10 Facts about High-Rise Facility Operation

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CRE.ru has published 10 facts about tower operation. The material is based on RD Management survey results.

The Russian high-rise facility market follows the global trend of change-over to professional management. Today 80% of the western market is held by professional management companies, and 20% is held by in-house companies.

Due to the complexity of operation of such high-tech facilities, Russian management companies specializing in high-rise facility management gradually form a separate submarket. Experts say the most difficult aspect is operation of elevators, facades, roofs and utility systems of modern towers, as well as fire safety issues.

High-rise facilities are multi-functional complexes combining different types of real estate: retail, offices, apartments, hotels, which requires management companies to work at various times of day.

FACADES AND ROOFS

Tower window and façade cleaning is a large expenditure item. Equipment mounting, minor repairs, double-glazed window replacement, façade cleaning issues are worked out in detail at the design and construction stages. In towers, along with industrial climbing, stationary façade maintenance systems are applied (BMU, rail system). They are developed taking into account the climatic pattern. For example, in Russia, it is important to make allowance for their functionality at low temperatures. So modern roof and façade heating systems completely eliminate icing not only on the surface of the roof, but also in the drain, gutters, along the roof eaves.

ELEVATORS

Modern tower elevators can make 16 m/s. In towers, elevators are divided into separate groups each serving different functional areas (offices, apartments, parking, loading and unloading areas). This makes it possible to group passenger flows and thus optimize traffic in the complex. In elevators specially designed for towers, security measures are in the focus: their structure includes automatic catcher preventing the cab from falling down.

UTILITY SYSTEMS

High requirements are also imposed on tower utility systems. The higher is the facility, the greater is the pressure drops in water supply and air conditioning systems at different levels. Here, one of the management company’s objectives is to adjust the uniformity of air and water flows and balance the systems at all levels of the tower.

Tower utility systems are heavily loaded and, as a result, they can wear out more often, require replacement or repair. The management company operating the tower should audit all utilities more frequently.

The management company must have a license for mounting, maintenance and repair of fire safety devices. Another important task of the management company is to organize the evacuation prior to the arrival of emergency services in the event of an emergency.

WHAT IS UNACCEPTABLE IN TOWERS

Chutes are prohibited in towers: each facility has its own garbage collecting procedure. Also, it is not allowed in towers to make accessible roof areas for observation decks or open summer terraces directly on the roof.

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