Exchange Square is a landmark commercial development in the heart of the City of London, accommodating major businesses within one of the capital’s busiest financial districts. Maintaining the building to the highest standards while ensuring minimal disruption to daily operations was a key priority throughout this specialist refurbishment project.
Sentinel Contracting was appointed to carry out an innovative programme of laser rust removal followed by the application of specialist intumescent fire protection coatings to the existing structural steelwork. The project required a solution that would preserve the integrity of the steel, improve its appearance and ensure continued compliance with modern fire safety standards, all while allowing the building to remain fully operational.
Traditional methods of surface preparation, such as abrasive blasting, would have created significant dust, noise and disruption for tenants. Instead, Sentinel proposed an advanced laser cleaning process that removed corrosion with exceptional precision while dramatically reducing environmental impact and operational inconvenience.
The combination of cutting-edge laser technology and high-performance passive fire protection systems allowed Sentinel to deliver a modern, sustainable solution that aligned with the client’s operational requirements and environmental objectives.
The project demonstrates Sentinel’s commitment to adopting innovative technologies that improve both project outcomes and the experience of clients and building occupants.
The primary objective was to remove widespread corrosion from the building’s existing structural steelwork before applying specialist intumescent coatings that would provide long-term passive fire protection.
A key requirement from the client was that the work should be completed during normal business hours wherever possible, avoiding costly out-of-hours working and eliminating disruption to tenants occupying the building throughout the project.
As London’s preferred specialist decorating and passive fire protection contractor, Sentinel was tasked with identifying a solution that would combine efficiency, safety and sustainability while maintaining the highest quality standards.
Rather than relying on conventional abrasive blasting techniques, our team recommended laser cleaning technology. This innovative approach would enable corrosion to be removed accurately without generating large volumes of dust, waste or excessive noise, making it ideally suited to a busy commercial environment.
Following preparation of the steelwork, specialist intumescent coatings would be applied to achieve the required fire protection performance while also delivering an attractive decorative finish that enhanced the appearance of the exposed structure.
Working within an occupied commercial building always presents significant logistical challenges. The need to maintain normal business operations meant that traditional rust removal methods were simply not practical.
Abrasive blasting would have created considerable dust, noise and containment requirements, potentially disrupting occupants and restricting working hours. Sentinel therefore adopted laser cleaning technology, providing a cleaner, quieter and far more precise method of removing corrosion from the structural steelwork.
The laser process eliminated the need for blasting media and significantly reduced waste generation while improving operator safety and minimising environmental impact. The reduced noise levels also meant work could continue during standard business hours without affecting building users.
Once the steelwork had been fully prepared, Sentinel applied specialist intumescent fire protection coatings to deliver the required passive fire resistance. This ensured the structural steel complied with current fire safety requirements while providing a high-quality decorative finish that complemented the refurbished environment.
The result was a solution that combined technical excellence with sustainability, demonstrating how modern fire protection projects can benefit from innovative construction techniques.
The Exchange Square project showcased Sentinel’s ability to combine innovation with technical expertise to deliver outstanding results on a complex, occupied commercial building.
By replacing traditional abrasive preparation methods with laser cleaning technology, the project was completed with significantly reduced disruption to occupants, allowing normal business activities to continue throughout the programme. The quieter, cleaner process eliminated many of the operational challenges normally associated with steel preparation work.
Following completion of the laser cleaning process, the newly applied intumescent coatings delivered both robust passive fire protection and a high-quality architectural finish, ensuring the exposed structural steel met modern compliance standards while enhancing the appearance of the building.
The project also delivered impressive sustainability benefits. By adopting innovative laser cleaning techniques, Sentinel helped achieve an estimated environmental saving of 86 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e), demonstrating that improved construction methods can reduce environmental impact without compromising quality or programme.
Exchange Square is another example of Sentinel delivering specialist passive fire protection solutions that combine technical performance, operational efficiency and environmental responsibility. less landfill, 80% less delivery cost and 80% less disposal cost.”
Sentinel was invited to join a major contractor on the ambitious reworking of a 1980s office building into 500,000 sq ft of prime modern office space, incorporating well-being facilities like a gym and swimming pool.
Sentinel used innovative laser cleaning and passive fire protection at Exchange Square, minimising disruption while delivering a high-quality finish and an estimated environmental saving of 86 tCO₂e.
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Sentinel Contracting plc
Unit 2a Guildprime Business Centre, Southend Road Billericay, Essex CM11 2PZ
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Cumbria Office: 26 Market Place, Cockermouth, Cumbria, CA13 9NQ
