Addressing maintenance and security issues saves money and retains tenants.

In an uncertain economy, building owners are grappling with how to retain existing tenants and attract new ones. Many owners are initiating capital improvements to make properties more attractive while others are increasing security measures to ease the nervous tenants.

Before owners embark on costly capital improvements, they need to assess the current structural and mechanical condition of their buildings so that potential problems can be identified and budgeted before they become costly emergency repairs. This is also an opportunity for owners of high-profile or trophy buildings to conduct a vulnerability assessment to make informed decisions about how best to protect their property and tenants from an unknown threat. This assessment will not only help in long and short-term planning but will also provide a snapshot of how the property compares to others in the marketplace.

The initial inspection is called a baseline condition assessment, which is similar to a thorough check-up by a doctor and is conducted by a reputable architect or engineer. Repairs can be prioritized by necessity--immediate repair items are life-safety hazards, pressing repair needs are usually leaks, window seals and capital improvement planning items for the next several years.

Baseline assessments include a thorough inspection of the property inside and out and address a variety of issues, including the building envelope, environmental health, historic preservation, fire engineering and vulnerability assessment. Starting with the most visible feature of the property, engineers inspect the building envelope looking for signs of failure such as cracking, leaking, buckling, or in extreme cases, collapse. When properly maintained, facades can last indefinitely. Unfortunately, many show signs of distress in less than a decade because of poor design and construction or lack of maintenance. For instance, LZA Technology conducted a building envelope an exterior wall inspection of a 25-year-old federal building in Philadelphia, PA, which resulted in the replacement of more than one million bricks and the overhaul of a 250,000 SF metal and glass curtainwall.

The condition of a structure depends on more than what the eye can see; a building that looks sound from the outside may in fact have underlying environmental health failures. The building structures, systems and materials impact the performance of the indoor environment. By tackling the indoor air quality with a holistic and pragmatic approach, forensic engineers, architects and industrial hygienists can locate the source of moisture intrusion, mold growth and a host of other environmental failures by considering the interaction of all the building components, such as mechanical and electrical systems, natural ventilation, facade, exterior conditions and site orientation.

Owners of older or historic buildings have specific concerns that investigative studies need to address, whether it is working with the original systems to meet current building codes, incorporating modern mechanical and electrical systems or devising remediation designs that preserve the buildings' true character. All buildings, including historic structures, require that a maintenance plan be developed to implement the most pressing repair and upgrade needs. A two-year restoration plan was devised for the Chrysler Building in New York City that entailed the restoration and stabilization of the building's facade.

To protect against fire, a facility must analyzed be surveyed to determine if it is in compliance with current safety codes. Older buildings often were designed to meet fire protection specifications that are no longer considered appropriate. Often this problem can be solved by applying performance-based engineering principles to determine alternative cost-effective solutions to adequately protect the building's occupants. For example, a fire engineering analysis was performed of the existing concrete columns for an academic library to identify which columns required upgrading.

In addition to the overall condition of their building, owners are increasingly concerned about protecting their property and tenants from unknown threats that may result from natural or manmade hazards. LZA Technology has been retained by building owners throughout the US to assess how their properties may respond to blasts or other threats.

Engineers evaluate the building's structural elements, masonry, windows and glazing to predict the effects of attack and then make recommendations to appropriately address concerns. Possible solutions to mitigate loss or improve protection include retrofitting a building with strengthened connections, structural redundancy or protective glazing, as well as developing a safe egress for occupants to a staging area beyond the property's perimeter.

Building owners trying to stay ahead of the curve in the current real estate market should initiate cosmetic and structural upgrades as soon as possible. In order to remain competitive, property owners need to address maintenance and security issues. Enlisting the services of an engineering or architectural professional now will help owners avoid large emergency expenditures in the future.

Emmanuel E. Velivasakis, P.E. President & Managing Principal, LZA Technology, A Division of The Thornton-Tomasetti Group Inc.