Standing 225 meters tall, the Leadenhall Building is a prime example of state-of-the-art engineering and contemporary design, featuring a pointed structure that maximises public space at street level while offering panoramic views of the city. The building's design reflects the evolution of London's skyline, blending seamlessly with the historic and financial heart of the city. We were thrilled to offer our services and expertise to the Leadenhall Building to keep risks and hazards to a minimum.
About The Leadenhall Building:
The Leadenhall Building, often referred to as "The Cheese Grater" due to its distinctive wedge-shaped design, is one of London's most iconic skyscrapers. Its innovative design includes a public galleria at the base, creating a dynamic space that connects the historic Leadenhall Market with the surrounding area.
Sustainability played a crucial role in the design of the Leadenhall Building, something which we value here at Skyview Systems. The building aligns with London's broader goals of reducing its environmental impact: it incorporates energy-efficient systems, such as high-performance glazing that minimises heat loss while maximising natural light, and advanced HVAC systems that reduce energy consumption. Additionally, the materials used in construction were chosen for their durability and low environmental footprint, ensuring that the building would stand the test of time both structurally and ecologically. The Leadenhall Building’s commitment to sustainability is not just a response to regulatory requirements, but also reflects a forward-thinking approach.
The building has presented many opportunities for out-of-the-box thinking. The design presented challenges, such as needing to be angled to avoid obstructing the view of St. Paul's Cathedral. Construction was also difficult, requiring a 45-tonne crane that didn’t exist at the time. Even maintaining the building posed its own set of challenges. It is in solving these final challenges, to maintain the building, that Skyview were able to help.
Challenge:
Like any glass window, the glass skin of the Leadenhall Building requires regular cleaning. At 225 meters, this can be a very dangerous activity. To ensure the safety of those involved, Skyview set up sensors to provide wind data for three specific locations on the building, enabling operators of the winched window cleaning baskets to view both wind and temperature information before getting to work. Monitoring wind speed and temperature is crucial for the safety of both personnel in the baskets and abseilers, as high wind speeds, and exposure to extreme weather conditions, could pose significant risks.
One particular requirement involved placing wind sensors at Level 47 of the building, where the wind is funnelled through nearby skyscrapers, resulting in significantly higher gusts compared to the top of the building. Post-commissioning, it became evident that wind readings at Level 47 were indeed, at times, much higher than those from the East and West roof locations.
Our Solution:
Our Skyview engineers set to work to install the wind sensors at extreme heights. In total, three installations were commissioned, using industry-grade ultrasonic wind sensors and loT devices to transmit data to our advanced Skylink-pro software, which provides online access to real-time weather data directly from any web-browser, tablet or smartphone. Shortly after the installation, our engineers returned to provide training and set up email alerts to ensure required safety precautions are in place at different thresholds for each location, with global access for the building’s maintenance team and workforce.
