ropemaker review

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TheROPEMAKER REVIEW

Welcome to the fourth edition of The Ropemaker Review. After a busy start to 2012 we take a look back at the highlights of the last few months, and find out more about the unique building we work in every day.

A sweet start, we kick off with a look back to a chocolate-filled Valentine’s Day, which was a huge hit, even surpassing last year’s indulgences. A closer look at the fine art of ‘vertical cleaning’ gets our hearts racing as we discover more about the challenges of maintaining such an usual building. And later on, we highlight some of the more practical aspects our beloved building - the ultra-efficient visitor access system and the latest improvements to the cyclists’ shower block and drying room.

A special feature on ‘Winged Heroes’ continues our in-depth look at the theme of ‘sustainability’ at Ropemaker Place. Here, we examine the art of falconry and learn more about how modern use of the birds helps us control the pest problem of pigeons that lodge in our renowned rooftops.

And finally, we round up the newsletter by introducing Justin; our fabulous new food waste digester!

From everyone here at Ropemaker Place, we hope you enjoy a sunny and successful spring.

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Issue #4 - April 2012

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Just as the building’s population had shed the excess weight caused by excessive chocolate intake last February, Valentine’s Day rolled around and we gleefully did it all again (nothing says we love you like chocolate!)

The air was once again scented with the aroma of warm chocolate flowing down the chocolate fountain, but this time was a bit different… There was more chocolate, more dips and we even added a second fountain offering white chocolate. This turned out to be a good thing because we had a bigger turn out! Needless to say, a good time was had by all.

�Ropemaker�Place�celebrates��

Valentine’s�Day

Death by

CHOCOLATE


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Over the last couple of months, we’ve spent considerable time and effort upgrading the cyclists’ showers and drying room.

SHOWERS

We noticed that water from the showers was finding its way into the passage between the cubicles, so we decided to do something about it. Initially, the showerheads were replaced with fixed units in an attempt to prevent water splashing onto the duckboards in the changing area bordering the showers. This made a difference, however we continued to encounter the problem.

The next step was to take up the tiling in each cubicle, create a steeper fall to allow water to flow more quickly to the drain and then re-tile each cubicle. The good news is that this seems to have resolved the issue, and using the showers is now a more pleasant experience for everyone.

Facilities Enjoy

AN UPGRADEImprovements�to�cyclists�showers�and�drying�room

A�NOTE�ON�DRYING�ROOM�USAGE

The room was provided for drying clothing, so that cyclists would have somewhere to hang their clothing during the day so that they could wear dry clothes for the ride home.

We have found, however, that the bulk of items in the room are towels – i.e. there are far more towels than clothes. We would like to request that towels are not stored in the room but rather kept in cyclists’ bags and taken home.

DRYING�ROOM

The room intended for drying cyclists’ clothing was initially just an empty room. As an intermediate solution, we provided a number of airing racks while we designed a more effective solution.

The long term solution commenced with the installation of a vinyl floor covering, which was followed by the installation of ventilation and heating. The final step was to install shelving and hanging rails.

The room is now better suited to drying clothing and, as we hope you’ll agree, looks more attractive. Those with sensitive olfactory faculties will agree that it smells better too!

Vertical

CLEANINGWindow�cleaning�is�an�all-year�round�mission�for�the�team�at�Ropemaker�Place

HOW�MANY�WINDOWS�DOES�THE�BUILDING�HAVE?

If you’ve taken the time to look around your floor, you’re likely to have noticed that at Ropemaker Place, we have a lot of windows. The windows, however, are only part of the story as virtually the entire façade of the building is clad with glass. The windows are known as “vision glass” and the rest are called “spandrel panels”. Each panel, vision or spandrel, is a double glazed unit designed to facilitate maximum energy efficiency. The spandrels incorporate a special colour layer which gives them their blue “lens” appearance. Many of them are tilted at varying angles, forming Ropemaker Place’s characteristic external appearance. The tilt reflects the sun’s energy and helps to prevent heat build-up in the building which would otherwise require energy to cool.

In addition to the vision and spandrel panels, there are also the large reception panels, the atrium façade and roof panels, and the retail unit windows. When added up, that’s a staggering 5,500 individual pieces of glass. And on top of that there’s the brise soleil – the system of louvers that also helps to prevent the penetration of the sun’s heat. Finally, there are all the steel cladding panels, the interior of the reception and atrium windows and all the stainless steel columns and panels in reception. All of which require regular cleaning. As there are various surfaces to be cleaned, we refer to the process not as window cleaning but vertical cleaning.

HOW�OFTEN�IS�VERTICAL�CLEANING�PERFORMED?

Given ideal weather conditions, the team could theoretically clean the entire building in approximately 8 weeks. The façade is cleaned in “drops” (a drop is one vertical descent of a window cleaning cradle). As an example of the time required, a single drop on the East side takes approximately 2 hours, excluding the time required to rig the cradle. The 22 storey high section on the East side alone takes 7 working days to clean. Vertical cleaning is, however, subject to weather conditions. For example, wind speeds are always checked using a portable anemometer prior to boarding the cradle and we don’t use the cradles if the wind speed exceeds 15 mph. Heavy rain also prevents cleaning, as do temperatures below zero. In negative temperatures, not only do the cleaners get really cold but water freezes as soon as it is applied to the windows, making cleaning impossible. But this doesn’t mean the guys sit around drinking tea when rain stops play – that’s when they get stuck in to all the internal vertical cleaning

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Window�cleaning�is�an�all-year�round�mission�for�the�team�at�Ropemaker�Place

HOW�DOES�THE�TEAM�GET�TO�THE�WINDOWS?

The majority of the external façade is cleaned using one of the six cradles we have on the building. Two cleaners get into the cradle, which is then lifted up and over the side by what is effectively a track-mounted crane. The jib lifts the cradle up and over the side, where it’s lowered by steel ropes. Being on a track means that the entire unit can move laterally. Cradles are located on the roof and each of the terraces. Trickier is the cleaning of the glass behind the louvers. This is achieved by rigging up a small one-man cradle to the rooftop unit. Trickier still is the cleaning of the windows and louvers under the overhang on the Finsbury Street side. The depth of the overhang prevents the cleaners reaching the glass from the cradle that is lowered from the roof, so a special procedure had to be designed to allow access. There is a separate cradle track mounted on the underside of the overhang, which supports a second special one-man cradle. The cradle can’t hang about up there when not in use so it is rigged up every time access is required. Using the main cradle, the power cable and steel rope belonging to the one-man unit are taken up to the edge of the overhang, where they are respectively plugged in and attached. The one-man cradle then winches itself up. Lower level windows are cleaned using one of two mobile elevated work platforms, AKA the Spider and the Genie.

WHAT�SAFETY�FEATURES�DO�THE�CRADLES�HAVE?

Automatic systems prevent the cradles operating if overloaded and control the speed at which they ascend and descend. If electrical power fails, the cradles are able to be lowered manually at a controlled speed. In addition, the cleaners wear harnesses that are attached to the cradle and all tools and loose items are tied to the cradle to prevent them being dropped.



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Plastic

ACCESSWe�learn�more�about�the�cutting-edge�visitor�pass�system

Broadgate Estates’ mission is to optimise the performance of our remarkable facilities and at Ropemaker Place, we are constantly looking for ways to enrich the Ropemaker Place experience while enhancing cost efficiency. With this in mind, we reviewed the visitor access system.

We lived, for a while, with printed paper visitor access passes but late last year decided that these did not reflect our commitment to a professional corporate image for the building, or to the use of modern technology solutions. With occupier support, we embarked on a process of modifying the access control system and speed gates to facilitate the use by visitors of plastic access control cards.

The system went live in late December 2011 and has received positive feedback from occupiers and visitors alike. Benefits include:

• Smoother traffic flow and speedier visitor exit

• Enhanced image

• Cost saving – no longer need to use pre-printed passes and no need to maintain printers

• Sustainability enhancement – no longer need to use paper and a reduction in energy consumption

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Introducing�Justin�the�Food�Waste�Digester


Once again Ropemaker Place leads the sustainability stakes. The Ropemaker Place Food Waste Digester has been commissioned and is up and digesting!

In simple terms, the digester does exactly what its name suggests. It looks like a big industrial washing machine and works like a big stomach. It swallows general food waste collected from the floors and using a combination of safe and naturally occurring bacteria, wood chips (yes, wood chips again) and a tumbling motion, it digests the solids and turns them into a liquid, known as ‘grey water’. The grey water, which is harmless to the environment, is then discharged down the drain.

The unit can digest up to 180 kilograms of food in a 24-hour period and benefits include:

• Reduction in the amount of waste sent for offsite processing

• Reduction in the overall cost of transporting and processing waste

• Elimination of the need to transport food waste, resulting in a reduction in energy requirements and carbon emissions

• Boosts the population of ‘good’ bacteria in the sewage system for beneficial effects further downstream

In keeping with our tradition of naming important pieces of sustainability equipment (remember Sarah the biomass boiler?), we’ve christened the digester Justin, in honour of Justin Snoxall. Justin is British Land’s Head of Business Group, with responsibilities including all things environmental and sustainable across their portfolio internationally.

Justin has played a pivotal role in setting up our Environmental Working Group and continues to provide regular input and advice.

Sustainable Waste

REDUCTION

We�find�out�more�about�the�use�of�this�ancient�art�in�modern�times

WHAT�IS�THE�HISTORY�OF�FALCONRY?

Thought to have its roots in Asia around 680 BC, appearing in Europe around 875 AD, falconry is one of the earliest partnerships between man and animal, primarily used for hunting elusive prey. Henry VIII made falconry very popular in Britain and he took the theft of a bird very seriously: if someone was caught stealing a bird of prey, the equivalent weight of skin would be removed from the thief and fed to the bird!

WHO�ARE�OUR�HAWKS?

Rick and Angie have a range of birds to ensure proper work and rest cycles. At Ropemaker Place, we usually have Solly (male), Hope (male) and Fly (female).

WHO�ARE�OUR�FALCONERS?

Our ‘bird people’ are husband and wife team Rick and Angie Rooney, falconers for 18 years who run Flygreen Avian Pest Control. Based in Essex, their day usually starts around 3:00 am with taking the birds from their aviaries, loading them into the van and making the long trek into London.

Once on site, the birds are flown to scare the pigeons. The hawk will fly to a surrounding perch (ledges, railings, balconies, streetlights) and then fly back to the glove where a reward will be offered.

Rick and Angie also do a range of displays and bird shows, and are available for corporate events. They visit us on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and often their visits turn into “mini shows”, with spectators gathering around to watch the birds and ask questions.

WHY�DO�WE�USE�RAPTORS?

There are various forms of pest control that can be used to control feral pigeons, including spikes and wires (expensive, unattractive and hard to maintain), poisoning (cruel, unsafe and not environmentally friendly) and shooting (just plain dangerous).

At Ropemaker Place, we always seek the most environmentally friendly, safe and cost effective solution to any problem. The use of raptors meets these criteria.

WHAT�TYPES�OF�RAPTORS�ARE�USED�AT�ROPEMAKER�PLACE?

Many types of raptors are used in pest removal. The birds used at Ropemaker Place are Harris Hawks; their gentle nature, high intelligence and lower speeds mean they suit the urban environment. Occasionally we use an owl to deter pigeons that attempt to roost before dawn.

HOW�HAS�FALCONRY�CHANGED?

Training the birds has changed little but modern technology has made life easier. For example, telemetry is now used to track lost birds, and bells made from lightweight alloys will also alert you to where your hawk may be, without impeding flight.

The biggest change is the role of the bird. Raptors are now widely used in pest prevention in environments such as airports (where they are used to stop birds flying into jet engines) and cities to remove pigeon problems.

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Ropemaker’s Stuart Ball with Hope the Harris Hawk

The Hawks are nothing more than a deterrent, their regular presence instilling fear into the pigeon population. We’re basically scaring them off! In addition, the presence of the Hawks deters nesting and prevents the female pigeons producing eggs, thus inhibiting breeding.

Our birds do not hunt and kill pigeons. If you were to actively hunt pigeons your hawk would catch and kill its quarry, drag it onto a ledge high up and that’s the last you would see of your bird for three days while it ate and digested its meal. With good training and diet, pest birds are controlled in a more eco-friendly way.

We�find�out�more�about�the�use�of�this�ancient�art�in�modern�times


FALCONRY�TERMS�IN�MODERN�ENGLISH

Many historic falconry terms remain in use today, e.g.:

Crop�Up - When birds eat, the food first goes into an area called the crop. When a bird is stressed, the food in the crop can be regurgitated and ejected, or ‘cropped up’. Codger�- from cadger, a person who carried a portable perch called a cadge. Most cadgers were old falconers and in time the word came to be used to describe the elderly. Boozer - when raptors drink it is called bowsing and a bird that drinks heavily is called a boozer.

Mantlepiece – from the action a raptor makes to cover and protect its food called mantling.

Pecking�Order - the colloquial term for the hierarchy of social organization in chickens

Hoodwinked – the action of placing the hood over the falcon’s head to recover the captured prey from the falcon’s talons

Mews - originally a building or room in which falcons were housed.

So, as you’re walking past a mews in London or sitting beside the mantlepiece in your local boozer with a bunch of old codgers talking about whatever crops up, don’t be hoodwinked into thinking the pigeons flapping about are top of the pecking order.

Instead spare a thought for Rick, Angie, Solly, Hope and Fly who are up while we’re still in dreamland, working hard to rid our building of those pesky winged rats that would love to make Ropemaker Place their permanent roost.

For more info on Flygreen, including footage of the birds in action, go to www.avianpestcontrol.co.uk

WHAT�HAPPENS�IF�A�HAWK�FLIES�OFF?

Every once in a while, hawks decide to go AWOL. Although a whistle will sometimes guide them back, each hawk has a telemetry device attached to its tail feathers. Rick and Angie have a receiver, which picks up a signal from the device and allows them to track and recover the lost bird.

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