GUIDE for using the building exterior visual assessment
Application
Buildings of five storeys or more are required to comply with The City of Calgary’s Building Maintenance Bylaw, 33M2016. The Bylaw requires building owners to have a Building Exterior Visual Assessment (BEVA) completed at least once every five years. The form of the BEVA is set by the Chief Building Official and may change from time to time. The current version of the BEVA can be obtained from The City’s website (calgary.ca).
Who may complete a Building Exterior Visual Assessment?
The Building Exterior Visual Assessment is a visual assessment of the building envelope completed by a person with the education, training, skills and experience relating to roofs and/or walls sufficient enough that the assessment may reasonably be relied upon. The qualifications of the person who completed the assessment must be recorded on the document. An owner may choose to use multiple consultants when completing the Building Exterior Visual Assessment.
Xtremeaxis is certified and experienced to complete building exterior visual assessments quickly and afforably for Calgarians. They provide all documentation the City of Calgary require for this new Building Maintenance Bylaw.
Ranking System
Each item on the schedules for roofs and walls is to be visually assessed using the following ranking system.
Follow up action
The onus is on a building owner to take appropriate follow-up action given the results of a Building Exterior Visual Assessment. If an item is ranked as level 2, attention required (yellow), it may be advisable to consider getting further testing conducted, a technical inspection or other professional consultation. If maintenance or repairs are necessary these should be completed. If an item is ranked level 3, unacceptable (red), it is likely that repairs will be required immediately and a construction permit and professional consultation will be necessary.
Codes and Standards
The Alberta Building Code, current at the time of building construction, provides the essential criteria for assessment. Building owners may wish to consult a standard such as ASTM International Standard Guide for Property Condition Assessments (E2018-08). However, compliance with the bylaw requires completion of the Building Exterior Visual Assessment in the prescribed form.
Document Retention
Building Exterior Visual Assessments are to be retained by the owner for the life of the building, and must be transferred to a new owner if ownership changes. Copies must be made available to The City of Calgary on request.
Minimum Standard
The Building Maintenance Bylaw establishes a minimum standard. Building owners may exceed this minimum standard by assessing their buildings more frequently, and/or undertaking a more detailed review. It is recommended that the owner review the Building Exterior Visual Assessments annually to ensure that necessary repairs have been completed.