Unfortunately, the potential threats to building occupants are varied and increasing. To adapt properly, let’s look at the culture change needed in the design process. Commissioning, recommissioning, and preventive maintenance are further pieces of a strategy to assure ongoing safety.
Not a daily newscast ends without at least one story about a tragedy inside a building, adjacent to a building, or the potential threat made toward a building or its occupants. Like it or not, this is the environment the world is in, and so the building industry needs to wake up and recognize security must be an integral part of any building program. Indeed it is part of every design professional’s oath to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. So it should be considered “good engineering practice” to document the security basis of design (BofD) into the overall building program basis of design.