Existing Building Safety – A Guideline for Inspection

The International Code Council’s Existing Building Safety – A Guideline for Inspection (G7-202x) Guideline Development Committee (GDC) is meeting to develop a new guideline for the inspection of existing buildings based on an initial draft of the Existing Building Safety Inspection Guideline.

Events such as the Surfside Condominium collapse and other recent events in New York City and Davenport Iowa, highlight the need for guidance on the maintenance and inspections of existing buildings.

The goal of the Existing Building Safety Inspection Guideline is to provide guidance to contractors, property owners, building managers, design professionals and code professionals regarding maintenance and milestone inspections on existing buildings. It will provide the framework to assess a building’s condition and will address the following topics:

• Structural elements 
• Egress components 
• Active and passive fire protection systems 
• The building envelope (including the roof) 
• Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas equipment and systems 

GDC members represent a diverse cross-section of highly experienced code officials, engineers, construction material and trade specialists. The first committee meeting is scheduled for June 26, 2023, with a recurring meeting every two weeks starting on July 11, 2023. 

The final guideline will be released later this year as a reference document to the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code® (IPMC) and other codes and standards as relevant. Once completed, this guideline will also likely transition to becoming a standard.  

To learn more about the International Code Council’s Existing Building Safety Guideline, click here.