An external failure with immediate façade consequences
Elephant Park is one of London’s most significant urban regeneration projects. Staticus designed, produced, and installed the full façade for the H11B tower, a striking mix of aluminium and bespoke GRC (Glass Reinforced Concrete) cladding panels.
The façade was still within the installation period when a hydraulic failure in on-site machinery caused industrial oil to discharge and spread across multiple GRC cladding panels in various locations around the building. This was the kind of mechanical fault that can occur with hoisting or building maintenance equipment operating on a live construction site, not a façade defect, but its consequences landed squarely on the façade, and the clock started immediately.
Why was this not a standard cleaning problem
GRC is a high-performance architectural material with significant natural absorbency. Unlike glazed or painted surfaces, it does not simply repel fluids – it draws them in. Industrial oil, once absorbed into a GRC panel, does not dissipate. It migrates through the material, altering its appearance and potentially its long-term surface performance. The window for effective action is short. A delayed or poorly judged response could make the damage permanent.
The consequences of inaction were concrete:
- Permanent visual damage to a premium residential façade
- Full panel replacement – requiring re-commissioning of bespoke metal moulds, a full procurement and logistics cycle, and reinstallation works on an occupied building
- Programme delays and disruption to Lendlease’s handover timeline
- Reputational impact for the developer on a high-profile London regeneration scheme
There was also an immediate visibility problem. Although the affected panels were at height and largely invisible from street level, residents had a direct line of sight to the contaminated areas from inside their apartments. For the development of this profile, that was not an acceptable condition – and it removed any possibility of deferring action.
Staticus responds effectively – expertise before action
The oil contamination was caused by a third-party equipment failure, not a façade defect. But with bespoke, irreplaceable panels at risk of permanent damage, the cause mattered less than the speed and quality of the response.
Staticus was uniquely positioned to act:
Original façade designer and installer. The team had direct knowledge of the specific GRC panels used in H11B – their material composition, surface finish, and behaviour under stress. This was not a façade they were encountering for the first time.
Deep, practical GRC expertise. Working with GRC across multiple projects has given our teams hands-on knowledge at every stage of the material’s life on a building: how it must be stored on site; how to handle and manoeuvre it safely during installation; how to manage it when late design changes require temporary removal; how to maintain and clean it correctly over time; and how to deal with it safely in situations involving breakage or replacement. That accumulated experience meant the team could assess the contamination immediately and understand, with confidence, what the material would and would not tolerate.
Direct supply chain access. Staticus engaged the GRC material supplier rapidly, combining specialist technical guidance with the team’s own assessment to define the correct cleaning solution. The speed of that collaboration was a direct result of the supplier relationships Staticus maintains for precisely these situations.
Ability to validate before acting. Before any work was attempted on the live façade, the proposed cleaning method was tested on a spare VMU (Visual Mock-Up) panel – a full-scale sample unit from the original design sign-off process, which had been retained on site. This confirmed the solution was effective, produced no adverse reaction with the surface finish, and delivered a result visually consistent with the surrounding unaffected panels. Only once that test was passed did work proceed on the building.
Delivery on an active construction site
With the method confirmed, the team mobilised for access using a suspended BMU basket. Works were sequenced flexibly around weather windows – operations paused when wind conditions exceeded safe working limits – with the affected panels distributed across multiple elevations managed within a single, coordinated programme.
Key delivery metrics:
- Remediation completed in approximately one week of on-site activity
- No panel replacement or reinstallation works required
- No resident displacement or disruption to building operations
- No repeat access or remobilisation
- No accidents, incidents, or near misses throughout
Outcome for the client
Every affected GRC panel was restored to its original appearance. Replacement, the only alternative, was avoided in full.
For the client, the resolution protected both the quality of the completed asset and the handover timeline. For residents, the building’s premium finish was maintained without disruption to their occupancy. Warranty and O&M compliance were preserved throughout, with all works carried out in accordance with the building’s maintenance requirements.
What this case demonstrates
This project demonstrates the importance of early, informed intervention when façade systems are affected by external incidents. With the right expertise and decision-making, even high-risk contamination events can be resolved without replacement, delay, or disruption.
The resolution required material knowledge, supply chain mobilisation, controlled testing, and disciplined on-site delivery – all within a timeframe that gave no margin for an exploratory approach. Staticus’s position as both original installer and warranty holder meant there was no gap between the people who knew the façade and the people who responded to the problem.
For developers, façade risk does not end at installation. Staticus supports projects beyond delivery – ensuring that unexpected incidents are resolved quickly, correctly, and without long-term impact to the asset, the programme, or the people who use the building.
Staticus Façade Service
Elephant Park case was took care under the Staticus Façade Service – a complete façade care offering for developers, asset owners, or facility managers. The service covers everything from regular cleaning and planned maintenance to reactive repairs, including glazing and cladding replacements.
To find out more or request services, visit the Staticus Façade Service page.
