NEN NEN 2767‐1+C1 PDF

Goal of condition assessment and application

NEN 2767‐1 provides an unambiguous methodology to assess the condition of all assets identified in the built environment. NEN 2767‐2 provides a summary of the assets that are to be assessed using the condition assessment methodology. The data set containing the assets that are covered by the scope is not restrictive and can be supplemented by the standards committee's request.

NEN 2767‐1 contains the method to objectively and unambiguously determine and record the condition of building or installation components. The methodology stipulates that the condition assessment shall be recorded objectively, whereby the impact on business operations will not affect the determination of the condition score.

EXAMPLE A defect that results in leakage in an office has a greater impact on business operations than leakage in an underground car park. However, the defect and, as a result, the condition of the building or installation component affected by the leakage is identical. Another example: In general, crumbling concrete of a fly‐over‘s beam has a greater impact on the safety of passers‐by than a crumbling concrete curb. However, the defect, and thus the condition of the building or installation components that are affected by crumbling concrete, is identical. The prioritization (see Annex D, informative part of the standard) can then be used to determine whether the defect will be remedied. For this purpose, the inspector will indicate the consequences of not remedying identified defects in terms of a number of aspects.

The method established is called condition assessment. This is an indirect method which determines the condition score by recording, qualifying and quantifying defects. As described in Clause 5, the condition score is displayed on a six‐point scale.

The goal of the condition assessment is to register the technical condition of a building or installation component based on defects observed at the moment of inspection. Once the technical condition has been recorded, the information from the condition assessment is used to enable the following (indirect) applications of the NEN 2767 series (in random order):

— documenting the condition of a portfolio or stock of assets in the built environment;

— substantiating a long‐term maintenance plan and scheduling;

— substantiating applications for and the allocation of maintenance budgets;

— supporting technical management and policy;

— use as part of performance‐based maintenance contracts;

— initiating and facilitating communication about the desired condition level.

Annex E describes the application of the NEN 2767 series for a long‐term maintenance plan.

It should be emphasized that usually, more input to the NEN 2767 series is required for the applications mentioned above. Some of this inputs, i.e. the additional information that can be included by the inspector, is shown in Annex C.

Breakdown structure in relation to the NEN 2767 series In order

to be able to implement the NEN 2767 series in a business process, an organization shall choose a planning principle, known as breakdown structure. The organization selects the optimal planning consistent with the information system for the assets.

The NEN 2767 series assumes a breakdown structure at three levels. This breakdown structure is used as a basis for the standard. It is up to the organization to apply additional levels above, within or below the three level scope of the NEN 2767 series. This breakdown structure is described in more detail in NEN 2767‐2.

The NEN 2767 series is limited to the following three breakdown levels, i.e. asset – element – building or installation component. Defects have been classified to their individual material types and are linked to building or installation components. Figure 1 shows the principle of breakdown structure in relation to the NEN 2767 series.

Objective and target groups

The underlying principle of the NEN 2767 series is to establish and record defects transparently, traceably and thus person‐independently. This results in an unambiguous condition score which reflects the technical condition at the moment of inspection. The registration of the technical condition, together with other information, serves as input for subsequent processes, such as, allocation of available maintenance budgets, risk assessment, preservation plans, long‐term maintenance plans, maintenance contracts, etc.

Maintenance costs constitute an important part of the required budgets for the built environment. Managers and property owners have noticed that the quality of inspections and of the maintenance plans based on them can vary greatly. This has resulted in managers and owners feeling the need for a transparent and traceable inspection methodology. The methodology developed for this is the condition assessment. In the course of time, different variants of condition assessment were developed. The need for unambiguity and a uniform application has led to the methodology being revised and recorded in one standard for condition assessment for the entire built environment.

The condition assessment is a standardized method for recording, qualifying and quantifying defects (related to the technical aging) of building or installation components. If desired, consequences of the failure to remedy defects (according to Annex D) can be recorded. The advantage of the NEN 2767 series methodology lays in the objectivity and unambiguous recording of its results.

The condition assessment method has an explicitly technical approach. When supporting policy and maintenance management, it is important to emphasize that the condition is only one of the influential factors that play a role in assessment. Other important issues include the daily maintenance of the object, the compliance with national and international legislation and regulations, the quality of use, social quality, location, image and appearance, flexibility and consequences of failure. This means that the condition assessment is one of the relevant tools that provide input to support, examine and substantiate organization policies.

The NEN 2767 series has the following objectives:

— The NEN 2767 series creates uniformity in the condition score for each building or installation component by means of a measurable value. This value is a matrix of the defect aspects severity, extent and intensity.

— The NEN 2767 series introduces insight and unity into the sorts of defects based on the severity, extent and intensity of the defect parameters.

— The NEN 2767 series classifies the inspected defects and gives support for priority proposition: a ranking according to the necessity of repair of the defects encountered is described in Annex D.

— The NEN 2767 series is a tool to aid examination, management and implementation for organization departments focussing on management and maintenance.

An important aspect of the condition assessment is that this methodology covers a wide range of building and installations components. It provides a transparent and comparable overview for property owners. It is an inspection methodology, based on far‐reaching sensory observations (using tools if necessary, see NEN 2767‐2 amongst others) in pursuance of a specific goal. The inspection concerns defects and symptoms of defects, using available information about complaints, malfunctions, maintenance history and information from logbooks, intake interviews, etc.

The condition assessment relates to technical defects that occur during the lifecycle of building or installation components. Non‐technical defects, such as those that may be assessed during a supplementary inspection (see Annex C), can be recorded using a similar assessment methodology, but they do not result in a difference in the condition score. The service quality score (see Annex C) is often recorded at the same time as the condition assessment. The property owner or manager then states that such supplementary inspection is applicable.

The following topics are not addressed in the NEN 2767 series: 

— NEN 2767 does not impose any requirements for the design of building or installation components. If desired technical condition levels have been formulated on the basis of NEN 2767, NEN 2767 can be applied in order to assess these conditions during the envisaged technical lifespan of the building or installation component. If the basic quality (see definition 3.1) is substandard, this will be considered in the assessment.

— NEN 2767 does not stipulate any requirements on how to operate an inspection; this means that the standard does not provide any guidelines for the implementation of inspection, including for example the sample size.

NEN 2767 does not indicate whether a building or installation component shall be replaced or repaired. Translating the defects into maintenance activities is not part of the standard.

Target groups

The NEN 2767 series has the following target groups:

— central government, provinces, municipal authorities;

— water authorities and drinking water companies;

— port authorities and airports;

— private owners, housing associations and investors;

— all other property owners in the built environment;

— all other managers of properties in the built environment;

— tenants and/or users of properties in the built environment;

— consultants, engineers and inspectors;

— contractors, installers and maintenance firms.