1.1 This practice covers a definitive procedure for rating the serviceability of a building or building-related facility, that is, for ascertaining its capability to perform the functions for which it is designed, used, or required to be used. A separate scale is used for each topic of serviceability. For each topic, a serviceability level is ascertained. Overall serviceability is expressed as a profile of levels (that is, not as a single number), and may be presented as a bar chart.

1.2 This practice is not intended to be used for regulatory purposes.

1.3 This practice can be used to rate the serviceability of a building or building-related facility that has been planned but not yet built, or which is about to be remodelled or rehabilitated, for example, for which single-line drawings and outline specifications have been prepared.

1.4 This practice specifies how to ascertain serviceability levels for a specific building, but not what would cause a building to be rated at a given level. That information is found in standard classifications for specific topics of serviceability that contain a set of requirement and rating scales. This practice and one or more such standard classifications are mutually dependent. Each requires the other. The format of such standard classifications, and of related information, is described in . An example of the scales written for such classifications is given in .

1.5 This practice does not cover building evaluation, building condition reports, nor diagnosis of performance; nor does it cover instruments, tools or quality of measurements for evaluation, condition reports, or diagnosis of performance.

1.6 This practice applies only to facilities that are building constructions, parts thereof, or building-related. While this practice may be useful in rating the serviceability of facilities that are not building constructions, such facilities are outside the scope of this practice.

1.7 The process for creating or adapting a set of classifications for a specific facility type or category is outside the scope of this practice.

1.8 This practice contains the following information: