Is my building safe? When building owners are concerned about existing building conditions, engineers may be asked to assess the suitability of the existing structure. A good plan and a keen eye can be invaluable tools for understanding a structures performance, communicating an assessments scope, and managing the risks of a project. This presentation will guide structural engineers on how to make systematic assessments of existing structural steel buildings. Well discuss field assessment strategies and practical challenges of structural building assessment. Then well explore the elements of preliminary and detailed assessment plans, good design basis assumptions, and acceptance criteria for existing conditions. The presentation will also review investigation methods, strategies for evaluating the effects of damage or degradation, and approaches used for existing building assessments.