BS 7543:2003

Guide to durability of buildings and building elements, products and components

Guidance on the durability, required and predicted service life and design life of buildings and building elements, products and components.

This British Standard provides guidance on durability, required and predicted service life and design life of buildings and their components and/or parts. It applies primarily to new buildings and their components and/or parts rather than to alterations and repairs. It also gives guidance on presenting information on the service and design life of buildings and their components and/or parts when a detailed brief is being developed.

This standard applies to civil engineering projects involving buildings, but only partially to other civil engineering projects such as roads, bridges and dams.

This standard does not deal with many aspects of obsolescence, i.e. when buildings or parts of buildings are replaced or altered either to suit different needs and changing conditions including change of use, mandatory requirements or when new products offer better performance without a corresponding increase in cost.

This British Standard supersedes BS 7543:1992 which is withdrawn.