The competent authorities have set a specific timeline for the implementation of the Saudi Building Code according to gradual stages, The building code is considered a pioneering vital approach and represents an important civilizational shift in the field of urban development to reach an advanced and developed construction industry, and its adoption came after a large period of preparation and collective efforts and a summary of the participation of specialists in this field from all relevant authorities, and the building code includes a set of requirements and requirements and subsequent regulations and executive regulations and appendices related to building and construction to ensure quality, safety and public health.
<p class="p1Code achieves sustainable development, health and safety
As the deadline approaches, the head of the National Committee for the Saudi Code, Dr. Saad Al-Qasabi, revealed that the requirements of the code will be applied starting from the engineering designs that start with the cadastral reports issued by the municipalities starting next July, (that is, 40 days later), and Al-Qasabi, who was speaking at a workshop in Jeddah before 250 specialists from various government agencies concerned with applying the code, confirmed that this system will be mandatory for large engineering projects on January 1, 2019, and for small buildings on January 1, 2021.
The code is mandatory for large engineering projects on the first of January 2019, and for small buildings on the first of January 2021.
The code aims to achieve sustainable development, health and safety in the building and construction sector, and the national committee has developed an executive regulation for the program and a regulation to classify violations, The Saudi Code Law obliges violators, if they commit "dangerous" violations that endanger lives or property, to stop the building, part or section that constitutes the danger, prevent occupancy or evacuate the building, and the law includes punishing violators with a fine, or suspending the practice license granted to individuals, bodies, institutions, or companies to practice studies and designs.
<p class="p1Reducing construction costs and reducing disputes
For his part, the Director General of the Building Code Department at the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, Engineer Saeed bin Khaled Kadasa, explained that the importance of the Saudi Building Code is to raise the quality of the building and construction sector, achieve efficiency, sustainability, safety and public health, rationalize energy consumption (electricity and water) and reduce construction costs, by ensuring the safety of facilities and their occupants by setting requirements and requirements of the building code that specify the principles of design and implementation, The building code also contributes to putting an end to issues and disputes between parties working in the building and construction sector, and indicated that the international code system (ICC) and several international codes have been adopted in accordance with the natural and environmental conditions of the Kingdom.
Engineer Saeed pointed out that the Saudi Building Code will be applied to all stages of building and construction in the Kingdom, including design, supervision, implementation, occupancy, maintenance, modification and removal (demolition), and that all engineering plans must be in accordance with the building code, and engineers, inspectors and supervisors working in the field of code must obtain a license to practice the building code.
All engineering plans must be in accordance with the building code, and engineers, inspectors and supervisors working in the field of code are required to obtain a license to practice the building code.
No impact on the work of real estate and engineering offices
On the same subject, Engineer Abdullah bin Ahmed Al-Hamad, General Manager of Kassab Engineering Consultants, considered that the application of the code is a protection and guarantee of the rights of consumers and beneficiaries due to the existence of specific standards, although he is not fully familiar with them, calling for a full elaboration of the code from various aspects before its application to be clear when working with it, and taking into account the climate, environment and terrain standards in various cities of the Kingdom.
Engineer Al-Hamad denied that the application of the code will have an impact on the engineering, consulting and real estate sectors significantly, but on the contrary, it sets the way for creativity in designs through the application of standards and regulations, we apply such standards on small offices, let alone if it is applied to all offices in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, these regulations will move the Kingdom, especially with regard to the real estate, investment and construction sector, indicating the possibility of some contractors leaving the market, especially those who care about the amount paid to them without considering the product.
And he said that the code will have an impact on the engineering, consulting and real estate sectors significantly, on the contrary, it sets the way for creativity in designs through the application of standards and regulations.
Hamad expected that contractors will be committed to applying all standards if there is control over this, noting the role of the Saudi Council of Engineers in tightening control by assigning engineers to inspect the work at all stages and check the application of all standards and requirements of the Saudi Building Code.
These regulations will move the Kingdom, especially with regard to the real estate, investment and construction sector.
