The IBQC`s approach to resolving the Challenges Associated with Developing Building Regulations Contextualized for Emerging Economies.
Introduction
1This piece is based on key extrapolations from IBQC guidelines for emerging economies, which are specifically tailored to emerging economies, and a podcast where Professor Alfred Omenya and Adjunct Professor Kim Lovegrove were interviewed on the challenges of developing guidelines for the development of contextualized building regulations in emerging economies. Developing building regulations for these regions involves addressing local contexts, economic constraints, and cultural factors. The recommendations presented here encompass informal, engineered, and vernacular solutions, focusing on both urban and rural settings. They also incorporate key takeaways from the IBQC Risk-Based Building Classification and Inspection Guidelines.2
Key Challenges
- Economic Constraints
- Limited financial resources impact the implementation and enforcement of building regulations.
- High costs associated with advanced construction technologies and materials are often prohibitive and although they may be affordable in developed economies don’t easily translate in an emerging economy setting.
- Institutional Weaknesses
- Inadequate regulatory bodies and insufficient trained personnel.
- Lack of technical capacity and resources for effective monitoring and enforcement.
- Cultural and Social Factors
- Diverse cultural practices and social norms influencing construction methods.
- Sometime resistance to change from traditional building techniques to modern standards.
- Environmental Conditions
- Varied climatic conditions requiring tailored building solutions.
- High vulnerability to natural disasters, necessitating resilient building designs.
Key Paradigms in Building Practices and a tailored approach to an Emerging Economy Setting
The guidelines identify three key paradigms in building practices: vernacular, informal, and engineered solutions. Regulation must embrace and address this contextual triad.
- Vernacular Solutions
- Definition: Traditional building methods using locally available materials and techniques passed down through generations.
- Approach: In rural and suburban settings, regulations should recognize and incorporate vernacular solutions to improve safety and quality while preserving cultural heritage.
- Insight: “In the vernacular building paradigm, it is actually the chiefs or urban leaders that will have the ‘boots on the ground’ capability to influence safe construction outcomes with traditional intergenerational practices to building” (Professor Kim Lovegrove, ICC Pulse Podcast).3
- Informal Solutions
- Definition: Unregulated construction often seen in rapidly urbanizing areas where formal regulation is lacking.
- Approach: In pre-urban areas, regulations should aim to bring informal construction within a formal regulatory framework through regularization programs and community engagement.
- Insight: “Informal settlements…are not regulated because there are no legal controls or urban controls…this is an illegal construct, comprising slum, favela-like, and organic, ad hoc building” (Professor Kim Lovegrove, ICC Pulse Podcast).
- Engineered Solutions
- Definition: Modern construction methods involving formal engineering and design processes, typically using standardized materials and techniques.
- Approach: In urban CBD areas with higher affluence, regulations can adopt developed economy-styled building codes, ensuring they are adapted to local contexts and economic realities.
- Insight: “The largest component will be the engineered solution component, very reminiscent of Western regulation…highly regulatory and very prescriptive” (Professor Kim Lovegrove, ICC Pulse Podcast).
Solutions and Recommendations
- Simplified and Contextualized Codes
- Clear Language and Basic Standards: Develop straightforward building codes using simple, clear language to ensure accessibility and understanding.
- Contextual Adaptation: Adapt regulations to local environmental conditions, cultural practices, and economic realities.
- Phased Implementation: Introduce regulations in phases, allowing gradual adoption and compliance.
- Capacity Building and Training
- Training Programs: Invest in comprehensive training for regulators, inspectors, and builders.
- Institutional Strengthening: Strengthen regulatory bodies by ensuring they have adequate resources and support.
- Community and Stakeholder Engagement
- Inclusive Development: Involve local communities and stakeholders in developing and implementing regulations.
- Stakeholder Collaboration: Engage all relevant stakeholders, including government bodies, private sector participants, and community representertives.
- Use of Local Materials and Techniques
- Local Resources: Encourage the use of locally sourced materials and refinement of traditional building techniques that is sympathetic to good practice building safety codified templates.
- Cost-Effective Practices: Focus on affordable construction methods that utilize local materials and labor.
- Sustainable Building Practices
- Eco-Friendly Materials: Promote the use of environmentally friendly materials.
- Energy Efficiency: Design buildings to maximize natural light and ventilation.
- Waste Management: Implement practical waste management practices suitable for low-income settings, to allow for sound waste disposal and or waste migration such as recycling construction waste and composting organic materials.
- Risk-Based Classification and Inspection
- Risk-Based Approach: Classify buildings based on risk levels to prioritize inspection and resource allocation. Have regard to the IBQC Risk Based Building and Inspection Guidelines.
- Inspection Guidelines: Implement inspection guidelines that vary according to the risk classification of buildings, ensuring high-risk buildings receive more rigorous inspections. Have regard to the IBQC Risk Based Building and Inspection Guidelines.
- Contextual Application: Adapt risk-based classification and inspection methods to fit vernacular, informal, and engineered solutions in different settings.
- For a contextualised approach to buying inspection have regard to The Good Practice Building Inspector Guidelines for Emerging Economies as they are tailored to this setting
- Migration from Informal to Regulated Settlements
- Regulation of Migration: Develop regulations to facilitate the safe migration of citizens from informal settlements to more regulated environments.
- Safe Passage and Relocation: Ensure regulations allow for the safe passage of citizens, including time for transporting belongings and settling into new environments.
- Prevention of Homelessness: Create guidelines to prevent homelessness by determining where relocated individuals can go, ensuring sound and supportive environments.
- Cross-Agency Collaboration: Foster collaboration among various agencies and NGOs to provide capacity development and upskilling programs.
- Sustainable Integration: Have a formalised interaction with government departments and agencies that can develop programs to help individuals acquire skills that enable them to move upward from informal settlements into more regulated living conditions.
Disaster-Resilient Design
Affordability of Disaster-Resilient Design in Poor Countries
Designing buildings to withstand local natural disasters can be challenging for low-income countries due to cost constraints and economic inhibitors. However, several strategies can make disaster-resilient designs more affordable:
- Phased Implementation: Implement disaster-resilient features in phases, starting with the most critical aspects.
- Local Resources and Labor: Use locally sourced materials and labor to reduce costs.
- Simplified Techniques: Adapt traditional construction techniques to enhance resilience without significantly increasing costs.
- External Funding and Aid: Seek international aid and funding from global organizations focused on disaster resilience.
According to the World Bank, investing in disaster resilience can be cost-effective in the long run, reducing the need for expensive repairs and rebuilding after disasters. “Every dollar invested in building resilient infrastructure saves $4 in reconstruction costs” (World Bank, 2019).4
Quotes from Professor Alfred Omenya and Adjunct Professor Kim Lovegrove
- On the Purpose of Guidelines:
- “These guidelines are what a lot of emerging economies need because they speak to the fundamental challenges that these emerging economies have; they ask fundamental questions around building codes and standards and what they are meant to do” (Professor Alfred Omenya, ICC Pulse Podcast).
- “The three paradigm theme in good practice legislation that will resonate with the reality on the ground will require the Building Act to have three major components to it. The largest will be the engineered solution component, very reminiscent of Western regulation” (Professor Kim Lovegrove, ICC Pulse Podcast).
- On Tailoring Regulations:
- “The thinking was that if you regulate the engineered buildings and then the informal and vernacular, you have regulated a huge percentage of the building stock; you are then, in a democratic sense, provisioning maximum safety and security to the highest number of people and the highest numbers of building typologies” (Professor Alfred Omenya, ICC Pulse Podcast).
- “A good practice Building Act that resonates with the contemporary reality of emerging economies will have 3 discrete divisions to it, engineered, vernacular building guidelines; enforcement powers for the informal settlement” (Professor Kim Lovegrove,”The three paradigm theme in good practice legislation that will resonate with the reality on the ground will require the Building Act to have three major components to it. The largest will be the engineered solution component, very reminiscent of Western regulation, followed by vernacular building guidelines, and then enforcement powers for the informal settlement” (Professor Kim Lovegrove, ICC Pulse Podcast).
- Enforcement powers will of course be required to regulate noncompliant building work for the engineered solution paradigm and buildings that pose threat to life and limb in the vernacular setting.
Conclusion
Effective building regulations for emerging economies must be tailored to local contexts, addressing economic, institutional, cultural, and environmental challenges. By developing simplified, adaptable codes, investing in capacity building, engaging communities, utilizing local resources, promoting sustainable practices, implementing risk-based classification and inspection methods, and ensuring disaster resilience, these regions can improve building quality and safety. The insights from Adjunct Professor Kim Lovegrove, Professor Alfred Omenya, and the IBQC provide a valuable roadmap for achieving these goals.
For more detailed information, visit the IBQC publication.
This piece is fashioned by Adjunct Professor Kim Lovegrove the founder of Lovegrove & Cotton and a renowned construction law reformer. He has been a senior law reform consultant to the World Bank, advising on best practice approaches to the design of building regulatory ecology for the Beijing, Chanzhou, Chongqing, and Shanghai governments, as well as that of Malawi.
Professor Alfred Omenya is an accomplished academic and practitioner with expertise in architecture, urban planning, and sustainable development. He has made significant contributions to the development of building regulations in emerging economies. Both serve on the board of the International Building Quality Centre (IBQC). For more information about their work, please refer to their CVs and profiles.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal advice related to building regulations and compliance, please consult a qualified construction lawyer.
Footnotes