Boston Facade Ordinance Inspections

Big city skylines attract people to metropolises like New York City or Boston year round.

But tall buildings come with additional challenges and risks that owners and property managers have to consider. As we build up, it becomes increasingly important that we protect what’s below – from low-rise buildings to everyday pedestrians.

That’s why Boston passed the Boston Facade Ordinance 9-9.12 in 1995, which requires the exterior walls of buildings meeting certain criteria to undergo periodic inspections.

Facade inspections aim to preemptively identify unsafe conditions, such as loose cladding or building materials, that pose a risk to people and property below. Additionally, these inspections are beneficial to building owners by identifying problems early so that investing in preventative maintenance can help save money on larger repairs in the future.

These chunks of material, mostly failed cementitious patches, were removed by hand after a preliminary facade ordinance inspection identified safety concerns.

Qualifying Buildings

Building Criteria	Inspections Required
Occupied buildings over 70 feet high*	Every 5 years
Occupied buildings over 125 feet high*	Close range inspection required (e.g. from a swing stage), every 5 years
Unoccupied buildings over 70 feet high*	Every year
Unoccupied buildings over 125 feet high*	Close range inspection required (e.g. from a swing stage), every year

What to Expect from a Boston Facade Ordinance Inspection

Buildings must be inspected by a Massachusetts registered engineer or architect. This Registered Professional is required to assess the building facade and issue a formal investigation report, which must be submitted by the building owner to the City of Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD) within 30 days of the inspection and prior to the inspection deadline.

The report will classify the building in one of four categories: Safe, Safe with a Repair and Maintenance Program, or Unsafe Condition.

Building Classification	Definition	Next Steps
Safe	No unsafe conditions were found at the time of the inspection, nor conditions requiring a repair and maintenance program.	Submit the investigation report to Boston ISD within 30 days of the inspection.
Safe with a Repair and Maintenance Program	No unsafe conditions were found at the time of the inspection, but repairs and maintenance are required within the time specified by the Registered Professional in order to prevent deterioration into an unsafe condition.	The building owner is responsible for ensuring the conditions described in the investigation report are repaired within the time specified by the Registered Professional or prior to the condition becoming unsafe, whichever is sooner.
Unsafe Condition	A condition was found that is dangerous to people or property that requires prompt remedial action.	The building owner must take steps to protect public safety (e.g. safety netting, pedestrian protection, etc.) within 24 hours of being notified of the unsafe condition by the Registered Professional. Work to correct the condition must commence within 10 days of the investigation report filing.

Failure to have an inspection completed prior to the deadline or failure to follow a recommended repair and maintenance plan that leads to an unsafe condition will result in a $300/day fine.

Building Envelope Consulting Services for Boston Facade Inspections

We want to make our clients’ lives easier by checking building envelope problems off the list of things to worry about. Copeland Building Envelope Consulting brings over 100 years of combined experience in building envelope and forensic investigation, covering buildings of all ages, uses, and construction types.

One of the ways we can help is by performing Boston Facade Ordinance inspections.

Our facade ordinance inspection services include:

• review of relevant background information, historic drawings, reports, etc. as provided to us by the building owner or property manager
• visual facade review from grade, accessible interior and roof areas, drone/aerial lifts/stages etc.
• preparation of marked-up drawings or site photos identifying areas of deterioration observed
• preparation of a formal investigation report in compliance with the Boston Facade Ordinance submission requirements
• review of the Boston Facade Ordinance report with the building owner or property manager prior to submitting to ISD to discuss any conditions observed which pose a potential threat to public safety and options for repairs, if required
• submission of the report to the City of Boston ISD

Did you know that Brookline, MA requires facade inspections too?

Reach out to us today to speak with our team and determine a plan of action that meets your needs.

Love learning about making buildings work better? Sign up to get our updates sent to your inbox. No spam, cancel anytime.