Specification of the performance and service life of external painting systems according to the Brazilian performance standard - NBR 15575

Abstract Theaim of this article is to identify and present the barriers and difficulties in determining and specifying the performance and service life of external painting systems according to the requirements of NBR 15575. The research method included an analysis of the digital catalogues and technical files made available by paint manufacturers, interviews with the designers responsible for the specifications of the technical building documents, as well as an analysis of the use, operation and maintenance manuals created by the developers. After, a device called Mind Map was created for use by suppliers, designers, builders, and users. The results showed that the manufacturers failed to specify the products' service life and the designers specified it in a prescriptive way, relating this practice to lack of information on the performance of the products. The builders' deadlines stipulated in the manuals for repainting buildings’ surfaces are at odds with the minimum service life required by the performance standard. The Mind Map developed represented the interconnection between the actors of the external painting system, showing which processes that do not meet the normative requirements and contribute to the failure of the subsequent tasks of the executive chain in meeting the requirements of the performance standard.