AEI’s Building Security Rating System Development Committee Soon to Publish its Rating System Manual

The Building Security Rating System Development Committee, recently transferred by decision of the ASCE Board of Direction from the Building Security Council to AEI, is chaired by Mohammed Ettouney, Ph.D., P.E, F.AEI and includes architects, engineers of several specialties, landscape architects, as well as security specialists.  The Committee is planning to publish in the near future version 2 of its Rating System Manual.

The initial development of the building security rating system was the work of Applied Research Associates, following an RFP issued in the fall of 2005.  Between 2006 and 2010 the document was substantially revised and extended through the efforts of the Rating System Development Committee.  Version 2 of the building security rating system is the result of a considerable investment of funds and volunteer time. 

The building security rating system is applicable to new and existing buildings.  It follows a multi-disciplinary approach (13 disciplines employed by FEMA 426; site, architecture, structure, envelope, utilities, mechanical, plumbing & gas, electrical, fire, communications, equipment operations, security systems, and security master plan) that considers the entire range of threats.  The document has 7 chapters and 5 appendices (277 pages).

The rating system is based on three pillars: building classification, security countermeasures, and the building security rating. The three are interdependent, and their interdependency is accommodated in the rating system methodology. This document covers only buildings; no other types of infrastructures are addressed.

Buildings are classified, from a security viewpoint, in four classes. The classes (A, B, C, and D, from high security sensitivity to low security sensitivity) depend on both security exposure (hazard/threat) and consequence of loss (impact of loss). The classification system covers all important aspects of hazards and the impact of terrorist attacks on buildings in a qualitative-to-quantitative method. The method is simple, since it is based on a checklist and multi-choice approach as detailed in Chapter 4. The multiple choices help in assigning quantitative values to the qualitative checklist. A simple method is then applied to quantify the final building security classification (A, B, C, or D). The multi-choice classification checklists are given in Appendix I.

The five security rating categories constitute the second pillar of the rating system. From the least secure to the most secure, the five ratings are: rated, bronze, silver, gold, and platinum.  The security rating category is derived from the classification and the reasonable application of countermeasures as chosen by the building owner/designer.

The third pillar of the rating system is the security countermeasure (mitigation) evaluation.

The basis of this step is that for each of the five security rating categories and each of the four building classes, there must be a minimum level of security countermeasure. The security countermeasure evaluation identifies 20 levels of countermeasures for the rating categories-building class combinations. The different security countermeasures are subdivided by discipline.. Given a desired security rating category, the building must achieve certain combinations of countermeasure levels. Methods of achieving a particular level of a countermeasure are detailed in Chapter 5. The actual checklists for all countermeasures are given in Appendix II.

Awarding a particular security rating to a building depends on the building class (first pillar), the building category (second pillar) and security countermeasures (third pillar). A description of the security rating categories is provided in Chapter 6. The rating system manual is expected to a very useful product that can help all stakeholders of the building community in assessing the state of security of buildings within a multi–disciplinary context.

The Rating System Manual is undergoing a final peer review and will be published in early 2011.  The Building Security Rating System Development Committee will continue to update and improve the rating system, and expects an enhanced version 3 of the manual to be published in 2013.

Building Security On-line Learning Center and In-person Courses

Following a recent decision of the ASCE Board of Direction, AEI will now have the responsibility of the Building Security On-line Learning Center initially established under the Building Security Council. The Online Learning Center features the audio and PowerPoint presentations from all seven (7) sessions from the most recent BSCP seminar: project process, risk assessment, site considerations, building envelope, interior space, facility operations, and the rating system. Each session ranges from 90 to 120 minutes and includes the Q&A from the sessions. For more details and to register for the on-line course please visit:here.   

AEI also plans to offer a two-day course with a similar program a few times a year in major cities.