Appraisal is an act of assessing something by evaluating both its positive and

negative aspects. It is not only about highlighting only one part of the assessment,
the negative or the positive but balancing out both and concluding by giving an
overall structure as a whole. Also, appraisal does not include any suggestions or
intended improvements but only observations and inferences through them.
The common things to note firstly are:

Site location.
Landmark nearby.
Prominent feature of the building that helps in identification.

SITE PLANNING

Similar buildings nearby/ type of building surrounding the site

Connectivity of the site
Public transport facilitation
Land use pattern
Presence of water bodies nearby
Connectivity from market or other commercial centres
Zoning pattern on the site (if a campus)

LANDSCAPE

Types of trees and location

How has the advantage been achieved in favor
Softscaping and hardscaping
Landscaping In accordance to wind and sun
Shade and shadow due to built and unbuilt/landscaped
Circulation pattern within campus
Contours on site

ACTIVITIES, SPACE
Kinds of spaces provided, assess both recommended by standards and
existing features
Educational: classrooms, labs, library, computer lab, corridor
width, staff room, offices, meeting room, studio, music room,
canteen, recreational room, washrooms, auditorium, parking
spaces, sports facilities, playgrounds.
Commercial offices: reception, meeting room, kitchenette,
workstation/ common workplace, cabins, toilets, waiting area,
canteen

Residential: master bedroom, bedrooms, drawing room, dining

room, guest room, kitchen, toilets, store, verandah, balconies,
common room
Healthcare facilities: waiting area, reception, opds, doctors
cabins, diagnostics, wards, staff rooms, toilets, operation theatre
Restaurant: waiting room, reception, kitchen, service area, sitting
area, toilets, display area
Government buildings: rooms/cabins, waiting area, lobby
reception, toilets, porch
If any space provided would be seeing unexpected increase in number
of users in foreseeable future
Does organization of spaces promotes circulation
Existence of negative spaces
Is connectivity suitable according to the type of users
Is the orientation climatic specific
Is the design is barrier-free
Provisions for specially abled

DESIGN

Name of the architect

What is the design principle visible
Resemblance of the building to any previously built building
Does design guarantee aesthetic comfort in a glance
User rating by the consumers

BYE LAWS
Compare the standards specified and findings on site

Offset of the building

Ground coverage
Height of the building
Width of the approach road
F.A.R
Floor area analysis
Accessibility
Spatial Distribution
Vertical connectivity
Movement analysis
Day lighting analysis
HVAC Systems
Electrical services
Mechanical services

 Plumbing services
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, LIGHTING AND ACOUSTICS

Emergency lighting installations

Escape luminaries installations
Kinds of openings provided
Do openings provide glare
Weather or sun shades are provided
Sufficient ventilation and lighting
Canopies, louvers and other shading devices
Solar heat gain
Insulation from heat and cold

ACOUSTICS

Are partial heighted walls used as sound barriers

Acoustic absorption materials used
Any treatment on ceilings and walls
Materials used on surfaces
Any unwanted sound in the room and any measures taken to prevent it

CIRCULATION PATTERN, OPENINGS AND FENESTRATION

For horizontal, whether it is
open
closed
semi open corridors
Dimensions of a corridor
Are corridors defined, if not, what is the pattern of non-defined
corridors
Vertical connections given
steps
lifts
escalators
stairs
ramps
elevators
Detailed study of vertical access
Kind of punctures given in the building, if any
Why they were provided, aesthetics or functionality
BUIDING SERVICES

Drainage: study of topography and slope

Methods used to tackle surface runoffs
Placement of underground drain pipes on site
Placement of open drains and size
Any kind of backflow from drains or water logging on site and how does
it affect the site
Waste disposal system present/ requirement

WATER SUPPLY
Capacity of water storage and does it fulfill the requirement
Extra water needs for firefighting or any such emergency
Rain water harvesting system
AIR CONDITIONING
Kind of systems installed
Capacity of cooling system and if they are sufficient
Is there a duct network system and its material
STRUCTURAL SYSTEM

Type of structure
Foundation and its suitability
Columns: sizes and aesthetic details
Beams and slabs : sizes and aesthetics
Expansion joints : presence and technique

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
How the cables are laid
Any specially dedicated electricity ducts
ESCALATORS

Spaces and locations provided

Dimensions and type
Is it diverting the crowd
Dimensions of tread and risers

ELEVATORS
Is the space and establishment appropriate
Is it easily accessible
Number and positioning of lifts

 Power backup for lifts

ADVANCED COMMUNICATION

Are the cables concealed or exposed

Are service lines kept separate from telecommunications
Dimensions and maintainability of ducts
Any special design considerations are taken care of
Any central ups provided
Security management systems involved
Use of censors
Use of communication systems like bloopers and speakers
Positioning of sprinklers and fire extinguishers

Combining the findings and observations and extracting how the building
works as a whole, provides for the users and provides aesthetics will
constitute of a good appraisal report.