Surface: Glass

Rapid response to rising attacks

Paint attacks are on the rise.

A guerrilla tactic used by activists to express disapproval of government and institutional policies, buildings are targeted without warning and, under the cover of night, visibly defaced using spray cans, paint-filled fire extinguishers and even entire pots of paint.

Fortunately, OneFifty are fully equipped and ready to respond.

ON DUTY, AT THE DOUBLE

Following our recent rapid response to a paint attack on County Hall in Taunton, an early morning call-out to a property in Bristol City Centre saw OneFifty pull out all the stops.

We don’t plan for emergencies, but we understand the urgency and the impact these attacks can have. So, as far as possible we prioritise this type of work and provide a skilled team and effective cleaning solution as quickly as we can.

A complex clean

This attack was significant in both scale and the number of substrates impacted – brick, stone, metal, glass – but our range of specialist cleaning solutions and years of experience enabled us to determine the best approach for each without an on-site assessment – saving precious time.

Within 2-3 hours of arriving and without any damage to the building, we had successfully removed 80% of the paint. Not only did our work dramatically reduce the visual impact of the attack but, vitally, it enabled the building to function and staff to return to work.

Devil’s in the detail

While our rapid response removed the bulk of the paint, once applied, paint quickly permeates and penetrates, and the residual spray from fire extinguishers is particularly challenging to remove, so returning the building to as-new requires a follow-up visit. But on the day, with the emergency swiftly managed and our client clearly relieved, for us, it was a tough task well tackled.

To find out more about our superior external building cleaning services, contact Max or Andy Morris on 0333 234 1445, or email your enquiry and we’ll get right back to you.

A pristine clean at Whitchurch Lane Enterprise Park

Whitchurch Lane Enterprise Park might seem tucked away in the suburbs of South Bristol, but there is nothing discreet about these exceptional light industrial units. 

Designed to offer specialist contractors fit-for-purpose spaces to support Bottle Yard Studios –  the vibrant, neighbouring TV & Film Production facility – the units were built to a high specification and to BREEAM standards.

They certainly look the part, and it’s hardly a surprise that maintaining the exterior is not a nice to have – it’s an obligation.

But it is not an easy task.

A partnership in perfection

Working with Hartnell Taylor Cook, we developed a proposal and schedule to make sure the new units will always look at their best for years to come. An annual deep clean of the exterior will be supported by a six-monthly maintenance clean, focussing on windows and any challenges that arise, including managing rust.

A walk in the park

We recently completed our first annual clean, where our knowledge and expertise, as well as the relatively new condition of the units, meant that the clean itself was, for us, relatively challenge free.

With no particularly nasty contaminants to tackle, we used our Reach & Wash service to clean the glass, including potentially hard-to-reach skylights and solar panels, while our Pressure Washing service was the perfect solution for the vast metal-clad exterior.

No clear access, no hassle

As is often the way with large buildings, certain areas can prove tricky to reach, and with no clear access to the back of these units, keeping the rear up to scratch could have posed a significant challenge.

But not only is our team highly skilled and fully qualified in accessing high and hard-to-reach areas, our Multitel MZ350 Cherry Picker Truck – with its versatile platform operating at heights of up to 35.5m and outreaching up to 20m – helped us to overcome a potential hurdle hassle free.

When the clean was complete, the units were ready to withstand another six months of notorious West Country weather.

To find out more about our superior external building cleaning services, contact Max or Andy Morris on 0333 234 1445, or email your enquiry and we’ll get back to you in a flash.

Cleaning the atrium of UWE’s Business School

The building that houses the Bristol Business School is considered the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ of UWE’s Frenchay campus. OneFifty was therefore delighted to be asked to carry out the high-level interior cleaning of the impressive atrium of this much-prized building.

We’ve carried out several exterior cleaning projects for UWE, including the façade of the Bristol Business School. The surveyor in charge of UWE’s estates and facilities was impressed by the high standard of our work, so on learning that we had the solution and expertise to carry high-level interior cleaning, he booked us to work on the atrium.

A WORLD CLASS FACILITY AND A SHOW-CASE BUILDING

UWE, and the Bristol Business School, have a fantastic reputation and students come from all over the world to study here. This world-class facility was created to reflect the university’s reputation and showcase the school’s unique facilities.

The interior spaces have also been created to promote a cohesive relationship between campus, industry, and local community. As you walk in through the main doors you are greeted by a welcoming café which is used by visitors, businesses, students and staff alike. As you look up, you can clearly see the stand-out learning spaces such as the Bloomberg City Trading Room, and the Mock Law Courts where students can act out real scenarios.

The grand stair in the atrium links the various levels of the building, with bridges at every level connecting the staff and student zones. There are also breakout, meeting, and study spaces on all floors. All in all, it is a beautifully designed, inspiring space that deserves to be carefully maintained to the highest standards.

TOP QUALITY PROFESSIONAL INTERIOR CLEANING

Our work involved cleaning the huge floor-to-ceiling windows that face out onto the atrium, the glazed balustrades surrounding the central space on every level, and all of the interior windows of the building.

We do a lot of high-level internal cleaning and every project has its own unique requirements. On this project work needed to be completed over a weekend and so time was of the essence.

KNOW HOW AND THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT

We knew from experience that we could utilise a Spider (a specialist type of mobile elevated working platform) that has the ability to fit through the double doors of the main entrance, allowing us to safely reach and clean the highest sections of the atrium. In addition, we utilised a second smaller platform to allow us to tackle the lower to mid-tier sections whilst also having operatives working from the ground, to ensure we had every surface covered.

OneFifty’s director, Max Morris comments; “Our experienced team know exactly what is required for this type of project and all cleaning was carried out with a great deal of great care, and attention to detail. Our thorough checking process helps ensure nothing gets missed and that the outcome is of the highest standard. Everything was completed on deadline, and this stunning space was left shining and clean, ready to greet the students when they returned from their Christmas break.

“For UWE, having a trusted local service provider with expertise across a range of different services is useful, and we have been contracted to carry out numerous other building projects.”

To find out more about our high level interior cleaning service please contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Paint attacks on the rise

OneFifty is no stranger to removing unwanted graffiti from buildings; more recently we have also been called out to clean up after paint attacks.

These attacks tend to be politically motivated. People want to make a point, so they often target high-profile buildings. The Telegraph newspaper’s offices, Labour Party HQ, MoD buildings, and numerous university buildings have all been targeted.

A very challenging clean

We were recently called out to help clean up after a paint attack on a County Hall. In this attack paint had been sprayed using a fire extinguisher and covered a multiple different surfaces of the building.

The stone façade, pillars and cornices, the glass panes and painted frames of the windows, and even a low cement wall and paved area at the front of the building – all had been hit and stained with paint. This made it a very complex clean, requiring different cleaning systems to remove the paint from different surfaces without causing damage.

Fast, efficient, and reliable paint removal

As a company specialising in removing unwanted graffiti, we know the importance of getting things cleaned up as quickly as possible. We offer a very rapid and reliable response service and were able to remove the paint and leave the building clean within 24 hours.

Our knowledgeable and experienced team can quickly assess the damage in these situations and select the best way of removing the contaminant without damaging the building’s surface. We also have a range of cleaning systems and access equipment at our disposal which makes it quick and easy for us to get the job done.

To find out more about our paint attack and graffiti cleaning services please contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you.  

 

Building clean down for the Babcock Technology Centre

The Babcock Technology Centre is a five-storey office building located in the Bristol Business Park, just north of Bristol City Centre. The 85,790 sq ft building has been created to accommodate various operating divisions of the international engineering support services company, the Babcock Group. OneFifty was contracted by the building contractor to carry out a final building clean before the new occupants started to move in.

Two-tone composite cladding and glass

The exterior of the building is comprised of tall vertical composite panels clad in two colour tones and huge glazed window panels all of which needed to be cleaned. Our mission was to clean the panels and windows and ensure everything was left sparkling clean.

Know-how achieves the best results

We used our Reach and Wash system to carry out the work, alongside one of our MEWPs to allow us to access and clean the highest sections of the building.

Reach and Wash uses deionised water applied using a soft brush from a water-fed pole to leave a crystal clear finish. However, the operator needs to achieve an even pressure across all surfaces being cleaned to ensure the best possible result. We find that, the longer the pole, the less control the operator has, especially using a pole longer than 10 meters. Using our MEWP to access the highest areas of the building allows us to use shorter poles, which are lighter and easier to control, thus guaranteeing the best possible finish across both the cladding and the glass.

Our client was delighted with the outcome, and impressed by how we planned and managed the project, including dealing with the Health and Safety element of the high-level access. We are looking forward to working with them again soon.

To find out more about our exterior cleaning services please contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

High level interior cleaning – Moss House, University College Birmingham

We recently cleaned the glass panels surrounding the spectacular central atrium of Moss House, University College Birmingham.

Moss House is University College Birmingham’s newest campus building. It features a host of cutting-edge facilities for students studying vocational degree courses such as nursing, social work, physiotherapy, sport and fitness.

Award winning building deserves brilliant cleaning

The building won the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) West Midlands Award in 2021 which described it as one of the best buildings in the region. Not surprisingly, keeping the building looking its brilliant best is top of the agenda for the team in charge of the management and maintenance of the building. This was especially important when preparing for a big annual open day.

clever access and elbow grease

OneFifty was delighted to be invited to carry out the cleaning. We do a lot of high-level internal cleaning and each project has its own unique requirements. The first challenge at Moss House was getting the appropriate high-level access equipment into the building.

We used a spider elevated platform to gain safe access along with telescopic poles to reach and clean the highest panels.

EXPERienced IN INTERIOR CLEANING

Of course, interior cleaning requires a different approach to working on the exterior of a building; our team understands this and a great deal of care and attention was taken throughout.

The project was completed within the required time frame, and the glass panels surrounding the statement staircase at the centre of the atrium were left sparkling clean ready to welcome this year’s new cohort of students.

To find out more about our high level interior cleaning service please contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

Smart solution to clean atrium of Merchant Venturer’s House

We recently cleaned the internal glass panels and steel supports of the atrium in Merchant Venturer’s House, part of Bristol University.

The atrium consists of a high, white, steel girder structure supporting panels of glass that allow light to flood down into the building. Over time both the metalwork and panels had become very dirty and the University really wanted to get them cleaned up ready for their next big open day.

A job TOO HIGH

They’d spoken to a few suppliers, but none were very forthcoming about doing the work, probably because the access was too complicated. So when we said we’d be happy to do the job, could arrange high-level access, and get it done within the required timeframe, they were delighted.

TIHINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

We do love a challenge and having to think creatively about a project, so this was right up our street. It was a tricky one – there was no easy way of reaching the very high steels and glass panels. The floor below the atrium was a floating timber structure that could not support any heavy weight – so no spider cranes, no matter how lightweight. Rope access was the answer – a job for our abseil team.

Once in the air, our agile operatives used a method called ‘aid climbing’ to move along the steel girders and carry out the cleaning (see images below). The actual cleaning was straightforward, done using clean damp rags to wipe off the dirt. As soon as a rag was dirty it was discarded and replaced with a new clean one to make sure there was no smearing.

Painting, cleaning and fixing

As well as cleaning the metal work and glass panels, we also painted and carried out some simple repairs to the 16 metre tall back wall. Once complete everything looked spotlessly clean and fresh. The area did have to be closed off while we were working, but the job was done in just five days. This suited our client who, intrigued by our approach, popped by to see exactly how we would gain access to such a difficult-to-reach area. They were suitably impressed by our team’s performance and gave glowing feedback when the work was complete.

To find out more about our complex high-level building cleaning services contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

 

Hi-level performance to clean Cabot Circus ceiling

In business it’s important to build good long-term relationships. OneFifty has done exactly that with Cabot Circus, cleaning their stunning glass link-bridge, removing unwanted graffiti and carrying out a high-level exterior cleaning. When they needed the interior of their enormous domed ceiling cleaned we were delighted to be asked to do the job and definitely up for the challenge.

The dramatic glazed roof – the first structure of its kind in the UK – consists of a 5,800m2 grid shell structure. It radiates out from the central retail area into the adjoining streets, linking five individual buildings.

tradition cleaning methods – hi-tech access

In order to not impact the interior spaces of the centre – the courtyards, terraces, stairways and escalators – we needed to clean the glass panels and steel frames by hand – not a problem. The challenge was access. The high glass roof is domed and irregular, requiring constant adjustments to the access equipment in order to reach the different sections. There were also limits to the weight of equipment that could be set up inside Cabot Circus.

We used a 43m Spider which gave us flexibility to manoeuvre under the canopy, which is 33m at its highest point, and a MEWP for cleaning the sections radiating off the main dome. Keeping track of exactly which panels had been cleaned and making sure not a single panel was missed required an extremely methodical approach.

SMART planning delivers cost efficiencies

Work was carried out at night, after the centre had closed, ensuring no negative impact on commerce. We also arranged for equipment to be stored off-site by day, so that anyone visiting the facilities would have no idea cleaning work was going on.

All aspects of health and safety associated with this complex project were taken care of – our experienced operatives are IPAF qualified and we are fully insured – providing peace of mind for our client.

The job took place over a two week period, one week faster than the previous contractors had taken, largely down to smart planning and careful project management. Our client was delighted with the outcome.

We love the images taken during the project, well worth a browse!

Cleaning Cardiff’s tallest building

Bridge Street Exchange is a 26 storey high-rise building with conjoining 11 and 5 storey blocks. It’s a mixed-use development providing high quality student accommodation as well as retail units on the ground floor.

At 85 metres Bridge Street Exchange is the tallest building in Cardiff and we were really excited to be asked to carry out the cleaning of such an impressive high-rise building.

Straightforward maintenance cleaning…

It was actually a pretty straightforward maintenance clean of the building’s aluminium-clad façade and windows, prompted in-part by increased quantities of dirt and dust being created by a nearby building site. We used a mix of hand cleaning and reach and wash, using pure water, to remove the dirt and leave both the cladding and the windows sparkling clean.

… extremely high-level access

Not surprisingly, given the height of the building, it was the complex high-level access that presented the challenge. Our expert team used a combination of rope access for the higher level cleaning and a cherry picker to reach and clean the lower level areas of the building.

Efficient, cost-effective and fully compliant

This combination proved both the most efficient and cost-effective way of tackling the Bridge Street Exchange cleaning project.

Our experienced IRATA and IPAF qualified operators carried out the high-level cleaning work safely and efficiently, delivering an excellent result. And of course, we have Health and Safety and insurance fully covered, providing peace of mind for our client.

To find out more about our high level exterior building cleaning services contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.

 

Showcasing our hi-level glass cleaning skills at Cabot Circus

With designer-brand shops, international restaurants and entertainment venues – including a Showcase cinema – Cabot Circus is a prime shopping destination in the heart of Bristol. OneFifty recently carried out exterior cleaning for the centre including House of Frazer’s glass façade and the high-level windows of the Showcase cinema. We also cleaned  the impressive glass enclosed walkway that joins Cabot Circus to its multi-storey car park situated on the other side of a busy inner-city ring road.

Traffic management and H&S sorted

This project required careful planning with regards to timing, traffic control and high-level access, and in addition cleaning needed to be carried out at night in order to minimise interruption to business. Our experienced team is quite comfortable working overnight and liaising with Bristol City Council to gain the necessary permits to activate lane closures, as well as managing all other aspects of Health and Safety associated with this type of project.

We used our reach and wash system to clean the glass surfaces. Lower level sections could be accessed from the ground, but a great deal of the work was carried out using the OneFifty cherry picker which allowed our operatives to reach and clean even the highest, hard-to-get-to sections and achieve a brilliant, streak-free finish.

Planning for success – meeting tight deadlines

Traffic lanes were temprarily closed off to allow our team to set up equipment and gain access to the glass walkway and this limited the time available to get the job done. Our experienced team carefully planned, coordinated and managed the whole project, ensuring all required work could be completed to a high standard, safely and within the required timeframe.

Our client is really impressed with what we have done and we are looking forward to helping with other exterior cleaning projects for the centre in due course.

If you require help with cleaning large glass facades, high level windows or glass walkways contact Max or Andy on 0333 234 1445 or email your enquiry and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.