"Article 12.2.2 of the Technical Code for Glass Façade Engineering, JGJ102-96, stipulates: 'One year after the completion of the glass façade acceptance, a check should be conducted on the façade, with subsequent checks every five years; for cable-stayed façades, a prestress check should be performed six months after completion, followed by checks every three years; after ten years of use, structural sealant adhesion tests should be conducted on different parts of the façade, with subsequent checks every three years.' Article 9.0.3 of the Technical Code for Metal and Stone Façade Engineering, JGJ133-2001, states: 'During normal use, the using unit should conduct a check every five years. Inspections should be made on panels, sealing strips, sealants, and silicone structural sealants.'"
The original notice issued by the former Ministry of Construction on the "Management Measures for Safety Maintenance of Existing Building Facades" (Document No. JZ 2006[291]) stipulates in Article 15: "When one of the following situations occurs in the existing building facade, the person responsible for safety maintenance shall actively entrust a safety assessment. (1) Abnormal deformation, detachment, or explosion of panels, connecting components, or local walls; (2) Damage caused by natural disasters or sudden accidents such as typhoons, earthquakes, lightning strikes, fires, and explosions; (3) Existing safety hazards detected and identified in the main structure of the relevant building. It is原则上 required to conduct a safety assessment every ten years after the facade engineering project is handed over for use after the completion and acceptance inspection."
The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the General Administration of Safety Supervision issued the "Notice on Further Strengthening the Safety Protection of Glass Façades" (No. Jianshi [2015] 38) in 2015. Article 3 stipulates: "(ii) Enhance maintenance and inspection of glass facades. One year after the completion of the acceptance inspection of glass facades, the construction unit shall inspect the safety of the facades. The safety maintenance person shall conduct special inspections of existing glass facades in accordance with regulations. After natural disasters such as hail, typhoons, lightning strikes, earthquakes, or in the event of emergencies like fires or explosions, the safety maintenance person or their designated technical unit with corresponding qualifications shall promptly inspect the glass facades of potentially damaged buildings and repair any potential safety hazards. (iii) Timely assessment of glass facade safety performance. When glass facades reach the designed service life, the safety maintenance person shall entrust a unit with corresponding qualifications to assess the safety performance of the glass facades. If renovation, reinforcement, or demolition is required, the unit with corresponding qualifications shall be responsible for the implementation. (iv) Strictly regulate maintenance and reinforcement activities of glass facades. Structural maintenance and reinforcement of glass facades must not alter the structural components arbitrarily, and the structural calculations and reinforcement plans shall comply with national standards and specifications. For those exceeding technical standards, safety technical arguments shall be conducted. After the completion of structural maintenance and reinforcement projects, the owner, safety maintenance unit, or the unit responsible for daily maintenance and management shall organize the acceptance inspection."
In accordance with the aforementioned regulations, after the completion and handover of a building curtain wall project for use, any curtain wall that meets the following conditions should undergo a safety performance assessment:
Lacking corresponding curtain wall specifications and standards during design and construction.
2. Not designed, constructed, or inspected in accordance with the relevant regulations and standards of the same period.
3. Concerns regarding curtain wall safety due to incomplete technical documents and warranty materials.
4. Panels, supporting structures, connecting parts, or sections of the wall panel exhibit abnormal deformation, displacement, detachment, cracking, or have experienced safety accidents.
5. Damage caused by natural disasters such as typhoons, earthquakes, lightning strikes, fires, explosions, or other sudden accidents exceeding the design load capacity.
6. Continued use beyond the designed service life or neglect due to age.
7. Structural components of the building have been inspected and certified to have safety hazards.
8. Facade curtain walls requiring major repairs or renovation.
9. After completion, acceptance, and commissioning, safety inspections shall be conducted every ten years, in principle.
