BUILDING

MAINTENANCE
UNITS

AGENDA
Session 1 Session 2
Introduction to Building Design principles of BMUs
Maintenance Units (BMUs)

Session 3 Session 4
Safety features and regulatory Temporary Gondola design
design requirements of BMUs for construction use

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2
SESSION 2

Design principles of BMUs

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TODAY’S AGENDA
1. Design process and access requirements

2. How many BMUs for a building

3. Sizing BMUs for a building

4. Hiding BMUs

5. Access to complex facades

6. Overhanging roofs

7. Track support details

DESIGN PROCESS
BMU Tenderer
BMU Consultant
Architect - Reviews spec
- Works with architect
- Quotes for supply
- Develops spec
& install

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 ACCESS
REQUIREMENTS
○ First question to ask
○ Often specs state 100% façade access
○ Not always required

○ Does the grey cladding need access?

○ Does the coloured cladding need access?
○ Access to podium? AWP?

ACCESS
REQUIREMENTS
○ Window cleaning
○ Window replacement
○ Balcony access
○ AC units
○ Is a BMU required at all?

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○ Access required ○ Access not required
○ Big BMU ○ Small BMU
○ Low cost, low loads

TODAY’S AGENDA
1. Design process and access requirements

2. How many BMUs for a building

3. Sizing BMUs for a building

4. Hiding BMUs

5. Access to complex facades

6. Overhanging roofs

7. Track support details

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 HOW MANY BMUs?
○ ICC Hong Kong is 484m tall
○ Need to clean the windows
regularly
○ Maintain the LEDs
○ Replace glass
○ Allow for BMU maintenance

○ Anyone want to guess? 1, 4, 10, 20?

Video: ICC

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 9
BMUs
5
+ 1 AWP
○ 100% coverage 4
○ Full time operation

CLEANING CYCLE

2 MONTHS?
3 MONTHS?
○ ICC has a 2 month requirement
○ Full time operation required

In first years:
○ LED and glass maintenance 2 BMUs
full time
○ Double shifts required to keep
schedule

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○ 3 month cycle OK for Class A office

○ 4 month OK for lower grade buildings

○ Discuss with client, façade team

○ Depends on environment
Pollution, dust

CLEANING CYCLE ANALYSIS

70-100 M2 / MAN / HR

60% AVAILABILITY
○ Consider façade features
○ 2 cleaners in cradle
○ Availability affected by bad weather,
holidays, maintenance
○ Consider set-up time
○ Consider travelling for lunch break

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1-200m: 1-2 BMUs 300m: 3-4 BMUs 500m: 8-10 BMUs

TaiKoo Place 2A One Island East China Zun Tower

234m 298m 538m
2 BMUs 4 BMUs 9 BMUs

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 CHINA ZUN TOWER, 538M

○ 9 BMUs on the roof can be impractical

○ Not enough space
○ Time wasted travelling:
○ Max. speed 0.3 m/s
○ 29 min to ground, 29 back up
○ 210 min available per 0.5 day shift

BMUs AT INTERMEDIATE
LEVELS
5
○ Same as ICC
○ Limited coverage
○ Cheaper
○ Time saving
○ Fight for the space

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 >500 m
Current real-life example
○ New project under construction
○ Over 500m tall
○ “Only budget for 4 BMUs”
○ “No space at intermediate floors”

○ Issues?

1
4

○ The Shard: 310m

○ Intermediate 8
level BMUs
needed due to
building shape

○ 13 BMUs

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TODAY’S AGENDA
1. Design process and access requirements

2. How many BMUs for a building

3. Sizing BMUs for a building

4. Hiding BMUs

5. Access to complex facades

6. Overhanging roofs

7. Track support details

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 OPTIONS
○ 3 options

○ Max reach 40m

○ Small BMU & track

cheaper than large BMU

○ Space constraints

EXAMPLE

Main Roof
Step 1:
Cradle
length
Upper Roof (2 panels)

Step 2:
Map out
access areas,
critical drops

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Main Roof

Upper Roof
Step 3:
Map path for
economical
BMU

Step 4: Check
reach

Main Roof

Upper Roof
Step 5:
If space not
available, try
larger BMU

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○ Important to check minimum reach for big BMUs
○ Fixed BMUs can have minimum reach issues

3m

TODAY’S AGENDA
1. Design process and access requirements

2. How many BMUs for a building

3. Sizing BMUs for a building

4. Hiding BMUs

5. Access to complex facades

6. Overhanging roofs

7. Track support details

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 HIDING THE BMU
Maintain the building aesthetics

HIDING THE BMU: OPTIONS

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GARAGE, CAMOFLAUGE

○ Simple, ecomonical
○ Park next to tall wall

LUFFING JIBS
○ Suitable for low parapets
○ Economical
○ Check space required
○ High luff angles can be
impractical

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 TELESCOPIC
MAST

○ Suitable for
limited space

○ Common for
high parapets

○ Recessed parking pits allow for further height deduction

○ Can reduce mast from 3 to 2 stages
○ Pit only needed at park location

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 PANTOGRAPH MASTS

○ Lower parking than masts

○ The Opus, Stubbs Rd
○ Jib remains horizontal
○ Generally increased cost c.f. telescopic masts

PANTOGRAPH MASTS

Ensure not visible to tenants on roof

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 LIFT PLATFORMS
○ Option when there is a short parapet
○ Increased space & cost

Hidden track

REMOTE HOISTS

○ Complex, expensive
○ Unusual, limited suppliers
○ Suited to vertical façade

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HIDING THE BMU: SUMMARY
HEIGHT

COST: Initial & maintenance

TODAY’S AGENDA
1. Design process and access requirements

2. How many BMUs for a building

3. Sizing BMUs for a building

4. Hiding BMUs

5. Access to complex facades

6. Overhanging roofs

7. Track support details

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CHALLENGING FACADES

In/outward inclines Step-in/out

OUTWARD INCLINES & STEP-OUTS

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 STANDARD RESTRAINT LIMITATIONS
<20 m
<20 m

○ Once a standard restraint installed, the cradle cannot

move outward

SOFT ROPE

○ Soft nylon rope protects facade

○ Rope stored on cradle for total building height
○ Motor in cradle controlling tension

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 Video: soft rope

Soft rope
also allows
for lateral
movement

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 MULLION GUIDES

○ Alternative to soft rope

○ Wire rope remains vertical and unrestrained
○ Cradle held to building

OUTWARD INCLINES & STEP-OUTS

Soft rope Mullion guides

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 NEGATIVE SLOPE

MULLION GUIDES

○ Wire rope angled and unrestrained

○ Cradle held to building
○ Glass replacement considerations

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PULL-IN RESTRAINTS
• 5-7 degree slope limit
• Limits reach from cradle
• Limits load required to
pull-in
• Hand-winch option
available
• Time consuming

• ICC pull-in example

• Protect edges

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NEGATIVE INCLINES

Pull-in Mullion guides

RECESSES

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 WIDE CRADLES

• Most economical
• Up to ~1m recess
• Low
mass/complexity
• Balance via
counterweight
• Counterweight folds
for parking

FOLDING
TYPE

• Up to ~3m recess
• More mass/complexity
• Counterweight moves
to balance
• BMU size increases to
carry the load

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 TELESCOPIC TYPE

• Up to ~6m recess and beyond

• Wire ropes spread for balance

Video: Hilal Bank

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PROJECT EXAMPLE

OPTION 1 OPTION 2
Telescopic Pull-in

Man for scale Option 1

Track support structure (by others)

Option 2

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 40%
Increased wheel load 16T→26T

30%
Increase in BMU + track cost

100%
Redesign & strengthen support structure

• 4 BMUs on roof
• Get a consultant on board early

• Check clearance for telescopic type cradles

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 GLASS REPLACEMENT IN RECESSES

Glass is generally too

heavy for cradle

How to bring it under

a recess?

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Economical option:
hooks in the ceiling

Requires good
access

Monorail under
ceiling alternative
(uncommon)

• Telescopic cradles can have glass mounts

• Spreading wire ropes enables cradle to balance
• Heavy, expensive option

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 COMPLEX FACADES: SUMMARY

PULL-IN SOFT ROPE/ WIDE CRADLE FOLDING TELESCOPIC

For –ve slopes MULLION GUIDE
For –/+ve slopes Up to 1.2m recess Up to 2.5m recess 6+ m recess

Glass replace Glass replace

limitations limitations

COST, WEIGHT, COMPLEXITY

TODAY’S AGENDA
1. Design process and access requirements

2. How many BMUs for a building

3. Sizing BMUs for a building

4. Hiding BMUs

5. Access to complex facades

6. Overhanging roofs

7. Track support details

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OVERHANGING ROOFS

Venetian Macau Marina One

• Telescopic cradle? • Telescopic cradle?
• Monorail? • Monorail?

UNDERSLUNG BMU

Garage needed for maintenance & hiding BMU

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 UNDERSLUNG BMU

Lift platform to hide and service BMU

ARTICULATING JIBS

• Jib operates like a back hoe /digger

• Can use standard cradle and
materials hoist
• Less suspended load than
telescopic cradle

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TODAY’S AGENDA
1. Design process and access requirements

2. How many BMUs for a building

3. Sizing BMUs for a building

4. Hiding BMUs

5. Access to complex facades

6. Overhanging roofs

7. Track support details

TRACK SUPPORT DESIGN

• Some manufacturers leave track design to agents

• Twin track most common

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 TWIN TRACK
• Use loads from supplier to
check bending and select size
• Small BMU 150UC, Big 350UC
• Note hoist access on this
examples

2000 mm

INTERMEDIATE

CLAMP STEEL
PLATE JOIN
GROUT
300 mm

1 2 3

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 FRONT ANGLE GUIDE TRACK

MAX FALL
1:100

mm
100
RUNNING SLAB

WATERPROOFING

INCLINED TRACKS

• Custom design
• Rack and pinion most common

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• Rack and pinion may not be suitable for very large BMUs
• This BMU mass is approximately 40 Ton
• Rope-pull (hoist) used instead

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• Parapet mounting is another option for inclined tracks
• This project uses rope-pull with hoist in BMU
• Space below for other plant

SHIPPING & INSTALLATION

6-10 ton
Tower crane consideration
2.4x2.7x12m
Shipping consideration
BMU can be heaviest pick

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INSTALLATION

• Extreme case in
Chicago

• Existing building so
no tower crane

• Not cheap

TODAY’S AGENDA
1. Design process and access requirements

2. How many BMUs for a building

3. Sizing BMUs for a building

4. Hiding BMUs

5. Access to complex facades

6. Overhanging roofs

7. Track support details

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Q&A
Any questions?

Next session: 28th March, 7pm

[email protected]

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