at regular intervals at the buildings roof level. Similar to monorail systems, consideration need to be given for loads due to operator use, panel loads for replacement, tools and accidental fall loads. It is also important that davit arms are designed and positioned such that they do not put loads onto fa?ade surfaces while it is in use.

MEWP access

MEWPs (Mobile elevating work platforms) provide a safe and flat surface to work at heights. They are power driven, mobile in most directions and can be used to access restricted spaces. MEWPs are designed to carry heavy tools, replacements panels and is easy to setup and transport.

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Scaffolding

Scaffolding can be a good choice for older and difficult to access buildings, however it restricts the use of space during the work. Scaffolding structures must be built by professionals and inspected and tested before use. As well as safety inspections at the beginning, the scaffolding should be regularly inspected to ensure its integrity.

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Fa?ade access is not only for tall structures but for all types of buildings and fa?ade systems. The type of strategy employed allows to decide the frequency of cleaning and if the system in place will be permanent or temporary. It is also about making the best informed decision that helps add value to a building.