The release of the Model Building Act by the International Building Quality Centre (IBQC) in February 2026 has generated very positive commentary and reposts across a number of professional communities on LinkedIn.

Some senior representatives from academic leadership, international bodies, and infrastructure advisory organisations some of whom work with developing jurisdictions have provided observations on the initiative. Collectively, these responses evidence broad engagement and reflect the extent to which the Model Act has been recognised as a credible reference point within the global community.

Some Commentary from Senior World Bank Individuals

Alejandro Espinosa-Wang, Senior Economist at the The World Bank Group reposted the announcement within his professional linked in network and wrote:

“A significant new resource from the I B Q C International Building Quality Centre — released today.

The IBQC Model Building Act offers something that has long been missing in the global building regulation landscape: a comprehensive, integrated reference statute that jurisdictions can adapt to their own contexts. Rather than addressing building regulation in fragments, this Model Act brings together the full lifecycle — from design and approval through construction, product safety, occupation, maintenance, enforcement, and dispute resolution — within a single coherent legislative framework.

What stands out is the breadth and sophistication of its scope. By embedding contemporary regulatory principles around accountability, compliance, inspection, practitioner regulation, liability, and insurance into one integrated structure, it provides a blueprint that can meaningfully guide law reform efforts — whether for jurisdictions building regulatory systems from the ground up or for those seeking to modernize existing frameworks.

For emerging economies in particular, where weak or fragmented building regulation remains one of the most persistent barriers to safe construction, investment confidence, and equitable access to justice, this kind of reference statute is invaluable. It provides a credible, internationally informed starting point that can be contextualized to local legal traditions, institutional capacities, and economic realities.

Congratulations to Prof (Adj/conjt) Kim Lovegrove Doctorate Litt (honouris causa) FRSN. and the law reform experts behind this work. A must-read for policymakers, development practitioners, and anyone working at the intersection of building regulation, investment climate reform, and the rule of law.”¹

Keiko Sakoda, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist at the World Bank reposted the announcement on LinkedIn and wrote:

“Very practical and helpful tool just released by IBQC led by Prof (Adj/conjt) Kim Lovegrove Doctorate Litt (honouris causa) FRSN. This model Building Act framework would be a great resource to look into for countries who are on the journey of building regulatory reforms!…”²

Jayashree Srinivasan, Regulatory Specialist at the World Bank reposted the announcement and wrote:

“Reposting because the IBQC Model Building Act is one of the more practical “whole-of-system” blueprints I’ve seen—designed to be adapted thoughtfully to local legal and institutional contexts, not copied wholesale. I’d encourage the building regulation community (policy, industry, and practitioners alike) to give it a read.

What I appreciate is the through-line from risk classification → accountability → oversight → enforcement → dispute resolution—including clear institutional roles and the regulatory plumbing (product controls, documentation, inspection pathways, and credible enforcement) that often determines whether reforms work in practice.”³

Jayashree Srinivasan also made a separate comment attached to the original release of the Model Building Act within the building regulation policy community.⁴

“Congratulations to….. the IBQC on the launch of the Model Building Act. Bringing comparative regulatory experience and principled policy design into a coherent statutory architecture—while keeping it concise—is a major contribution to the global building regulation community.

The emphasis on risk-based classification, clear statutory chains of responsibility, independent certification and inspection, proportionate liability and insurance, and credible enforcement speaks directly to the system integrity gaps many jurisdictions are working through. I’ll be reading the Model Act with great interest.”

Professional Construction Community

Within the international construction professional community, Isaac Ryan, Policy, Government and Public Relations at the The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) reposted the announcement and stated:

“Check out this amazing work by our supporters at I B Q C International Building Quality Centre: Model Building Act….”⁵

Legal and Academic Expertise

The Model Act was also shared within legal and academic networks.

Professor Catherine Renshaw, Dean of the School of Law at Western Sydney University, reposted WSU’s announcement of the MBA, and stated:

“Very proud that Western Sydney University School of Law is part of the team behind the world-first building laws that will help set new standards for safety in the construction industry – here and around the world…. We need building and construction standards that match the aspirations of this region.”⁶

Southern Cross University published a release on the impact of the Model Building Act:

The Model Building Act is intended to help governments design clearer and more accountable building regulatory systems – including clearer responsibility when building defects occur, stronger oversight of construction and certification processes, and clearer pathways for resolving disputes – issues that can otherwise leave homeowners and communities bearing the consequences when building failures occur.

Developed by the International Building Quality Centre (IBQC), the Model Building Act provides a legislative framework that jurisdictions can adapt when reviewing or modernising building regulation.

International construction initiatives have traditionally focused on technical standards and building codes; the Model Building Act instead focuses on how regulatory systems themselves are structured – including oversight, practitioner registration, inspection, liability, insurance and enforcement arrangements.

Professor Charles Lemckert, Professor of Engineering and Discipline Chair, Engineering and Information Technology at Southern Cross University, and Deputy Chair of the IBQC, said the Model Act represents an important step in the evolution of international building regulation.

“In my view, the International Model Building Act could well prove to be the most significant instrument the IBQC has produced to date.”… ⁷

Mark Colthart LLM (Hons), FCIArb, FAMINZ (Arb), Barrister and Arbitrator, FortyEight Shortland Barristers, reposted the announcement and commented:

“This is a very significant piece of work, and a milestone for the I B Q C International Building Quality Centre. It is also an exemplar of clear legislative drafting, reflecting the decades of experience shared by the authors Prof (Adj/conjt) Kim Lovegrove Doctorate Litt (honouris causa) FRSN. Gemma Varley and Neil Savery. I take my hat off to you!” ⁸

Regional Infrastructure Advisory Community

Robert Guild, Team Leader at the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility (PRIF) reposted the announcement and commented:

“This new model building act is an excellent resource for developing countries looking to update their regulatory framework. Many Pacific island countries are in need of modernization of their acts, codes, and standards. Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility is proud to have done some of this work (see https://lnkd.in/etXKM94G) but there is much left to do!”9

The CEBC Consortium of European Building Control made this statement accompany the IBQC webinar on the Model Building Act.

“A big thank to one of our partners I B Q C International Building Quality Centre for organising this important webinar to discuss the IBQC Model Building Act, which will no doubt be an important reference document for countries across the world and lead to improvements in built quality across the construction sector….“.

Emerging Application in Reform Contexts

It is also relevant to note that elements of the Model Building Act have begun to inform reform initiatives in some jurisdictions. Liability settings reflected in the Model Act have been drawn upon for consideration in the context of a jurisdiction currently reviewing its liability framework. In addition, provisions relating to practitioner registration and licensing have been utilised by an international body in submissions supporting regulatory reform in another jurisdiction. These early indicators point to the Model Act’s practical application beyond its initial release.

Conclusion

Taken together, the commentary demonstrates a strong convergence among international stakeholders regarding the significance of the model instrument. The consistent emphasis on its integrated design, practical utility, and adaptability highlights its value as a statute-ready framework capable of supporting modern building regulatory reform. The breadth and calibre of respondents further reinforce its relevance to jurisdictions seeking to strengthen regulatory architecture, enhance accountability, and improve the integrity of building systems across diverse legal and institutional settings.

The IBQC is both reassured and deeply appreciative of the positive feedback received from leading experts and global thought leaders. It is equally grateful for the support of influential individuals who have reposted the Model Act, thereby amplifying its visibility and potential impact.

Footnotes

1. Linkedin repost by Alejandro Espinosa-Wang.
2. LinkedIn repost by Keiko Sakoda.
3. LinkedIn repost by Jayashree Srinivasan.
4. Second separate LinkedIn commentary by Jayashree Srinivasan.
5. LinkedIn repost by Isaac Ryan.
6. LinkedIn repost by Dean Catherine Renshaw WSU.
7. Southern Cross University release.
8. LinkedIn repost by Mark Colthart.
9. LinkedIn repost by Robert Guild.

Disclaimer

This article is intended to be for general information purposes only and should not be relied on as legal advice.  For expert construction law guidance for your own individual circumstances, don’t hesitate to contact experienced construction lawyers to assist you with dispute resolution, contractual and regulatory advice and related matters.

Image Acknowledgements:

The digital renders used in this article were developed collaboratively by Lovegrove & Cotton and ChatGPT.