Lake Nona Veterans Hospital Saves Over 1.7 million Gallons of Water per year with Citra-Shield
The entire property would be pressure washed every six months; this traditional method of outdoor cleaning and mold stain remediation required just under 2 million gallons of water per year.
Traditional methods are hard to question, and change is never easy. Pressure Washing cleaned the entire 65-acre medical buildings’ exteriors inside the 650-acre health and life sciences park complex, the Lake Nona Medical City. This beautiful property has landscaping, walkways, and water features, befitting facilities dedicated to our veterans. The traditional process was arduous, expensive, and highly disruptive to the movement of people and projects on this busy campus. Entire sections had to be shut down for extended periods as the slow process of pressure washing touched every square inch at a few square feet per minute. Diesel-powered generators rumbled, and gas-powered smaller engines ran continuously for a few weeks every six months. The water consumption was over 800,000 gallons per washing, and the Florida humidity dictated a semi-annual bath.
Pressure washing created a problem. This facility has a dedication etched into the front pillars adorning the entrance. One reads, “FOR THOSE” and the other, “WHO SERVED,” a simple and poetic statement of the mantra of caring for our veterans. Over time the dedication became indiscernible as mold grew and the difference between etching and wall disappeared. A problem with pressure washing is that it can etch, scar, and destroy concrete. This area required pure concentration and an expert hand to avoid losing the etching lines. The other issue with pressure washing is that it does not clean anything; it displaces everything in its path. With no residual cleaning ability, the mold would quickly grow out again (it remained beneath the surface), and the lines again became blurred.
We are now six months into killing the mold. In a process like this, the roots of the organic matter are driven into the structure by pressure washing. It requires another six months to get fully clean. Soon, this welcome to our veterans will be the beacon it was intended to be.
In October 2022, Citra-Shield was applied instead of pressure washing, and the property started returning to its original beauty. Unlike the high-pressure water deluge of the past, Citra-Shield was applied under low pressure to all surfaces, and the formula began its dive into the pores of the building. Killing mold spores at the root, the area darkened briefly while the living organisms died. Then the Florida sunshine and frequent rain and wind washed the stains away. Six months later and there is no need for pressure washing. The climate still dictates an occasional application, but it is at a very high dilution, and the processing time has been slashed.
This complex has evolved from a six-month recovery mode, where the mold would grow and then be blasted away, to a permanently clean state.
Parking areas are always tough as it is rare to find them empty for pressure washing. No one wants the sprayed-off dirt, grime, and mold on their cars, so these are rarely treated.
The non-intrusive nature of Citra-Shield allowed the applicators to get up close and treat this area. October 2022 top February 2023 bottom
Multiple VA Hospitals, Disney, Florida University Systems, Penn State, 10,000+ HOA homes, Tropicana Field, Pen Bay Medical Center, Busch Gardens, Hammond Stadium, Maine General Health, and dozens of facility management companies have stopped wasting water and using caustics by moving to the environmentally friendly Citra Shield system.
Moving from pressure washing systems to Citra-Shield and reducing your facility’s water consumption is important in attaining LEED Certification and managing our resources.
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