Handbook of Operating Procedures 8-1130

Oversight of Campus Construction and Building Occupancy

Effective August 12, 2025
Executive Sponsor: Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Policy Owner: Operational Safety and Compliance Executive Director

 

1. Policy Statement

In order to promote high-quality, regulatory compliant and safe buildings, the University of Texas at Austin (University) has a building construction and renovation oversight process. It is the policy of the University to ensure building construction and renovation are performed in a controlled and high- quality manner to ensure construction that results in buildings and spaces that are safe for occupancy and in compliance with the design and specifications and applicable building codes and standards.

2. Reason for Policy

The purpose of this policy is to:

• ensure that building construction and/or renovation projects are performed in a high-quality manner that results in buildings and spaces that can be reasonably maintained,
• ensure that building construction and renovation projects are compliant with applicable codes and regulations,
• ensure that at the completion of building construction and renovation the resulting buildings and spaces are safe and appropriate for occupancy.

3. Scope & Audience

This policy applies to all building construction and renovation projects on University-owned property, regardless of the ownership of the entity that is supervising or performing construction work.
 

4. Definitions (specific to this policy)

Building Official:

An individual designated in writing by the associate vice president for Campus Operations to establish building standards, have oversight over campus construction projects, and certify buildings for occupancy and may also include a Deputy Building Official. The Building Official reports to the executive director of Operational Safety and Compliance.

Certificate of Occupancy:

A certificate stating that the completed project is acceptable to be occupied by the end user.

Construction:

A project that will result in a new building or structure, or a major renewal of an existing building, but does not include repairs or in-kind replacement of existing infrastructure. This includes temporary structures that will exist for more than 6 calendar days.

Renovation:

A project that involves re-configuring or renewing a pre-existing building or space. This includes any work not specifically exempted from permitting by the adopted or applicable building code. Examples of this may be a full building restoration or minor work such as moving walls, replacing or adding fume hoods, converting office space to a laboratory, and modifications to electrical, mechanical, plumbing and life-safety systems. It generally does not include repairs typically performed by Facilities Services or Utilities and Energy Management.

Technical Review Team (TRT):

Staff members designated in writing by the Building Official to perform reviews of construction/renovation projects.

Temporary Certificate of Occupancy:

A certificate stating that the completed work in a space is acceptable for occupancy, in part or in whole, by the end user with listed deficiencies to be completed within the timeline of the certificate. Failure to remediate deficiencies in the stated timeline may result in vacating the end users from the space.

Design and Construction Standards:

Approved documents comprised of the Design Criteria, Technical Specification and Supplemental Standards that specify the requirements for building construction and renovation projects on campus at the time of construction contract award.

Fire Marshal:

An individual designated in writing by the associate vice president for Campus Operations to enforce compliance with the applicable fire code and may also include an Assistant Fire Marshal.
 

5. Website (for policy)

https://secure4.compliancebridge.com/utexas/public/getdoc.php?file=8-1130
 

6. Contacts

7. 
   Responsibilities & Procedures

1. Building Official

1. The Building Official (or Deputy Building Official) has the authority and responsibility to perform the following functions, unless otherwise directed by the associate vice president for Campus Operations:

1. Designate staff members and a Technical Review manager to perform reviews and disposition comments for designs of building construction and renovation projects.

2. Develop, review, modify and submit for approval Design and Construction Standards to be used for building construction and renovation projects, including an exemption process.

3. Issue permits to authorize commencement of demolition and building construction and renovation projects.

4. Authorize individuals to perform designated inspections of demolition and building construction and renovation projects at specific points in the construction process to ensure compliance with Design and Construction Standards, applicable building code(s), regulations, plans and specifications.

5. Issue a stop work for construction activities that are not in compliance, until such time as the activity is re-inspected and found to be in compliance.

6. Issue a Certificate of Occupancy for construction/renovation projects that are deemed to be complete and acceptable for occupancy.

7. Issue a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO), including an expiration date, for construction/renovation projects that are not complete, but are deemed to be acceptable for occupancy, until such time as the project is deemed to be complete.  The TCO may contain specific requirements for completion of construction items and/or specific language imposing life safety requirements or restrictions regarding use of the building.

8. Determine applicable building codes that are not governed by a federal, state, local, or campus entity, including any interpretations.
    

2. The Building Official will coordinate with the Fire Marshal to determine all fire and life safety codes, requirements, and regulations, including interpretations of the NFPA or similar codes and regulations.

3. The Building Official will coordinate with Environmental Health and Safety to determine all health, safety and environmental codes, requirements, and regulations, including any interpretations of such codes and regulations, as detailed in HOP 8-1020 Environmental Health and Safety Policy.

4. The Building Official will additionally consult with the Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel as necessary to review any law, regulation or code that the Building Official believes merits legal analysis or interpretation.