The Democracy Center Glass Restoration
Clean & Polish Building Solutions helped the Democracy Center return its buildings’ exteriors back to pristine condition with a preventative maintenance program, all while staying within environmental requirements.
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Project History
The Democracy Center in Bethesda, Maryland, is a pristine, landscaped campus featuring three Class A office buildings – two nine-story structures and one 15-story building – as well as an outdoor recreation area, fitness center, restaurants and retail stores. Nevertheless, the facility couldn’t prevent nature from wreaking havoc on its façade and windows. The Democracy Center developed unsightly streaks and stains from minerals in the building materials. Rain, cold temperatures and groundwater bring calcium hydroxide, sodium, potassium and other minerals to the surface. Over time, these minerals leach out and create white stains that are carried from the precasts to the windows and metal exterior aspects, where they dry in the sun and create further stains. Due to strict environmental regulations on the LEED Gold and ENERGY STAR-certified Democracy Center, this problem could only be tackled with Green solutions.
Clean & Polish's Custom Solution
Being stewards of the environment, Clean & Polish Building Solutions carried out a four-step process to clean the Democracy Center:
- Performed a chemical-free, high-power pressure washing to windows, metal surfaces and masonry.
- Restored glass and prevented minerals from returning with an acid-free diamond process.
- Sealed the precast and metal panels to prevent minerals from leaching through the substrate.
- Gave the windows a final biodegradable washing to make them look brand new.