Concrete Rain: Problematic Pollution and Damage to Windows and Facades

See Brilliance provides a practical solution for pollution and damage to windows and facades caused by large scale construction projects.

December 17, 2019 / / —

Large scale construction projects in major cities are causing concrete to fall/spill from tall buildings onto other buildings in close proximately. The result is significant concrete pollution on the facades and windows of surrounding buildings. This is causing major pollution issues, unsightly mess and damage to the facades of surrounding buildings to such as extent that it is visible from the ground.

Sometimes, a building can suffer damage to its aesthetics and structure through no fault of its own. As is often the case, we’re seeing this trend appear strongly in many areas of London where buildings are crammed together as close as can be. Nigel Bennett, Technical Director at See Brilliance explains the cause of the problem. “The problem lies in large-scale construction projects. As these progress, concrete fall from tall buildings lands on others in close proximity. The resulting concrete pollution isn’t good for anyone; unsightly messes are made, and damage is done to windows and facades to such a degree that it’s often visible from the ground.”

Unfortunately, a fair portion of this widespread issue lies in construction standards. Poor protection of concrete pours, such as when shuttering or transporting concrete to construction areas, causes concrete to spill down onto buildings and neighbouring properties. “The higher the building, the worse and wider the spillage area is. Prevention measures save money compared to removal of spills but aren’t always invested in by construction companies and contractors. Ideally, concrete spills should be removed as soon as is possible from any facades made of glass, stone and metal. Leaving the contamination ultimately costs more money, with permanent stains forming faster than you’d think on affected surfaces. Unfortunately for a country with weather like ours, wet and cold accelerates the damage done by the alkalise in the concrete; the longer it stays on, the more the alkalise eats into substrates to leave a stain.”

“New facades under warranty need a restoration system approved prior to works starting. Most manufacturers working in the UK recognise the See Brilliance system to remove any accumulated detritus.”

If a construction site spills concrete on a neighbouring property, they often have a legal responsibility to get it professionally removed so no permanent damage is caused. Fortunately for many, there are also conditions under the Considerate Constructors Scheme that rectify the issue swiftly, often insisting that insurance policies cover this form of accidental damage.

During construction of one of London’s tallest buildings, concrete had spilt over onto the stainless steel, glass roof and façade of its neighbouring building. Occurring during the three-year construction of the larger building, this extensive issue led to See Brilliance being called in to remove the spillage and residual ghosting left on affected substrates. Performed via abseilers and Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs), the four-stage process began with the removal of outer layers of concrete using wooden and plastic spatulas. This was followed by the application of releasing chemicals that softened the remaining concrete deposits, which were then removed by spatulas. A rinse and powder followed, helping to remove ghosting stains left by the concrete alkalise. Lastly, a specific finishing chemical was applied to the affected façade. This led to the desired finished result; the blending of the restored surface to the remaining unaffected areas.

See Brilliance has been working in commercial restorative cleaning for over thirty years, providing a range of services including concrete removal, facade and cladding restoration, glass restoration, graffiti removal and DOFF steam cleaning. For more information, please refer to the contact information below to get in touch with See Brilliance.

Contact: Andrea Wallington
Phone: 01635 230 888
Address: Unit M, Venture House, Bone Ln, Newbury RG14 5SH
Website: https://www.seebrilliance.com
Email: [email protected]

Contact Info:
Name: Andrea Wallington
Email: Send Email
Organization: See Brilliance
Address: Unit M, Venture House, Bone Ln, Newbury RG14 5SH
Phone: 01635 230 888
Website: https://www.seebrilliance.com

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Release ID: 88939760