High altitude business: Will automated cleaning outstrip manual practice? Interview : Jamal Abdullah Lootah, CEO, Imdaad INSIDE :

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1 Vol 6 Issue 10, November 2013 The region s leading cleaning industry magazine High altitude business: Will automated cleaning outstrip manual practice? INSIDE : Interview : Jamal Abdullah Lootah, CEO, Imdaad

2 CLEANING AND HYGIENE COVER STORY High altitude business: Will automated cleaning outstrip manual practice? Despite stiff competition from manual cleaning service providers, factors such as reduction in recurrent expenses, safety, quick access are favouring robot cleaning The business dynamics of high altitude cleaning industry in the Middle East is set for a major shift. With the automated cleaning system making its foray into the high rise/facade cleaning market, the traditional manual cleaning service providers shrug it off. Will the cost and safety factors play a vital role for automated cleaning equipment manufacturers advantage in the price-sensitive high rise/facade cleaning segments, discusses Sreenivasa Rao The demand is huge due to increasing cost pressure and importance of safety at work. number of high rise buildings, the region has emerged as a favourite market for automated cleaning equipment makers. The Swiss-based robot cleaning equipment manufacturer is upbeat on growing demand for automated cleaning. However, the company sees stiff competition from the manual cleaning service providers. Marcel Niederberger, Head of Sales and Marketing at Serbot AG, said: The demand is huge due to increasing cost pressure and importance of safety at work. The main competition is from the traditional cleaning practices like manual cleaning with a boom lift, alpinists or water fed poles. There is no comparable solution on the market for automated facade cleaning. However, some cleaning service providers are not enthused with the latest automated cleaning systems. Robot cleaners are as yet still an unproven entity, opined Mazen Harake, Managing Director, Spider Access, which is a Dubai-based cleaning service provider to high rise buildings. Cost factor Robot cleaning equipment makers are confident that the cost factor will be a major advantage for them in the region s price-sensitive cleaning market. Serbot says the amortization of investment is 10 years if a company adopts automated cleaning system. Whereas, the costs escalate every year in the manual cleaning system. On an average, it takes 326manhours to clean a 9,800sqm surface, and if four cleaners were deployed, it would take 81 hours i.e.10days. Whereas in automated cleaning system, it would take only one day to 2.5days depending upon the automated cleaning model. Hiring a cleaning company e.g. twice a year can be a costly, recurrent expense for a building owner. Imagine you have a fully automated cleaning solution on your building. It might be a bit higher in investment, but it pays back over time thanks to the automated operation. No need for hiring a time consuming and expensive cleaning service anymore, says Niederberger. The Swiss company sees variation in the Middle East region s conditions in the market requirements of customers with other parts of the global market. Main differences are regulations in terms of job safety, installations, authorization, etc. Labour cost for cleaning personal also varies. The other differences include kind of soiling on the buildings, affinity for automated solutions, buying power, etc, explains Niederberger. 32

3 Shrugging it off, rope access cleaning service providers continue to bank on manual system only. They say that majority of skyscrapers prefer manual cleaning method as rope access systems can offer considerable advantages over other methods of access. These advantages include speed of installation, low manning levels, flexibility, reduced process down time and above all safety factor. Rope access cleaning service provides such as Spider Access are expanding their operations to meet the growing demand in the region. As part of its GCC expansion plan, Spider Access has opened its office in Kuwait. The company has recently been awarded a three-year maintenance agreement with EMAAR to undertake maintenance on the Boulevard Plaza. The Boulevard Plaza epitomizes style and status on the most prestigious square kilometer in the world with its elegant design and prominent position next to the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall. Spider Access opened its office in Kuwait in 2012 as part of the company s plans for expansion within the GCC. Cleaning service providers are upbeat on the current recovery and future prospects of Dubai. The UAE is one of the fastest growing economies in the world today. With Expo 2020 rapidly approaching and the football World Cup in Qatar contributing to the accelerated growth in the hospitality sector, demand for specialised cleaning companies like Spider Access will only grow. At Spider Access we pride ourselves on our highly trained, professional staff and our stringent compliance with current regulations and guidelines, which means that we are continuously ranked as a top provider of high level cleaning and maintenance, explains Harake. Owners of high rise buildings and major properties prefer professional cleaning service providers only. Considering this, cleaning service providers are developing their own customized cleaning solutions catering to the specific requirements of customers. Employing a highly-trained and professional team, Spider Access offers a full spectrum of services tailored to the needs of its clients. These range from building handover cleaning and ongoing cleaning services,such as, façade and water pressure cleaning, through to the more complex maintenance services, which includes checking, repair and replacement of aviation lights, silicon filling, glass and lighting systems and activities around painting, blasting and associated building fabric maintenance, said Harake. Technology applications With the advent of technology advancement, the cleaning industry is witnessing a series of news developments in the processes. Of late, the focus has been on Green practices. As a result, chemical-free cleaning methods involving microfiber, etc, are gaining momentum. The other products and processes focusing on saving water, energy, costs, time, etc, are also much in demand. Spider Access is keen on developing technology applications such as self-cleaning windows. Nanotechnology / Self-cleaning glass The latest buzzwords in the technology applications are nanotechnology and self-cleaning glasses. For instance, Spider Access is opting for nano technology applications in the cleaning process. Generally, nanotechnology companies are exploring three methods for improving cleaning products. These are: First method: The application of film on surface of glass or windows that make it easier to keep surfaces clean. Second method: Using nanoparticles in soap that makes it work better, while producing less environmentally harmful byproducts. Third method: Using anti-bacterial materials in the cleaning process. The anti-bacterial materials are based on silver nanoparticles. Note that there is interest in regulating the use of silver nanoparticles. Because of the concern that they may harm useful bacteria in groundwater, such as lakes, when released. Robot cleaning method is yet to be proven in the market. Robot cleaning machines can t reach every corner of high rise towers or facade. Manual cleaning particularly rop access method is effective and fast, according to majority of service providers Vol. 6, Issue 10, November

4 CLEANING AND HYGIENE COVER STORY UV rays from the sun. The UK-based NSG Group manufactures self-cleaning glass under Pilkington brand. These self-cleaning glass products are yet to take off in the market. Owners of high rise buildings and major properties prefer professional cleaning service providers only. Considering this, cleaning service providers are developing their own customized cleaning solutions catering to requirements of customers. Nanotechnology helps the cleaning industry keep windows cleaner longer than traditional window washing as the latest applications provide an invisible protection to the surface of glass. The nanotechnology brings a protection to the glass surface that is hydrophilic, allowing water to create a sheeting action that washes away dirt and grime. These revolutionary technology applications would also accelerate drying time, resulting in virtually spot and streak free windows. Self-cleaning glass comprising an invisible coating on them that makes then clean themselves by using the Marcel Niederberger, Head of Sales and Marketing at Serbot AG Huge task for manual cleaning Another point of view is that limited methods in the traditional cleaning system. The possibilities of architecture are almost endless. Serbot says that it s estimated that there are more than 80,000 multi-story buildings with over 12 stories globally. Over 30 per cent of them have glass facades. Cleaning these from hand is time-intensive and exposes cleaning personnel to considerable risk. In addition, there are many surfaces that are difficult to access and can t be cleaned at all. The costs for a facade cleaning depend on many factors, including the characteristics of the facade, total area, interval between cleanings, labour costs, etc. According to a research paper from Germany, the average cost of cleaning one square meter is often defined to be about 8-9euros. A typical building with 12,000sqm costs about 100,000 euros per cleaning. The use of an automated cleaning robot can substantially reduce these costs. Solar panels on building facades will be the next trend What products does Serbot have for these segments? The core product is the cleaning robot GEKKO Facade. This robot can be retrofitted to existing buildings often in combination with the existing BMU or it can be directly implemented in new building projects. In this case it is usually implemented in combination with a rail system on top of the roof for the supply and safety installation. Additionally, the robot can also be used in combination with a boom lift, for cleaning companies to offer a mobile cleaning service. As a complementary offering, Serbot also provides classical BMU s in many different variants. What are the challenges Serbot is facing and what measures are being taken? We are just ready to launch this automated cleaning system by the end of the year to the global market. The main challenge will be to convince the customer for an automated solution in comparison to his today s solution. How is your Serbot Robot Climbing system doing in the Middle East region? We have done a product demonstration in September in Jeddah, KSA. This was very successful and we are confident to see many interesting projects coming out of this in the future. We will participate in the Big 5 Building and Construction Show in Dubai in November. Again here we combine that with a life product demonstration on a Hotel in Dubai. Green practices in façade cleaning/high rise building cleaning? Implementing solar panels into building facades will become the next trend in the industry. Serbot already offers cleaning robots for solar panels for roof top and free field installations. Therefore we have already gained excellent know how regarding cleaning of solar panels. This will help us to approach the PV cells on the building facade in the future. 34

5 With the cleaning robot GEKKO, Serbot offers an outstanding solution to help building owners respond to these challenges. The cleaning robot can be easily integrated into current installations of existing buildings. Ideally however, the cleaning concept is included in the plan at the beginning of the project. In addition, the robot can be deployed from a lifting platform, such as a cherry picker. This variation is well suited for cleaning firms who want to offer an automated service. To complement the cleaning robot, Serbot offers traditional building maintenance units in all variations as well. These systems have been proven reliable in widespread use on various buildings in the world. Focusing on nano technology, selfcleaning windows What are the challenges facing your company and the sector in general and what are the measures being taken to address these issues? Environmental factors constitute the biggest challenge, with the wind creating its own Mazen Harake, Managing Director, Spider Access unique set of problems at such heights. Our seasoned and experienced operators factor in wind, temperature and general conditions in deploying the safest most appropriate access method to provide a high quality, professional clean for all properties. Spider access technicians will deploy a number of different access methods to address any challenges a building presents including BMU cleaning cradles and scaffolding. How is robotic climbing technology faring in the Middle East region? Robot cleaners are as yet still an unproven entity, however at Spider Access are working alongside universities and manufacturers to be part of the developing technology. Spider Access is already involved in such cutting edge technologies such as nanotechnology and the manufacturing of selfcleaning windows. How do you compare the market and requirements of customers in the region with other parts of the global market? Customers requirements are the same the world over, focusing on cost and quality. What makes this region unique is the ability to react to developments quickly and the requirement for visual perfection. How is the cost factor impacting the façade/high rise building cleaning segments? Spider access has seen a sea change in which our clients are now seeing that buying a service such as the one that Spider Access provides can prolong the life of a building and can help set them apart from their neighbours. Are there any green practices employed in façade/high rise building cleaning? Spider Access prides itself on sourcing and partnering with industry leaders offering the most environmentally friendly products currently available in the region. Anything more you would like to add? Spider Access believes the key driver to its success is that of partnering with its clients to deliver a world-class service using world-class products with world-class staff, helping to deliver the clients vision today, tomorrow and into the future. Some of the major disadvantages in the manual cleaning methods include limited cleaning capacity due to manual work, people are exposed to dangerous situations, annoying disturbance for building residents, potential damage of to control cabin, cleaning is limited to day time only and it s highly dependent on weather conditions. Vol. 6, Issue 10, November