A Framework for Efficient Condition Assessment of the Building Infrastructure

Book excerpt: Currently, in North America, a large percentage of infrastructure assets, including education and healthcare buildings, are deteriorating rapidly due to age and over capacity. The budget constraints under which municipalities and public agencies operate also make the sustainability of these buildings a serious challenge. This is particularly so when capital renewal programs are downsized to save money, thus hindering the proper inspection of buildings and the allocation of renewal funds. In addition, building inspections and condition assessments are generally resource intensive, subjective, time-consuming, and costly. To support capital renewal decisions that pertain to buildings, this research introduces a comprehensive condition assessment framework that overcomes the drawbacks of the existing processes. A prototype of the framework utilizing hand-held devices has been developed and tested on the capital renewal program of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB).