Government and private entities are paying close attention to the Saudi Building Code, given that it serves as a cornerstone for supporting the economy, and for raising safety and security standards in buildings and protecting the rights of all parties. This was emphasized by participants at the second introductory workshop on the Saudi Building Code, organized by the National Committee for the Saudi Building Code last week.
The Minister of Commerce and Investment, Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi, addressed the second introductory workshop on the Saudi Building Code, organized by the National Committee for the Saudi Building Code, last week in the presence of a large number of specialists and stakeholders from the public and private sectors. He urged members of the committees and working groups involved in developing and updating the code to exert greater effort to produce a well-structured institutional framework capable of driving the construction sector toward greater support for the economy and raising safety standards in construction work. He expressed his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the preparation, updating, and development of the code.
Joint Work System
For his part, Dr. Saad Al-Qasabi, Chairman of the National Committee for the Saudi Building Code, said that this workshop complements the integration of the joint work system between the government and private sectors, and in preparation for the implementation phase through integrated work streams that include the legislative aspect—which encompasses the preparation of executive regulations for the code system and a classification of violations—in coordination with stakeholders from both the public and private sectors.
He added: Over the past period, the National Committee has been reviewing the current national building code system and developing clear recommendations for the future phase, with the aim of establishing an integrated institutional framework that ensures the effective implementation and updating of the code in accordance with clear governance and planning guidelines. He noted that the National Building Code Committee is nearing the completion of the code update phase and is preparing for the third introductory workshop, which will serve as an opportunity to host all stakeholders interested in this topic and gather their feedback.
Updating the Building Code Provisions
Al-Qasabi explained that the National Building Code Committee oversees and monitors the work of the technical and advisory committees and task forces, and that the committee has been keen to foster a spirit of teamwork throughout all stages of preparing the code’s regulations and updating its provisions, in a manner that serves the intended role of the construction and building sector and its contribution to achieving economic growth, while ensuring a minimum level of safety for citizens. He expressed his hope that the Saudi Code would serve as a scientific, engineering, and legislative reference for resolving disputes between parties, and that it will positively impact all stakeholders in the construction and building sector, represented by government and private bodies, consulting firms, the contracting sector, and consumers.
Requirements of Sub-Codes
The second introductory workshop featured a number of mini-workshops to shed light on the requirements of specialized sub-codes, including the Architectural and Administrative Code, the Electrical Code, the Green Building Code, the Existing Buildings Code, as well as the Mechanical Code, the Fire Protection Code, the Energy Conservation Code, the Sanitary Code, and the Structural Code. The workshop concluded with an open panel discussion where technical team leaders exchanged views with experts and interested parties to enrich the work and refine the outcomes at various stages of code implementation.
