Category: Building Surveys


RAND's drone with the New York City skyline in the background.

New Rules Allow Drones for Building Inspections in NYC

July 28th, 2023 by

In an exciting development, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has introduced new rules that expand the permitted uses of drones for various services, including building inspections and infrastructure assessments. These changes represent a significant step forward in enhancing building...

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After Condo Collapse, Fannie Mae Toughens Loan Standards for Buildings with Significant Deferred Maintenance

After Condo Collapse, Fannie Mae Toughens Loan Standards for Buildings with Significant Deferred Maintenance

February 15th, 2022 by

As of January 1, 2022, potential homebuyers may be finding it tougher to finance the purchase of units in cooperatives and condominiums. In response to last June’s tragic Surfside, Florida condo collapse, mortgage giant Fannie Mae, a government-sponsored enterprise (GSE),...

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Energy Efficiency Reports Must Be Filed by Registered Design Professionals Beginning January 1, 2022

December 2nd, 2021 by

As part of NYC's Greener, Greater Building Plan, Local Law 87/09 requires owners to have an energy audit conducted on their base-building systems; undertake energy-efficient maintenance practices as part of retro-commissioning; and file an Energy Efficiency Report (EER) with the...

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Weathering the Storm: Emergency Preparedness & Storm Resiliency

September 9th, 2021 by

After last week's record-breaking rainfall caused flooding, power outages and widespread damage to buildings and infrastructure, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) released a set of precautions building owners and property managers should carefully follow when surveying storm...

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Stephen Varone, AIA, President, RAND Engineering & Architecture

Why Being Proactive Pays Off

June 26th, 2018 by

Being proactive pays off when it comes to your building. RAND President Stephen Varone, AIA, discusses what you need to know to stay up-to-date with your building's systems to save you money and time in this month's issue of Habitat Magazine.

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Conducting a physical condition survey is a useful way to diagnose construction defects in a building's major systems and components.

Ask the Engineer: Finding–and Fixing–Construction Defects

October 4th, 2016 by

Leaks, drafty windows, cracked balconies, loose floorboards, and mold are not things you would expect to see in a newly constructed or newly converted building. Unfortunately, they're not uncommon in the wake of the country's building boom over the last...

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Damage from the Chelsea, New York bombing.

The Chelsea Explosion: Surveying the Aftermath

September 21st, 2016 by

The terrorist blast that rocked Chelsea on Saturday night and set New Yorkers' nerves on edge was especially frightening to the residents and workers on West 23rd Street, where the explosion blew out windows and caused other damage to buildings....

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310-312 West 122nd Street

What Lies Beneath (A Co-op’s Gut Reno Horror Story)

July 13th, 2016 by

A moldy basement, leaking roofs, and oatmeal-like mortar are scary things no one should ever encounter in a newly renovated building. Unfortunately for one cooperative in Harlem, a less than stellar gut renovation, which included a new roof, windows, and joist...

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