Planning Rationale
The determination by CPS to perform a renovation project is based on a number of factors including declining building conditions, insufficient or outdated program space, and future serviceability of equipment. CPS’s preferred approach is to renovate or repair portions of buildings based on a priority of need. As partial renovations are most common, it is critical that individual repairs to or replacement of materials and systems be done in a thoughtful, well planned manner for results that provide a cohesive design for the building as a whole. In doing so, it is of paramount importance that existing building materials to be replaced, repaired or refurbished be inspected and assessed for potential hazardous substances in advance of renovation or demolition activities.
Existing structures may contain hazardous building materials such as asbestos-containing materials (ACM), lead-based paint (LBP), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) containing equipment, universal wastes, chemical containers, and other hazardous and non-hazardous materials. CPS policy is to properly identify these hazardous building materials in accordance with applicable federal, state and local rules and regulations prior to their potential disturbance during renovation or demolition activities.
In accordance with the USEPA National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Asbestos (NESHAPs), the Owner (CPS) of a building being renovated must thoroughly inspect the property for ACM and have all regulated ACM properly removed from the structure prior to disturbance during renovation. The inspection, sampling, and management of ACM for renovations in a school building is further regulated under the “Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act” (AHERA).
Furthermore, CPS policy is to assess, mitigate and/or remove deteriorated LBP, properly remove and dispose and/or recycle PCB-containing equipment, universal wastes, chemical containers, and other hazardous and non-hazardous materials prior to renovation if the materials will be impacted directly by the project scope. Hazardous building materials (ACM, LBP, etc.) that are undamaged and will not be directly impacted by the planned renovation activities may remain in place, although an evaluation of the cost and benefits of removal should be conducted to determine whether there is added value to CPS in eliminating the hazard during the course of the project. Examples of this would include removing ACM pipe insulation that exists in a classroom wherein the project only involves replacement of ACM flooring materials to be removed.