Application of Service Life Planning to Existing Buildings – Perspectives on Condition Appraisal, Performance and Cost

Abstract

ISO 15686 on Service Life Planning of Constructed Assets provides guidance which is applicable to both new and existing constructed assets and their parts. However, there has been limited exposition of the applicability of the guidance to existing buildings. This paper provides perspectives on practical application of the principles to condition assessment (survey and appraisal) of the long-term performance of existing buildings, in particular in respect of the building envelope and how maintenance interventions and life cycle costs are predicted or estimated. The authors are currently actively involved through CIB W080 and ISO TC59/SC14 in preparing for the revision of the ISO 15686 standards to take account of experience over the last 20 years, including the development of the factor method and its applicability, and guidance on life cycle costing of existing buildings. The paper will develop key themes from the series of ISO 15686 standards, which are particularly relevant to assessment of existing buildings and other constructed assets.