The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs has expressed great interest in the importance of implementing the Saudi Building Code and the need to utilize it to support the Kingdom’s urban development efforts, and to create an environment conducive to implementing the Code’s requirements and specifications in all projects and facilities. This came during the “Saudi Building Code” workshop organized by the Ministry’s Agency for Technical Affairs, in collaboration with King Saud University, over two days, which began yesterday at the Ministry’s headquarters.
Workshop participants discussed the definitions of architectural, structural, electrical, and mechanical requirements and specifications included in the Saudi Building Code, while the Assistant Undersecretary for Technical Affairs, Eng. Abdulaziz Al-Muzayyed, that the Ministry has approved the application of the Saudi Building Code to buildings and structures, issued a circular to that effect, and directed that the technical results of the implementation process be monitored in accordance with the necessary executive instructions for the Saudi Building Code.
The Ministry emphasized the need to monitor the implementation of the Code in its projects in collaboration with engineering service providers and contractors, to solicit their opinions and observations during implementation, and to submit a periodic report every four months on any observations or feedback regarding the code’s implementation to the National Committee for the Saudi Building Code.
In the same vein, regional and provincial municipalities have begun implementing the directive from the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs mandating the application and adoption of structural building systems that meet the requirements of the Saudi Building Code and are consistent with international technical standards and specifications, in addition to having their engineering plans approved by qualified engineering or consulting firms, in order to take advantage of modern construction techniques without relying on reinforcing steel or traditional building materials by constructing load-bearing walls in accordance with the requirements and specifications of the Saudi Building Code
