Article extracted from ¨The Church Today. Architecture and communication". Issue Nº 40/2000.

The invisible guardian
By Héctor Galliani Electrostatic Installations S.R.L. (Limited Liability Company) -Milan.

The system has been developed with the use of subtle conductors which carefully distribute - over all architectural elements - impulses of rapid high electrostatic tension peaks, each of which reach a 0,7 msec duration, so that pigeons and other birds are kept away without any harm to monuments and sculptures. This electrostatic system is based on the idea of using such impulses as a deterrent against pigeons, conforming a unique active system opposed to all other passive antique methods. These last have been replaced because they are based on merely mechanical disturbances. Pigeons often get used to these disturbances produced by mechanical deterrents, and therefore they infect the architectural elements again. This is well known by users of the mentioned passive systems whose purpose is perhaps the saving of money. The electrostatic impulses, as a more modern and definitely efficient system, are produced by a generator. This generator is meant to produce pure tension without electric current. In other words, without energy. Then, it works without consumption and, most important, without any risk of having a harmful installation for pigeons, persons or objects. We have briefly indicated the principles governing the functioning of the electrostatic system in order to shortly demonstrate the conceptual reasons of its validity. However, the skills of the electrostatic system of Ettore Galliani Instalaciones Electrónicas SRL (Ettore Galliani Electrostatic Installations, Limited Liability Company) need to be mostly found in the refining of its construction details, thanks to the long and unique experience of the Galliani company. It´s clear that everyone can make a reference to the electrostatic idea which nowadays is no mysterious to anyone. However, even the best idea is worthless when is not performed by ways of a valid technology. The executive precautions deeply distinguish the installations of Ettore Galliani Instalaciones Electrónicas SRL (Ettore Galliani Electrostatic Installations, Limited Liability Company), and therefore constitute an inimitable quality. Before acting as a leader firm in terms of protection against pigeons, the Galliani company has gained experience for years through tests, modifications, refining, one installation after the other, cooperation with customers and Superintendencies who gave their support for a better work and an incentive for a technical fantasy in the search for even more valid solutions. The electrostatic idea was put into practice by means of some of the following technological details:

• The welds between elements conducting impulses are made of non-rusting steel, and those welds between steel and copper, are made of silver alloy.
  
• Isolators have reached extremely reduced dimensions because the system must not affect the esthetics of the work over which they are installed.
  
• These isolators are made of isolating stuff of high dielectric rigidity, and despite their minimal dimensions, their shape has been particularly examined in order to impede superficial electrostatic discharges during the normal functioning.
  
• Conductors of steel, components of electrostatic lines, must be able to dilate unlimitedly when they warm up when exposed to sunlight, and contract when they cool down at night. This is why blockades among installment components (i.e. screws) have been avoided. The solution adopted is the fastening with "clips" that
  makes possible a sliding and elastic installation. This has generated the necessity of solving several mechanical issues due to the interferences among the various components that need to be calibrated and must fulfill precise regulations on constructions.This is how Galliani Company has achieved the avoidance of internal mechanical tensions, that would have existed with the use of rigid fastenings, deriving in the deformations of components and inevitable breakings as time passes.

This has been a description of only some technical aspects which make the system introduced by the Galliani Company, UNIQUE, because of its efficiency, function and durability.