EXTERNAL FACADE CLEANING

St. David's Hall - Cardiff, South Wales, CF10 1AH

Client's Challenge

St David’s Hall required urgent external façade cleaning to restore the appearance of the venue ahead of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition, which was being nationally televised from the site.

The building façade had suffered years of environmental weathering and was heavily affected by algae growth, ingrained dirt, and bird fouling. The exterior presentation needed to be brought up to a suitable standard in an extremely short timeframe to support event branding, filming requirements, and public-facing expectations.

A major constraint was the 48-hour delivery window available before event set-up commenced. Due to the city-centre location, the works also required strict pedestrian safety controls and coordination with Cardiff City Council’s Highways and Health & Safety departments.

Assessment & Planning  

APT ICC’s external façade cleaning surveyor attended site to assess:

• Façade substrate type and suitable cleaning methodology
• Severity of algae growth, grime build-up, and bird contamination
• High-level access requirements
• Pedestrian safety and traffic management risks
• Programme sequencing required to meet the 48-hour deadline

A rapid quotation and mobilisation plan was produced and approved immediately. APT ICC arranged specialist lift access, secured competitive hire rates, and implemented a delivery plan focused on speed, safety, and minimal
disruption.

    Methodology

    1. Survey, substrate assessment and rapid mobilisation
    Confirmation of cleaning methods followed by immediate mobilisation of teams and equipment.

    2. Pedestrian traffic control and safe working zones
    Establishment of controlled work areas with council approval to protect the public during overnight operations.

    3. High-powered pressure washing
    Removal of heavy grime, algae staining, and bird fouling from façade surfaces.

    4. Environmentally friendly cleaning treatment support
    Application of suitable treatments to assist organic contamination removal while remaining sympathetic to the building fabric.

    5. Multi-team overnight delivery
    Parallel working by three teams to meet the 48-hour deadline.

    6. Final checks and handover
    Quality inspection to confirm readiness for event branding installation and filming.

    Site Access & Logistics

    Equipment
    • High-powered pressure water cleaning equipment
    • High-level lift access equipment
    • Pedestrian barriers and controlled work-zone systems
    • Full PPE suitable for overnight city-centre operations

    Chemicals
    • Algae Free
    • No specific product names confirmed within the original project information

    The Results
    • Severe algae staining removed from the façade
    • Bird fouling and ingrained grime eliminated
    • External appearance transformed within a 48-hour window
    • Overnight programme delivered safely in a high-footfall city-centre environment
    • Venue fully prepared for televised event, branding, and filming

    The project achieved a 100% satisfactory result, enabling St David’s Hall to proceed with event preparations on schedule despite significant
    time and budget constraints.