Getting an education in façade cleaning and restoration

The United Kingdom has some of the world’s most prestigious and revered educational institutions, covering all sections of the educational journey, from early years to post-doctoral learning. Many of these establishments are housed in buildings which have significant historical and cultural importance, and there is a need to maintain and manage the conservation of these buildings to ensure they are fit for purpose in the present but are also resilient for the future.

Thomann-Hanry®, the UK’s premier commercial façade cleaning and restoration company have been involved with numerous projects covering the education sector since its founding in 2005. The need to best understand the specific constraints, such as ensuring all onsite staff have enhanced DBS check certificates when operating in an environment where under 18s may be present, working in specific time-frames (such as evening, weekend, or holiday operational hours), and being able to complete works without the use of time-consuming, intrusive, expensive, and unsightly scaffolding.

Rugby School

Rugby School was founded in 1567 and has a central campus in the heart of Rugby, Worcestershire. The site has several Grade I and II listed buildings (and the ‘Island’ tumulus which is a scheduled monument site which can be found on the world-famous playing field, the birthplace of Rugby Football). With so many listed buildings on one site, Thomann-Hanry® was instructed to carry out a façade survey on the Grade I Listed Rugby Chapel to assess areas of concern. Conducted over several days using Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) the team from Thomann-Hanry® inspected, tested, and photographed every elevation.

After the site survey took place, the survey team at Thomann-Hanry® then prepared a detailed survey report, highlighting the repairs and remediations which would need to be carried out on each building. This report allows the estates team at Rugby School to then plan and schedule the repairs as needed.

For more information about Thomann-Hanry® surveying services – click here

As universities look to bring in additional revenue streams, such as accommodation during the summer holiday period, tv and movie filming locations, and venues for conferences and weddings, the need for their buildings to look their best has become ever more important. Thomann-Hanry® can offer a solution which respects the façade’s heritage substrate while leaving the building looking its best.

King’s College: University of Cambridge

Founded in 1441, King’s College, (a constituent college of the University of Cambridge), is as famous for its buildings as it is for its educational prowess, with the Grade I listed: Gibbs Building, King’s College Chapel, Wilkins Building, and the Grade II listed: Scott Building. After successfully cleaning the Gibbs Building, Thomann-Hanry® was commissioned to clean and repair the Ketton Stone elevations of the Scott building’s Chetwynd Court.

With years of dirt and grime shrouding these impressive and detailed stone façades, the non-abrasive, solvent free ‘façade gommage’ cleaning system from Thomann-Hanry® gently removed the dirt and returned it to its former glory within 3 weeks. All without needing to envelop the building for months on end with scaffolding.

For more information about Thomann-Hanry® façade cleaning services – click here

University of Sussex

As one of the first post-WW2 universities to be constructed, the University of Sussex gained Royal Charter status in 1961. With the University of Sussex, Thomann-Hanry® was brought on to clean the Sir Basil Spencer-designed, Grade I listed, Falmer House. The brick and concrete building was sympathetically built to reflect the surrounding buildings of Falmer Village, but with years of exposure to the wet and windy environment of Brighton, dirt, grime, and biofilm had developed and it was starting to look its age.

Using the low-pressure, gentle, and solvent-free ‘façade gommage’ cleaning system, the dirt was gently removed from the surface of the building allowing the original Brutalist style to shine.

For more information about Thomann-Hanry® façade cleaning services – click here

Call our team TODAY on +44 (0) 20 8453 1494 or contact us to find out how a Thomann-Hanry® can help your educational establishment.