Civil Engineering Association

This is the second edition of CSA S478, Durability in buildings. It supersedes the first edition, published in 1995 under the title Guideline on Durability in Buildings. The first edition of CSA S478 was issued as a guidance document. This second edition has been developed as a Standard so that it can be referenced in the National Building Code of Canada (NBC).

This Standard sets forth minimum requirements to assist designers in creating durable buildings. Annexes to the Standard provide a framework within which the design service life of a building or a building element can be determined and specified. Other annexes to the Standard provide general guidance on the environmental and other design factors that have an impact on the durability of a building, a building material, and/or a building component.

The Standard carries forward from its first edition as a guideline an emphasis on the need to consider both initial and long-term costs, maintenance, and replaceability in the selection of materials and components.

This Standard is intended to evolve as more information on environmental loads and the impact on building durability becomes available.

This Standard was prepared by the CSA Technical Committee on Designing for Durability, under the jurisdiction of the Construction and Civil Infrastructure Strategic Steering Committee, and was formally approved by the Technical Committee. This Standard has been developed in compliance with Standards Council of Canada requirements for National Standards of Canada. It has been published as a National Standard of Canada by CSA Group.