RAS Engineering is a professional engineering company serving, building managers and owners by providing advice, oversight, and testing to ensure that all components of a build’s exterior and structure meet the standards necessary to provide sustainable quality durability and safe protection against the elements.
FACADE INSPECTION
JERSEY CITY
Jersey City Code:
The requirements of the 1- RCNY 103-04 Chapter 100 for Periodic Inspection of Exterior Walls and Appurtenances apply to all buildings with exterior walls or parts thereof that are greater than six stories, regardless of the information in the Certificate of Occupancy.
In order to maintain a building's exterior walls and appurtenances in a safe condition, and in accordance with Article 302 of Title 28 of the Administrative Code, a critical examination of all parts of all exterior walls and any appurtenances of all existing buildings greater than six stories in height or buildings hereafter erected that are greater than six stories in height, except for those parts of any exterior wall that are less than twelve inches from the exterior wall of an adjacent building, must be conducted at periodic intervals.
Critical examination is an examination conducted to review the exterior of a building and all parts thereof to determine whether the exterior walls (facades) and the appurtenances are either safe, unsafe, or safe with a repair and maintenance program (SWARMP) and whether, in the judgment of a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector, they require remedial work. Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) must be a licensed architect or professional engineer with at least seven (7) years of relevant experience.
Examination of a building’s exterior walls and appurtenances thereof pursuant to section 28-302.2 of the Administrative Code must be performed by or under the direct supervision of a QEWI retained by the owner of the building or his or her representative.
Buildings required to file a report must do so at least once during each five-year report filing cycle established by the Department, an acceptable report must be filed within the applicable two-year filing window to avoid a late filing penalty.
A report must be filed within sixty (60) days of the date on which the QEWI completed the critical examination (final inspection date), failure to file a report within sixty (60) days of the completed critical examination requires a new critical examination. A report may not be filed more than one (1) year after completion of the close-up inspection.
When Conditions that are safe with a repair and maintenance program (SWARMP). The owner of the building is responsible for ensuring that the conditions described in the critical examination report as SWARMP are corrected and all actions recommended by the QEWI are completed within the time frame recommended by the QEWI and are not left to deteriorate into unsafe conditions. It is the owner’s responsibility to notify the Department of any deviation from the timeframe to make corrections as specified in QEWI’s report.
Upon filing a report of an unsafe condition with the Department, the owner of the building, his or her agent, or the person in charge of the building must immediately commence such repairs or reinforcements and any other appropriate measures such as erecting sidewalk sheds, fences, and safety netting as may be required to secure the safety of the public and to make the building's walls and appurtenances conform to the provisions of the Administrative Code. All unsafe conditions must be corrected within ninety (90) days of the submission of the critical examination report. If, due to the scope of the repairs, the unsafe conditions cannot be corrected within the required 90 days, the QEWI must recommend a timeframe for repairs.
The owner of the building is responsible for ensuring that the conditions described in the critical examination report as unsafe are corrected and all actions recommended by QEWI are completed within this timeframe. The owner must notify the Department of any deviation from the timeframe to make corrections as specified in QEWI’s report. The subsequent report must include supporting documents from the QEWI justifying the request for a new time frame.
Sheds or other protective measures must remain in place until an amended report is accepted; however, the QEWI may request permission for the removal of the shed upon submission of a signed and sealed statement certifying that an inspection was conducted, the conditions were corrected, and the shed is no longer required. Permission to remove the shed may be granted at the Commissioner’s sole discretion.
Why Exterior Walls Inspections are necessary?
Periodic Facade Inspections are needed due to ageing. lack of maintenance, design or construction errors, or a combination of these factors. building facades deteriorate. Based on the knowledge gained about the performance of building facades through investigation and research, governing authorities, owners. and qualified professionals are becoming more aware of potential unsafe conditions on building facades that if unaddressed. can jeopardize public safety and surrounding properties.
Benefits of Exterior Walls maintenance:
Facades require periodic maintenance and repairs to extend their useful life and to minimize and/or correct problems. As a part of any façade inspection, the facade service history shall be reviewed because: (1) it may indicate patterns of leakage or other performance problems leading to concealed damage and an unsafe condition: (2) it may show a poorly conceived or improperly.
Implemented maintenance or repair procedure that can contribute and aggravate unsafe conditions, and (3) it is necessary to distinguish between original construction and subsequent repairs or modifications during the inspection process and help identify the source of potential problems.
RAS Engineering Standard scope of services:
Review of Building Records provided by Ownership.
Preparation of Inspection Drawings
Determination of Service History
Assessment of Watertight Integrity
Exterior Walls Inspection
Reporting