Design Guidelines

Dalhousie University Design Guidelines provide assistance to consultants during the planning, and design phases of the University’s expansion and renovations.  The Guidelines do not relieve a consultant from any professional responsibility, duty or due diligence to design elegant, functional, efficient and low maintenance facilities.

Facility owners have preferred materials and requirements that make the task of maintaining facilities less costly.  Dalhousie understands this is a balance between capital and operating costs.  The Guidelines are not intended to be the only acceptable solution.  Dalhousie expects consultants to bring modern and innovative ideas, materials and methods to the University.  If these Guidelines do not allow these new ideas then the consultant is to make a request in writing to the Dalhousie Project Manager for an exception to the guidelines.  Necessary reasoning and or calculations shall accompany the request.  The exception request will be reviewed internally and either rejected or accepted.  The consultant will document this rationale and/or justification for each exception in the Basis of Design.  The University Guidelines may be updated subsequently.

These documents provide design guidelines only, and are not intended for use, in whole or in part, as a specification. Do not copy the guidelines verbatim in specifications or in notes on drawings. Refer questions and comments regarding the content and use of these documents to the Dalhousie University Project Manager.  The Guidelines are intended to be read in conjunction with the local codes and regulations, and in no way are to be considered as a code replacement. The codes and regulations represent the minimum acceptable standard. Where the technical design requirements differ from the building codes and other applicable codes and standards, the more stringent of the codes shall be applied.