Artes Woudenberg uses Reporter for wind monitoring during restoration of Brussels Palace of Justice
The Palace of Justice in Brussels, also known as the ‘eternal construction site’, has been covered in scaffolding for decades. Recently, this came to an end as the planned restoration and renovation works officially began. Artes Woudenberg, specialising in the restoration of historic buildings, is involved in this major project.
Given that this impressive building measures 116m at its highest point, special caution is required for work at this height. The scaffolding around the dome, which is part of the building's highest point, was recently addressed. To measure wind speed, Reporter was used: an easy-to-use plug & play sensor module.
Safety first
Since the scaffolding around the Palace of Justice has been in place for many years, the scaffolding itself needed to be repaired before work on the building could continue. The scaffolding around the dome was recently restored, but as this structure is at a considerable height, additional safety measures were required, such as using a weather station.
“The scaffolding around the dome begins at 50 meters high, which is why we installed the anemometer (wind meter) at the same height. This allowed us to monitor the wind speed through Reporter.”
This information was necessary to request adverse weather leave days. High wind speeds* mean work cannot continue for the safety of both the workers and anyone nearby. Around the dome of the Palace of Justice, there are several offices used by the Justice Department.
“For the safety of our work at height, we had to closely monitor wind speeds. If the wind is too strong, we cannot continue working as it would not be safe, both for our personnel and due to the risk of materials blowing into nearby offices.”
Real-time alarm notifications
Of course, for a project of this scale, it is wise to keep a close eye on weather forecasts, but predictions are not always 100% reliable. That's why it's recommended to install a weather station on your construction site for live safety alerts.
“We also set up Reporter's alarm notifications, but fortunately, we didn't receive any alerts during our work. The restoration of the dome's scaffolding went smoothly and has since been completed.”
Haringvliet Bridge renovation
Not only does Artes rely on Reporter for site monitoring, but Hollandia Infra also used the system during the renovation of the Haringvliet Bridge in the Netherlands. Wind speeds had to be taken into account, as the bridge deck could not be lifted under certain conditions. You can read more about this project in the blog below:
Reporter: plug & play safety for your site!
Are you also looking for easy remote monitoring for your construction site? Reporter is ready to assist!
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*The maximum wind speed is typically 70 km/h.
Sources:
Nws, V. (2023, October 16). After 40 years of scaffolding, the renovation of Brussels' Palace of Justice finally begins: the saga of the eternal construction site. https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2023/10/16/renovatie-justitiepaleis-echt-van-start/
Artes Group. (2023, December 11). Palace of Justice, Brussels. https://artesgroup.be/en/yards/justitiepaleis-brussel
Mathieu Michel. (2024, May 24). Unveiling of the first restored part of the façade of the Palace of Justice in Brussels and the statue of Minerva. https://michel.belgium.be/nl/onthulling-van-het-eerste-gerestaureerde-deel-van-de-voorgevel-van-het-justitiepaleis-brussel-en-het
Restoration of the Façades | Regie der Gebouwen. (n.d.). https://www.regiedergebouwen.be/nl/restauratie-van-de-gevels
History of the Palace of Justice | Regie der Gebouwen. (n.d.). https://www.regiedergebouwen.be/nl/historiek-van-het-justitiepaleis-0
(2023, October 16). Façade restoration of Brussels' Palace of Justice officially launched | Regie der Gebouwen. (n.d.). https://www.regiedergebouwen.be/nl/downloads/gevelrestauratie-van-het-brusselse-justitiepaleis-officieel-gelanceerd
The Brussels Palace of Justice. (n.d.). Visit Brussels. https://www.visit.brussels/en/visitors/venue-details.Brussels-Palace-of-Justice.232780
