Facade Maintenance Access

Keeping the Facade Functional and Beautiful

Presented on October 12, 2022 at Facade Tectonics 2022 World Congress

Overview

Abstract

Facades are an architectural feature and an integral part of the building enclosure. To ensure that the facades continue their function, they must be cleaned and maintained regularly. Therefore, there is a need for an access system to conduct routine cleaning, maintenance, and replacement of components. Often the Building Maintenance Access System (BMAS) is an afterthought in the design of a new building, resulting in areas of the façade that are difficult to access and therefore likely to result in premature deterioration of the system.

The inclusion of an experienced Fall Protection Designer will provide the design team with a Building Maintenance Access System that works with the existing architectural vision and structural design of the building.

The BMAS can include many different types of equipment and components, including swing stages, fall arrest, and fall restraint systems. Regardless of the type of equipment, building access and fall protection systems are an integral part of building operations and maintenance. Sometimes, the solutions are not equipment dependent but may only rely on a well-developed access plan (i.e. use of boom lifts, ladders, etc).

Additionally, we have seen other requirements imposed by the building authority to include maintenance access that does not rely on through-suite access. In particular, where there are live plants in hard to reach areas. In these cases, the BMAS must allow for access to and egress from these areas.

This presentation will outline the design considerations for the BMAS, including

  • End user needs (frequency of access / type of work activity)
  • Building height
  • Building features / geometry
  • Base building structure
  • Façade system
  • Building enclosure system.

We will also discuss various case studies on the design and implementation of BMAS on new and existing buildings.

Authors

Carmen Chun, MEng, P.Eng., LEED® AP

Associate

Photo of Leonard Pianalto MSc (Civil), P.Eng., LEED® AP, FEC

Leonard Pianalto MSc (Civil), P.Eng., LEED® AP, FEC

Managing Principal

Keywords

integrated facade design and delivery, durability, sustainability, case study, facilities management-operations

Introduction

Facades are an architectural feature and an integral part of the building enclosure. To ensure that the facades continue their function, they must be cleaned and maintained regularly. Therefore, there is a need for an access system to conduct routine cleaning, maintenance, and replacement of components. Often the Building Maintenance Access System (BMAS) is an afterthought in the design of a new building, resulting in areas of the façade that are difficult to access and therefore likely to result in premature deterioration of the system.

The inclusion of an experienced Fall Protection Designer will provide the design team with a Building Maintenance Access System that works with the existing architectural vision and structural design of the building. Retrofits are costly and compromise the architectural vision for the building.

The BMAS can include many different types of equipment and components, including swing stages, fall arrest, and fall restraint systems. Regardless of the type of equipment, building access and fall protection systems are an integral part of building operations and maintenance. Sometimes, the solutions are not equipment dependent but may only rely on a well-developed access plan (i.e. use of boom lifts, ladders, etc).

Additionally, we have seen other requirements imposed by the building authority to include maintenance access that does not rely on through-suite access. In particular, where there are live plants in hard to reach areas. In these cases, the BMAS must allow for access to and egress from these areas.

This paper will outline the design considerations for the BMAS, including

  • End user needs
  • Building height
  • Building features / geometry
  • Base building structure
  • Façade system
  • Building enclosure system.

We will also discuss various case studies on the design and implementation of BMAS on new and existing buildings.

The projects referenced in this paper are primarily to the occupational health and safety standards in British Columbia, Canada.

End User Needs

When designing systems, there is a need to consider the relative risk of the system being designed to the end user. We need to consider the type of activities that

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