| Background
There have been many explanations put forth as to the reasons for the "leaky condo" issue in British Columbia. The Building Envelope Research Consortium, of which Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation is a key member, has been established to determine why moisture problems have been experienced to such an extent in B.C. and to determine ways of preventing such problems from occurring in the future. One of the initiatives identified as necessary by this group was the establishment of a Quality Assurance Protocol for the design and construction of building envelopes of multi-storey wood-frame buildings located in the coastal climate of B.C.
Purpose of the Protocol
The Quality Assurance Protocol brings together thinking about building envelope quality from a representative sample of all the design and construction professionals who produce building envelopes. Based on the International Standards Organization ISO 9001: 1994 Quality Standard, the protocol consists of a set of recommendations and guidelines, which, if followed in design, construction, and maintenance, will produce an improved level of quality in the final building envelope. The protocol is intended for building envelope providers, who are defined as any designer, builder, supplier, or installer who is engaged in the provision of products and/or services that contribute to the construction of a building envelope.
Contents
The protocol consists of four parts: Introductory Document, Quality Manual, Best Practice Guides (BPG), and associated forms.
The Introductory Document explains the what, who, where, when, and how of the Quality Assurance Protocol. What is the Quality Assurance Protocol? Who is it intended for? Where does it apply? When should it be used? And how is it to be used? The Introductory Document also establishes the basis for Quality by Design.
The meat of the Quality Assurance Protocol is the Quality Manual. Throughout the manual, reference is made to the Best Practice Guides for details that have a well-developed theoretical basis. It is suggested that, where a designer or builder has an alternative approach to achieving an equal or better result, the reasons for the variance be described in relation to the BPG details.
References are also made throughout the Quality Manual to sample forms,which are provided in an appendix to the manual. These forms can be used for all aspects of the Quality Assurance Protocol, including, for example, document and data control, assigning quality responsibilities, and monitoring inspection, measuring, and test equipment. These forms can be used as presented or adapted to suit individual needs.
The Quality Manual itself consists of five chapters: Organizing for Quality, Designing for Quality, Buying Quality, Building Quality, and Completing and Servicing Quality. |
