Discussion on In-Service Performance Indicators on Rendered Façades - ICBEST

Abstract

The global performance of a façade depends on the performance of its systems and components during the life cycle of the building. In-service performance assessment is important to evaluate whether a system fulfils the functions that heve been specified at design phase, and therefore foreseee maintenance needs. The lack of performance information provided by the manufacturers, the complexity of the building process, and the difficsukt relationship between users and products requirements, have led, in the majority of the cases, to in-field assessment based on methodologies focused on visual observation of defects / anomalies, instead of quantitative performance requirements analysis. Performance indicators have been used in performance and management asssessment of several existing constructions such as in the road sector, water facilities and also buildings (e.g. maintenance efficiency, failure frequency indicators), providing tools for post-occupancy phase (serviceability assessment) and benchmarking applications. This paper discusses a set of in-service performance indicators on rendered façades assessment over time and proposes a hierarchical structure of technical performance indicators according to legal and technical requirements and also to in situ assessment methods (visual observation and testing). The application of performance indicators in cladding systems intends to help the inspectors in façades condition surveys and decision-making maintenance strategies.