Yesterday, Aix town hall presented its vigilance plan for buildings in the city center. This plan aims to list buildings that need rehabilitation and to support owners with renovations. This pilot operation, unique in France, aims in particular to ensure risk education, security and the preservation of buildings in the historic heart of the city.
Prevention is better than cure. This is the approach that the city of Aix-en-Provence has chosen. Especially when we know the current context of the trial in rue d’Aubagne which “shocked all the elected officials of France“, well that “the problem is not the same in Aix”, explains the mayor, Sophie Joissains.
The town hall’s objective is to take stock of the shape of the city’s old buildings (built before 1974). The plan is divided into two parts, the first is an information and communication campaign aimed at owners and property managers. It is a question of showing the signs of deterioration of the building and how to deal with them (who to contact, the aid that can be obtained, the checks and assessment).
Sophie Joissains: “show owners the condition of their building”
Using a drone
The second part of the plan is to carry out a diagnosis for each building in the city center. For this, the city called on SEMEPA (Mixed Economy Equipment Company of Pays d’Aix), which will take care of this task. From a technical point of view, the company will use a drone to inspect each roof and facade to identify a defect (crack, absence of tile, faulty attachment of the shutter or gutter, etc.).
Damien Barillet, communications director of Semepa
Once the diagnosis has been carried out, the building in question will be classified with four levels of reporting.
Level A: no disorder observed
Level B: slight disorder without obvious damage to the structure
Level C: disorders affecting the structure
Level D: significant damage with potential danger and need for building security
All buildings classified B, C and D will be reported to the relevant managers. Level D will follow a public security procedure. The work will remain the responsibility of the owner, although assistance will be possible. The city of Aix will support the work at each stage of the process.
