Building Pathology

‘Pathology’ in medical context – 

-the person becomes the subject of detailed examination and investigation, with consideration given to age, health and lifestyle.

Pathology – is defined as the systematic study of diseases with the aim of understanding their causes, systems and treatment.

Pathology – is defined as "The scientific study of the nature of disease and its causes, processes, development, and consequences.

Building Pathology - 

"The scientific study of the nature of building failure and its causes, processes, development, and consequences.“

Term and concept - 

A holistic approach to understanding building. Requires a detailed knowledge of how buildings are designed, constructed, used and changed, and the various mechanisms by which their material and environmental conditions can be affected.

Definition - 

by Association d’Experts Europeens du Batiment et de la Construction (AEEBC, 1994) draws attention to THREE(3) separate, though interrelated, areas of concern :

1.Identification, investigation and diagnosis of defect in existing buildings; 

2.Prognosis of defects diagnosed,and recommendations for the most appropriate course of action having regard to the building, its future and resources available ;

3.Design, specification, implementation and supervision of appropriate programmes of remedial works, and monitoring and evaluation of remedial works in term of their functional, technical and economic performance in use.

Other definitions include :-

The study of failures over time in building materials and components (Groak, 1992)

The systematic treatment of building defects, their causes, their consequences and their remedies (CIB W86 Building Pathology, 1993)

The study of failures in the interrelationship of building structures and materials with their environment, occupants and contents (Hutton + Rostron,n.d)

The scientific study of abnormalities in the structure and functioning of the building envelope and its parts. It seeks to study interrelationship of building materials construction, services and spatial arrangement with their environment, occupants and contents (Singh, 1997)

Although each definition places a slightly different emphasis on the nature and extent of the discipline, it is clear that building pathology, in its widest sense, is concerned principally with the defect and associated remedial action.

In order to provide an economic and effective remedy to building defects it is essential to properly identify what the defect is.

In many cases the owner or occupier is aware only of the symptoms caused by the defect. They may note damp or cracks for example, but in order to address the problem the cause of the cracks or damp must be found.

The analogy with medicine should help prospective clients to understand both the importance of having the cause of defects diagnosed by someone with appropriate qualifications and experience, and the difficulty in actually diagnosing causes.

When visit the GP with a sore throat it may be a symptom of a minor ailment which requires simple treatment or it may be a symptom of an untreatable and terminal illness.

GP may; advise a range of investigations, try different treatments and monitor the response, etc., so a surveyor may have to take a similar step by step approach.