UCSF has undertaken a proactive and multi-year seismic review of its buildings. This effort is part of the University of California’s systemwide program to better understand the seismic resiliency of UC buildings.
The information below provides details on UCSF’s ongoing efforts to ensure that our buildings meet UC’s current seismic standards, explains how our buildings are evaluated by leading engineers, and provides access to their building rating reports.
UCSF Building Ratings Summary Table
Comprehensive Seismic Review of All UCSF Buildings
UCSF completed an initial comprehensive seismic review of its owned and leased buildings across the campus and clinical enterprise to better understand their seismic resiliency. This effort continues as buildings are constructed, acquired, or leased at UCSF.
This evaluation is part of a proactive UC-wide effort launched in 2018 to assess buildings across the University. It supports UCSF’s seismic program and ongoing efforts to ensure that its buildings meet UC’s current seismic standards.
“Seismic safety is important to UCSF as we live in a state in which seismic standards are regularly updated, and this prompts us to make enhancements to our buildings,” said UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood in a UCSF news story in 2021. “Our current seismic performance review is part of the University of California’s systemwide effort to ensure the safety and well-being of all members of our UC community, faculty, staff, learners, patients, neighbors, and visitors.”
More UCSF Resources
- UCSF Seismic Safety Review Finds Most Buildings Earthquake Resilient, 2021
- UCSF Conducts Comprehensive Seismic Review of All Buildings, 2019
UC Seismic Ratings
The University of California, in collaboration with the California Department of General Services and California State University, has developed a system of seismic performance ratings based on the California Building Code. Buildings are assessed for earthquake resiliency and assigned a rating.
Seismic Rating Levels
| I – IV | Seismic Safety Policy Compliant |
| V | Will Require Further Evaluation and, If the Rating Is Confirmed, Must be Addressed in Order of Priority |
| VI | High-Priority for Correction |
| VII | Must be Unoccupied and Access-Restricted |
UC Seismic Policy
The University of California updated its Seismic Safety Policy in 2024.