At the turn of the 19th-20th centuries, vast architectural projects were launched in Chicago and New York that reformed our view of the world and our thoughts on a developed and civilised city and society from the fundaments.

The first skyscrapers – the Auditorium, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Tower, the Woolworth Building - seemed to be incredible miracles of architecture and engineering. However, before the first skyscrapers of the world - and for quite a while even afterwards -, the absolute top rank was held by the “steel monster” designed for the Paris World Expo of 1889; the Eiffel Tower, which dominates the skyline of Paris with its 324 m height. Structural architecture has broken one record after another over the past hundred years. Today, the tallest building (828 metres) is Burj Khalifa in Dubai. However, the fact that these architectural miracles are still standing - with a few exceptions - and can be used safely is due to such a mundane activity as building maintenance.

Building maintenance, as imagined

Be it a skyscraper or “only” Etele Plaza of Budapest, we tend to have archaic views on the cleaning, servicing and operation of buildings. The images that spring to mind consist equally of a cleaning lady, hair tucked away in a scarf wrapped about her head, ambling by with bucket in hand, and of a faceless figure wearing a baseball cap, riding a monster of a floor polisher.

The latter is somewhat closer to the truth, but building maintenance tolls the imagination of construction operators vertically as well as horizontally. Bringing up this issue prompts the mind to think about industrial alpinists sitting several hundred meters high in front of gleaming glass surfaces, strapped in harnesses to prevent their fall, and this brings us one step closer to the truth but...

... just what is building maintenance really like?

The operation of the extremely resistant yet resilient building structures,
of the internal spaces, of the modern technologies required for creating engineering and operating structures,
of the glass surfaces that are often employed for aesthetic purposes, the illuminated advertising surfaces, giant 8K QLED panels

requires maintenance works that are much more complex than earlier, representing a challenge also in logistic terms.

Pure human strength is not sufficient any more. This activity takes equipment, and it should be equipment the mere sight of which makes your blood race.

What goes on behind the scenes in building maintenance?

Behind the scenes, work is done fast, cost efficiently and safely, which is ensured by having an appropriate equipment fleet, professional detergents, and a staff well versed in operating equipment and lifting equipment. But before all this comes step one of building maintenance, meaning the preliminary assessment of the location, so that the maintenance crew may turn up with the necessary equipment and staff when called.

Building operation and maintenance are carried out at all levels, including items in addition to cleaning such as:

The electricity network,
Lifts and escalators,
Air conditioning and heating,
Windows and doors, which ensure pedestrian traffic and natural ventilation as well as fire safety functions,
Camera and alarm systems, as well as
the IT network that coordinates the operation of the different systems.

How does equipment enter the building?

Given the high costs of keeping up and servicing the building’s own equipment fleet, the equipment required for professional maintenance is usually rented, whether for external or internal work.

Internal works require smaller, compact equipment,
external works are more sensitive in the sense that only work platforms, compact self-propelling personnel lifting equipment may be used that have outriggers.
- This is especially true if the working position is higher than 10 meters.
- Otherwise the work carries the risk of not only accidents but hazards to life.