Building Condition Assessment Fundamentals

Engineers are often engaged by owners to conduct assessments of buildings and structures. This 2-day course will provide engineers with a good fundamental understanding of the steps required to conduct a building condition assessment, including methods of evaluation and reporting one’s findings. The first day of the course will focus on evaluation of building structure, envelope, and site elements, and the second day of the course will focus on HVAC, mechanical, electrical, and fire/life safety. Each day will be presented as a stand-alone course; however, participants will be able to attend both days to achieve a more complete understanding of the building condition assessment process.

Martin Gerskup, Architect AIBC, OAA, MRAIC
President
BEST Consultants Martin Gerskup Architect Inc.

Mitchell Gerskup, P.Eng. (Ontario), HBA
Operations Manager
BEST Consultants Martin Gerskup Architect Inc.

Target Audience

This course is designed for engineers, architects, or technologists working in the field of building science. It is specifically intended for professionals who must deal with the assessment of existing residential, commercial, or institutional structures, and the preparation of contingency plans based on those assessments.

Prerequisites

This course has no prerequisites; however, a background in building science, forensic architecture/engineering, or facilities maintenance is recommended.

Course Outline – Day 1

• Introduction
• Methodology of Conducting a Building Condition Assessment
• The Building Structure Assessment
• The Building Envelope Assessment
• Mould and Moisture Problems
• Site Elements
• Written Reports and Presentation (incl. Depreciation Reports & FCI)
• Case Studies

Course Outline – Day 2

• Introduction
• Methodology of Conducting a Building Condition Assessment
• HVAC and Plumbing
• Electrical Systems
• Fire & Life Safety
• Written Reports and Presentation (incl. Depreciation Reports & FCI)
• Case Studies

Instructors

Martin Gerskup, Architect AIBC, OAA, MRAIC

President, BEST Consultants Martin Gerskup Architect Inc.

Martin Gerskup, Architect AIBC, OAA, MRAIC, is President of BEST Consultants Martin Gerskup Architect Inc. (BEST). He is a member of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia and the Ontario Association of Architects and has taught as an Assistant Adjunct Professor and tutor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design and for the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Ryerson University. Martin has 35 years of experience in the field of building condition assessments and reserve fund studies and has worked on well over 1000 buildings and structures.

Mitchell Gerskup, EIT, B.Eng.

Operations Manager, BEST Consultants Martin Gerskup Architect Inc.

Mitchell Gerskup, P.Eng., HBA, is Vice President of BEST and a Canadian Professional Engineer specializing in the practice of building science and restoration engineering with a background in structural and building systems engineering. He has spent close to 20 years applying building science principles to the investigation and repair of existing structures, with an emphasis on resolving problems affecting the building envelope.