How Safe Are Building Facades?

Inspecting for Unsafe Conditions

byMichaelPetermannandJeffreyErdly
ThelateClayfordT.Grimm,ASTMmemberandmasonryguru,wroteintheMarch2000issueofThe
ConstructionSpecifierthatMasonryfallsoffabuildingfacadesomewhereintheUnitedStatesabout
everythreeweeks.OverthepastfewyearsintheUnitedStates,atleast49suchmasonryfailureshave
killed30personsandinjured81.
Thereareover15,000buildingscurrentlysubjecttolocalmunicipallawsinvariouscitiesthroughoutthe
UnitedStatesthatrequireperiodicinspectionofbuildingfacades.Theselocallawsaretypicallyknownas
facadeordinances.Thepurposeoftheseordinancesistoidentifyunsafeconditionsloosefacade
componentsormaterialsthatmayfallandcausedamagetoproperty,orinjuryandpossiblydeathto
pedestrians.Theseordinanceshavecomeaboutbecauseofpreviousdamagetoproperty,injuryto
pedestrians,andlossoflifesufferedinsomeofourcitiesasnotedbyGrimm.Somecitieshavestringent
requirementsforpersonnelrequiredtodotheinspectionswhileothersdonot(seesidebarright).Some
citiesrequirehandsoninspection(touchingoffacadecomponentsormaterials)ofallfacadesbylicensed
architectsorengineerswhileothercitiesonlyrequirevisualinspectionofstreetfacingfacadesby
architects,engineers,orcontractors.
ASTMSubcommitteeE06.55onPerformanceofExteriorWallSystemshasapprovedastandardpractice
thatoutlinestherequirementsandproceduresforconductingfacadeinspections.Thestandardisintended
foradoptionbymodelbuildingcodes,localmunicipalities,orprivateownersofmultiplebuildings,suchas
universities.Theavailabilityofthisstandardwillmakeitpossibleformanycitiesthatdonothaveafacade
ordinancetoadoptone.CitieswithexistingordinancesmaywishalsotoadoptASTMsnewstandard.

ABriefHistoryofFacadeOrdinances
Theconceptoflawsprotectingthepublicfrombuildingfacadesisnotnew.Infact,HammurabisCodeof
Laws(1700B.C.)hadseveralprovisionsrelatedtothesafetyofbuildings(seesidebarright).However,the
rootsofmodernfacadeordinancesarerelativelyyounganddatebacktoonly1976A.D.whenthefirst
facadeordinanceintheUnitedStates,outsideofseismiczones,waspassedinChicago,Ill.Unfortunately,
Chicagosordinancewasrepealedonatechnicalitybecausewhenthenewlawswerepublished,thesection
onthefacadeordinancewasomitted,accordingtothe1996procedingsoftheChicagoCommitteeonHigh
RiseBuildings.Afteralonghiatus,anewfacadeordinancewentintoeffectin1996inChicago.The
longestcontinuousfacadeordinanceineffectdatesbackto1980andisinNewYorkCity.
Whatismostcommonabouttheexistenceofthesefacadeordinancesisthat,inmostcases,theywere
developedattheexpenseofeitherseriousinjurytopedestriansorevendeath.Someoftheolderordinances
havealsobeenmodifiedovertimebyhighprofilefacadefailures.InColumbus,Ohio,CityCouncilman
BenEspylostpartofhislegonedayin1984whenalargesectionofabuildingscornicefelltothe
sidewalk,asreportedintheJune29,1984,editionoftheCincinnatiEnquirer.Threeotherpedestrianswere
injured.ColumbussfacadeordinancebecameknownlocallyastheEspyLaw.InthecaseofNewYork
City,an18yearoldcollegestudentperishedwhenapieceofmasonryfellfromaManhattanbuildingand
struckherintheheadin1979.InChicagoin1974,a48yearoldwomanwaskilledaftermasonryfell
approximately16storiesandstuckher.Morerecently,Chicagolostoneofitsresidentswhenapieceof
glassstruckamotherwhowaswalkingalongthestreetwithher3yearolddaughter.Despitethelessons
learnedinseveralcitiesthathavefacadeordinances,manyothercitiesstilldonothavefacadeordinances.

WasChickenLittleRight?IstheSkyFalling?
OnDec.7,1997,onlytwomonthsaftertheinitialtaskgroupmeetingofE06.55.05onFacadeInspections,
brickraineddownfromthe33rdfloorofa39storyManhattanofficebuildinglocatedat540Madison
Ave.,slightlyinjuringtwopassersbyandclosingMadisonAvenueattheheightoftheChristmasshopping
season.WhileNewYorkCityhadinforcethecountrysoldestcontinuousfacadeinspectionlaw,Local
Law10,whichonlyrequiredthevisualinspectionofstreetfacingbuildingfacades,thesiteofthis
collapsewasnotcoveredbecauseitwasasidefacadedemarkingthepropertyline.Therainingdebris
penetratedthroughtheroofoftheadjacentfivestorybuildingandalsoontothesidewalkandstreet.
NewYorkCitysLocalLaw10requiredonlyremotevisualinspectionofcertainfacades.Problemswith
thisscopeandtypeoffacadeinspectionhadsurfacedyearsbeforewhentwochunksofgranitefellfromthe
ManhattanMunicipalBuilding.ThefollowingexcerptcontainedinaneditorialfromtheDec.9,1991,
issueofENR,titledChickenLittle,theSkyIsFalling,identifiedthesedeficienciesandtheirpossible
cause:
Theproblemisthatthecitysfacadelawwrittenforpublicsafetyrequiresonlyvisualinspectionfrom
somedistanceofbuildingstallerthansixstorieseveryfiveyears.TheMunicipalBuildinghadbeen
inspected,asrequired,ayearbeforethestoneswerediscovered.
Afacadelawthatdoesnotrequirephysicalinspectionisseriouslyflawed.Insteadofprotectingthepublic,
itcanactuallycreatedangerbygivingevenresponsiblebuildingownersafalsesenseofsecurityaboutthe
conditionandsafetyoftheirfacades.Aphysicalinspectionoftenisrequiredtopinpointdeterioration,such
asrustedconnectionsandsupportsthatarehiddenfromview.
Howdidthatvisualonlyprovisionfinditswayintothelaw?Powerfulrealestateinterests,saysoneNew
YorkCitybasedconsultingengineer.Thecostofaphysicalinspection,whichtypicallyrequireshanging
scaffolds,canexceedthecostofvisualexaminationby$5,000to$20,000dependingontheage,
configurationanddesignofabuilding,saystheconsultant.

StrikingaBalanceUsingConsensusStandards
ASTMInternationalsnewstandardE2270,PracticeforPeriodicInspectionofBuildingFacadesfor
UnsafeConditions,istheresultofsixyearsworkbyindustrystakeholderswho,withoutthepressuresof
competingpoliticalandownerinterests,createdapracticalstandardfollowingtherigorousconsensus
processthatisthehallmarkofASTM.FormationoftheFacadeInspectionTaskGroupwasapproved
duringthespringof1997,anditsfirstmeetingwasheldinSanDiego,Calif.,inOctoberofthatyear.Two
opposingconcernswereidentifiedduringthefirsttaskgroupmeeting:somewereconcernedthatastandard
thatwastoodemandingofbuildingownerswouldprecludeitsadoptionbymunicipalities,renderingit
useless,whileotherswantedamuchhigherstandardthancurrentfacadeordinancesrequired.Additional
concernsevolvedoverthequalificationsofthoseperformingfacadeinspectionsaswellasconcernoverthe
potentialdisruptiontohistoricfacades.Thesecompetingconcernswereaddressedthroughconsensus
developmentofthestandard.Thestandardisdesignedforadoptionbyauthoritieswhowillhavetodecide
whichbuildingswithintheirjurisdictionrequiretheinspection.Thenewstandardprovidesa
comprehensivebenchmarkbaseduponreviewoftheexistingfacadeordinancesandtheexperienceof
membersofsubcommitteeE06.55onPerformanceofExteriorWallSystems.
TheASTMmemberswhocreatedthisstandardrepresentleadingforensicarchitecturalandengineering
firmspracticinginNorthAmerica.Additionalparticipantsincludedindustryassociations,material
manufacturers,publicandprivateinstitutionalfacilityowners,andcontractors.Memberswhocurrently
performfacadeinspectionsinthecitieswithanexistingordinancebroughttheirexperiencetothetableto
assistinpreparationofthedocument.

ConductingFacadeInspectionsforUnsafeConditions
Facadeinspectionsshouldbeperformedbylicensedarchitectsorengineerswhoareknowledgeableinthe
designandconstructionofbuildingfacades.Butmoreimportantly,thefacadeinspectorshouldhave
experienceinthestabilityanddeteriorationmechanismsrelatingtothespecificmaterialsandassembliesof
thefacadebeinginspected.Itisimportantthatthebuildingownercarefullyconsidertheexperienceofthe
facadeinspector(architectorengineer)becausesomeoneslifeorlivelihoodmaydependuponit.Thereis
nostatesanctionedtestorlicensingoffacadeinspectors.Noneoftheexistingfacadeordinancesqualifies
thefacadeinspectorbeyondbeingalicensedarchitectorengineer.Whentheeconomyisslow,somedesign
architectsandengineerswillpursuefacadeinspectionworktohelpmakeendsmeet.However,theyare
sometimesillpreparedforperformingtheinspectionandcanberemissinidentifyingthetypeoffacade
constructionaswellasthepotentialdeteriorationmechanisms.
Periodicfacadeinspectionsaretypicallyconductedinthreesteps.
Step1involvesreviewingtheservicehistoryofthefacadeastypicallydocumentedinpastreportsor
repaircampaigns,andpossiblypreparingelevationdrawingsifnonealreadyexist;
Step2involvesperformingtheinspection,whichincludesavisualsurveyunderproperlighting
conditions,acloseupinspectionofselectfacadeportionswheretheinspectorcantouchthefacadesurface,
andprobingselectbuildingfacadestoinspectforhiddendeterioration;and
Step3involvesanalyzingthefindingsoftheinspectionandpreparingareportthatissubmittedtothe
buildingownerandlocalbuildingauthority.

WhatDoThoseFacadeInspectorsLookFor?
Facadeordinancesaretypicallythoughtofassafetyinspections.Inreality,thefacadeinspectorcannot
inspectforsafetybylookingforsafeconditions.Toinspectforsafety,thefacadeinspectorwouldhaveto
essentiallyconfirmthearchitecturaldesignandstructuralengineeringofthefacade,whichwouldrequirea
tremendousamountoftimeandcosttobuildingowners.Instead,facadeinspectorsarelookingforunsafe
conditions.Thesearetypicallyfactorsthatarenotdesignedintothefacade,suchascracksinmaterials,
bulginginanotherwiseflatwall,leaningoffacadeunitsorassemblies,andotheranomaliesthatakeen,
experiencedfacadeinspectorwillnotice(Figure1).
Buildingownerscangreatlyassistthefacadeinspectorbymaintaininggooddocumentationontheservice
historyofthebuildingfacade.Previousperiodicinspectionreportsshouldbeeasilyaccessibleandcontain
goodqualityphotographsofconditionsfound.Thefacadeinspectorwillusethepreviousreportfor
comparisontocurrentconditions.
Priortoperformingthecloseupinspection,theinspectorwillperformageneralvisualsurveyofthe
facade,lookingforanomalies(signsofdeterioration).Thevisualsurveyistypicallyperformedwiththeaid
ofbinoculars.Atelephotocameraisalsousedtophotographsignsofdeteriorationwhichcanbecracks,
waterstains,spalls(sectionswherematerialscomeapart),ordisplacement(typicallyoutwardshiftingofa
facadeunit).Theinspectorneedstobeknowledgeableoftheexteriorwalltypetoappreciatethepotential
causesofdeterioration.
Afterperformingavisualsurvey,thefacadeinspectorwilldiscernwherecloseupaccessisrequiredto
performadetailedinspectionthatincludestouchingthefacadesurfaceandpossiblyprobingthefacade.
Accessforcloseupinspectioncanbeobtainedfromseveralmethodsincludinganexistingpermanent
platformsuchasbalconiesorfireescapes,atemporaryplatformsuchasacontractorsscaffold,orthrough
theuseofmountainclimbingtechniques(alsoknownasindustrialropeaccess)(Figure2).

Ifprobingofthefacade(cuttingopeningstolookinsidethewall)isrequired,severalmethodscanbeused.
Methodsforprobingincludeinsertionofafiberopticborescope(similartomedicalborescopes),
disassemblyoffacadecomponents,orselectivelycuttingmaterials.Inthecaseofhistoricbuildings,
extremecautionshouldbeusedconductingprobestoensurethatminimaltonodamageisdonetothe
historicfacade(Figure3).
Aftercompletionofthefacadeinspection,theinspectorpreparesareportfortheownerandforsubmission
tothelocalbuildingauthority.Deterioratedconditionsfoundbytheinspectorareclassifiedintothree
categoriesunsafeconditions,requiresrepair/stabilization,andordinarymaintenance.Conditions
classifiedasunsafeshouldbebroughttotheattentionoftheownerandlocalbuildingauthorities
immediately,priortopreparinganywrittenreport.Theownerwillhavetotakeimmediateprecautionsto
protectpedestriansandpropertyfromfallingfacadedebris.Precautionsownersusuallytakeinvolvethe
erectionofaprotectionscaffold,installationoftemporarynettingorstrapstoretainfacadematerialsor
componentsinplace,orsimplyremovingtheunsafecondition.
Ownersshouldunderstandthatfacadeinspectionreportsaresimplyreportsthatclassifydeteriorated
conditions.Thefacadeinspectionrarelyincludestheuseofdiagnosticteststoconfirmtheunderlyingcause
oftheobserveddeterioration.Thedeteriorationmaybepartofalargesystemicfailureormaybe
independentofothersymptoms.Furtherinspection,beyondthescopeofinspectingforunsafeconditions,
mayberequiredandmayincludenondestructivetestingofwallsurfacesandlaboratorytestingofremoved
materials,whicharetypicaltechniquesusedbyfacadeconsultantsindiagnosingsystemicfailuresand
designingrepairsforbuildingfacades.

OnlytheBeginning
Facadeinspectioniscurrentlypartartandpartscience.Societyhasyettodevelopareliabletestmethodfor
detectingunsafeconditionsinbuildingfacades.ThereisplentyofworktodoandwiththehelpofASTM,
furtherdevelopmentoffacadeinspectiontests,techniques,orproceduresispromising.Inthemeantime,it
shouldneverbeforgottenthattheunderlyingpurposeoftheinspectionistoavertneedlessinjuryorlossof
life.//
Interested in becoming involved in further development of facade inspection practices or guides? Join ASTM
E06.55!
Do you have experience performing facade inspections? Would you like to help develop the art and science
of inspecting facades? Periodically inspecting facades for unsafe conditions is a relatively new field of work
that requires additional standardization. Join subcommittee E06.55 at our next group meeting in Tampa,
Fla., in October. Contact E06 Staff ManagerSteve Mawn at ASTM (phone: 610/832-9726).
Copyright 2003, ASTM