residential building cleaning

The UK is home to around 600,000 listed buildings and nearly 6 million homes built before 1919. Inevitably, there comes a time when these buildings require some degree of restoration. Building restoration is arguably the most sustainable construction process. Restoration and refurbishment extend a building’s life by giving it a new purpose, reducing material waste, conserving energy, and preserving the skills and creativity that originally went into producing the building. But as climate change and lowering C02 emissions continues to climb the political agenda, there’s never been such a focus on sustainable building, restoration, and finding new ways to source and reuse building materials.

Sympathetic restoration means choosing the most sustainable building materials while also making the most of the latest technologies and processes. Sustainable restoration has a simple set of goals:

  • To minimise waste both on and off the site
  • Reuse materials and make use of recycled materials
  • Avoid the use of complex elements that are difficult to recycle at the end of their use
  • Choosing restoration processes that local specialists can deliver

Sustainable restoration

Restoration is a great example of sustainability. However, while you may not associate sustainability with historic and period properties, remodeling, retrofitting, or restoring an old building is almost in every instance greener than building a brand new one. It can take decades for a new and energy-efficient building to sufficiently compensate for the energy that went into its construction. Whereas restoring an old building provides instant eco friendly results.

Here are five simple measures you can take to reduce your carbon footprint and make your building restoration project more sustainable.

1. Retaining original features

The most sustainable thing you can do on a restoration project is to retain and repair as many original features as possible such as windows, doors and timber beams. Especially if you are considering replacing them with plastic. If your original features are looking worn, there are usually simple methods you can use to restore them to their original (or close to original) state.

2. Thermal insulation

Use as much thermal insulation as possible throughout the building and choose materials that are natural and chemical-free. This insulation type may include battens of cotton or hemp, wood-fibre boards in the walls, ceilings and roof space, and recycled glass/limecrete layers under the floors.

3. Eco-friendly paints

Choose environmentally-friendly paints and wood stains both internally and externally on walls, floors, doors and windows. A water based treatment has a carbon footprint that’s approximately a third lower than solvent-based paint. Consider lime plaster, distemper and a lime wash for the interior decoration. If you need to remove old paint first, you should also consider following ecologically friendly methods.

4. Natural materials

Use natural and sustainable materials such as timber or stone wherever possible. Not only is this environmentally friendly, but it also allows the building to breathe to aid its preservation. Natural materials can either be reused or allowed to naturally degrade when no longer required, providing a sustainable life-cycle.

5. Recycled materials

Reusing materials, rather than buying new, can save up to 95% of carbon emissions. Recycled materials include everything from clay roofing tiles and bricks to lime for mortar and hair for plaster can all get a second use. You can buy recycled building materials from salvage centres, reclamation yards or directly from demolition sites.

Historical architecture is something for us to enjoy and adds to the history and culture of where we live and work. These buildings also make important contributions to the UK economy through tourism. By restoring these buildings sympathetically and sustainably, we can ensure they will still be here for future generations to appreciate and not at the expense of the planet.

Looking to sustainably restore your listed or historic building? Our specialists have extensive knowledge and experience in cleaning and restoring limestone and the conservation of listed and heritage buildings. Speak to a member of our team today about restoring your building.



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Testimonials

Building Transformation’s unquestionable honesty and enthusiasm for ensuring the client receives the correct whole-life solution (rather than a quick fix) resulted in us being able to ensure the building was not only returned to its former glory, but will stay that way for years to come. I would recommend them to anyone.

Kenny Gash - Carillion Amey

The work provided by Building Transformation was excellent. Their product and building exteriors knowledge is detailed, comprehensive and practically applied to the client’s needs. They offer a professional, detailed, high-quality and customer- focused service which meets the short, medium and long-term needs of the client, and provides practical, cost-realistic advice.

Kerry Quinn - Echo Arena

Customer service is paramount to Building Transformation and they invested vast amounts of time in providing me with a programme to facilitate what was a very complex and time-specific programme of work for the site. The quality and level of support provided by Building Transformation is priceless to any client/contractor.

Marc Blow MCIOB MBIFM - Carillion Amey

The approach and advice on setting up the works at the Wolverhampton Civic Centre were first-class. Building Transformation’s attention to detail was excellent and the RAMS were followed meticulously to every detail. We were delighted with the works and service, and would not hesitate to use them again, nor hesitate to recommend them to any organisation.

Kevin Egginton - Wolverhampton Council

A 200,000 sq. ft., four-storey leisure venue in the heart of Nottingham city centre surrounded by major traffic routes needed work to be done overnight to deal with the traffic issues, while the site remained open throughout. The project took around three weeks to complete and went exceptionally well; the Building Transformation staff were flexible and able to work round dynamic operational issues. The clean was of a high standard and has made a significant different to the image of the building. A very difficult job done well.

Suzanne Green - Land Securities

May & Co have worked with Building Transformation on a number of projects which have included external building cleaning and refurbishment. They provided a great service, supported by the high level of documentation from the initial quotation to books and industry-related guidance, all relevant to our project.

Anton Theobald - May & Co

I am very satisfied in the manner the job was conducted. Also the level of cleaning provided and attention to detail is much appreciated.

Waqas Bin Tahir - Ibis Southampton

I am using Building Transformation’s work to help justify façade restoration works around our business. They have produced excellent presentations on what can be achieved and is a brilliant piece of informed marketing that is helping slowly win people over in our business to take façade cleaning and restoration more seriously.

Needless to say Building Transformation is a name that is now becoming known and respected.

Simon Attwood - Broadgate Estates Ltd.

Building Transformation gave great communication throughout our projects.
It will be my pleasure to recommend Building Transformation.

Sarah Cameron - My Hotels Group

Just signed off the job with Richard. Myself, the bosses and the tenant all are very pleased with the work. It definitely looks rejuvenated just a case of painting the concrete window surrounds in the new year to finish it off. Have found your company and staff very professional and helpful which has facilitated a project with minimal inconvenience and disruption to our in situ tenants.

Mark Hollinshead - Headruddy Property Development

I had a walk around today with Dave and am impressed with the work so far. Dave and the team have done a great job.

I’d certainly love to work with you in the future so perhaps before the job is completed we could look at what opportunities there are for the future.

Marie Green - Novotel Sheffield

At this stage, from my point of view your team has been extremely professional, informing us of what was happening at all times and most importantly no disruption whatsoever to our guests and business.

Ludovic Verzi - Novotel Leeds

We are very satisfied in the manner the job was conducted. The operatives on site were very professional and communicated to us at all times.

Maria Pinana Mateu - Science Museum

The team at Building Transformation understood our challenge of finding a facade cleaning solution that would initially restore the glazing to its original state, protecting our building for years to come. Through intelligent and thorough testing right through to the full restoration of Block D, we have been very satisfied with the project management and delivery of the cleaning programme.

Colin Pilkington - Renaker Build Limited

Thank you for all the work that you carried out in cleaning the outside of our school. We are delighted with the results. You have managed to completely remove heavy staining from many areas around the building.

We found you extremely easy to work with: your quote was reasonable, you carried out the work quickly and you were very flexible in terms of timings.

Tamsin Griffith - Courtney Road Primary School, Bristol

have worked with Building Transformation on several projects within the hospitality industry and have found
them to provide high levels of professionalism and workmanship.

Stephanie LE COUTEUR - ARTELIA UK

e will definitely be working with you again! Your engineers were very polite and accommodating every time they visited site and have done a first class job. I will be recommending Building Transformation to everyone!

Mark Healy - One Facility

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