An architect and engineer must consider many aspects of any building that is being evaluated for an adaptive re-use project. Careful and precise evaluation of an existing building's structure, systems, and materials are necessary for both design considerations and for financial feasibility analysis. This professional guide to evaluating structural and material integrity of existing buildings covers everything from foundation issues to decorative details, identifying the causes of building failures as well as techniques for repair. The book considers building assessment issues for structures of different scales: midsize commercial, small commercial and residential buildings. Building repairs on adaptive re-use or historic preservation projects are an essential consideration in the financial outlook of a project, and this book details each step in the assessment process in an easy-to-understand way. 400pp.

Table of Contents:

• Chapter One: Architectural Character.
• Chapter Two: Survey of Existing Conditions.
• Chapter Three: Electrical Systems.
• Chapter Four: Mechanical Systems.
• Chapter Five: Plumbing, Bathrooms, Accessibility & Fire Systems.
• Chapter Six: Sustainability.
• Chapter Seven: Proforma Analysis.
• Chapter Eight: Testing.