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A BUILDING TRANSFORMATION CASE STUDY
Pullman London , St Pancras – Façade Condition Survey
Sitting on one of London ’ s busiest thoroughfares and close to a couple of its main transport hubs , the Pullman hotel is a modern example of the city ’ s eclectic mix of buildings . The façade itself required a full condition survey , reinforcing the client ’ s commitment to safety , compliance and as part of their relationship with the owner .
Project description
The Pullman London St Pancras , one of Accor ’ s many properties within London and the UK , is a 17-storey , modern , luxury hotel that dominates the skyline along the Euston Road and holds a prime position for anyone visiting the city .
Through our ongoing relationship that has been developed over the last decade , we were asked to undertake a façade condition survey that concentrated primarily on the aluminium façade cladding panels , but with consideration to the other façade materials , and designed to provide essential fabric condition information . This data could then be used to identify any immediate repairs , provide the client with a specification and plan for the future , and identify maintenance activities that could be utilised to re-align and future-proof each elevation .
Project overview
With the client adopting a proactive approach to their responsibilities , compliance and in order to ensure the safety of the façade , the logical step was a condition survey . Although generally well maintained , the hotel ’ s location above the busy Euston Road heightened the need to ensure all panels were correctly fixed . With localised historical issues having previously been raised and repaired , this proactive approach of ongoing , regular inspections is a core requirement .
With our holistic approach and understanding of the building envelope , our abseil and MEWP teams were ideally placed for delivering the façade survey across a building which stretched up to 17-floors . The unique layout of the hotel required a mixed access solution , with the team surveying , documenting and geo-locating each defect , as well as ensuring that any high risk defects were made safe , or where needed they were safely removed . This ensured that all critical data was captured and the integrity of the building , as well as a safe environment for the public and occupants was maintained .
With the main survey now completed , all data was logged within our bespoke façade management software , allowing us to analyse the key details and provide the client with an all-encompassing report that documented and detailed the condition of each element of the façade , identified any areas of weakness or concern , made recommendations for rectification of those issues , and provided accurate costs for delivering the work .
Why were we surveying ?
As part of the client ’ s lease requirements , and in order to ensure that the building is safe and compliant , the key objectives of the condition survey were to provide the client with a full understanding of the façade ’ s current condition , initially allowing them to understand any immediate actions that were required , as well as looking to the future for any maintenance and compliance driven repairs . Although the key focus was the cladding , the elements that were surveyed include :
• The aluminium cladding panels
• Cover caps , pressure plates and cills .
• Seals and gaskets .
• Glazing and windows
• All high-level detailing and finishes .
• Cappings , coping and waterproofing details .
• Spandrel panels and supporting façade materials .
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