Building Control (Amendment) Bill Passed
The Building Control (Amendment) Bill has been passed by Parliament today on 20 September 2007. The objective of the Bill is to strengthen the building control regulatory framework to raise the professionalism, quality and safety standards in the construction industry. It also puts in place the recommendations of the MND-MOM Joint Review Committee on Construction Safety (JRC), which was formed to examine the regulation of the construction process following the Nicoll Highway collapse. The Bill has also taken into consideration useful feedback from relevant stakeholders in the industry following numerous consultations with them.
2. Some of the key amendments arising from the JRC’s recommendations include more stringent regulation of underground building works, licensing of builders, provision of adequate site supervision, ensuring independence of parties in a construction project and raising of penalties for non-compliance with building control regulatory requirements. In addition, there are also new provisions to set minimum standards of environmental sustainability for buildings and require the continual maintenance of barrier-free provisions in buildings (for details of the key amendments, please refer to the Annex).
3. Regulation of Underground Building Works. The Bill will impose more stringent regulation of major underground building works that have significant safety impact. In particular, the design of temporary earth-retaining structures (TERs) in excavations, which support the earth while the permanent structures are being constructed, will have to be carried out by a registered Professional Engineer (PE) and reviewed by a registered Accredited Checker (AC). A PE will also be required to supervise the construction of TERs. In addition, the geotechnical aspects of major underground building works, including TERs in excavations more than 6m deep, will require the inputs from PEs and ACs who are specialists in geotechnical engineering.
4. Licensing of Builders. The Bill will introduce a licensing scheme to set minimum standards of professionalism for general builders and six selective specialist builders whose works have significant safety impact. To be licensed, builders must be financially sound, have good safety records and appoint key personnel with suitable qualifications and experience to manage the firm and supervise the construction works.
5. Provision of Adequate Site Supervision. The Bill will also require both the Qualified Persons (QPs) and builders to provide adequate site supervision to ensure that building works are carried out properly and safely. In addition, site supervisors will have to be accredited to the stipulated schemes and undergo continuous vocational training to keep abreast of new technical requirements and skills.
6. Enhance Independence of Parties in Construction Projects. To avoid any situations of conflicts of interest, the Bill specifies the circumstances under which project parties should not be associated with one another. For example, the QP who supervises the structural works and his supervision team must not be associated with the developer. This is to ensure that the QP and his supervisors can give undivided attention to their duty of ensuring construction safety.
7. Standards on Environmental Sustainability. In line with efforts to promote environmentally sustainable development in Singapore, a new provision has been included in the Bill to allow the Minister for National Development to make regulations on minimum standards of environmental sustainability for new buildings and existing buildings undergoing major retrofitting works. This is to require the development of more environmentally friendly buildings that have greater energy and water efficiency, and are constructed using sustainable methods and materials. Details of the new regulations will be released at a later date.
8. Maintenance of Barrier-free Provisions. Presently, there are cases where irresponsible owners and occupiers are frustrating provisions for disability access in completed buildings. To address this problem, the Bill has incorporated new provisions to ensure that building owners and occupiers do not alter, remove or obstruct any physical features that are provided to facilitate movement of persons with disabilities. This is to meet the needs of our rapidly ageing population and make Singapore an inclusive and caring society.
Issued by : Ministry of National Development
Date : 20 September 2007
2. Some of the key amendments arising from the JRC’s recommendations include more stringent regulation of underground building works, licensing of builders, provision of adequate site supervision, ensuring independence of parties in a construction project and raising of penalties for non-compliance with building control regulatory requirements. In addition, there are also new provisions to set minimum standards of environmental sustainability for buildings and require the continual maintenance of barrier-free provisions in buildings (for details of the key amendments, please refer to the Annex).
3. Regulation of Underground Building Works. The Bill will impose more stringent regulation of major underground building works that have significant safety impact. In particular, the design of temporary earth-retaining structures (TERs) in excavations, which support the earth while the permanent structures are being constructed, will have to be carried out by a registered Professional Engineer (PE) and reviewed by a registered Accredited Checker (AC). A PE will also be required to supervise the construction of TERs. In addition, the geotechnical aspects of major underground building works, including TERs in excavations more than 6m deep, will require the inputs from PEs and ACs who are specialists in geotechnical engineering.
4. Licensing of Builders. The Bill will introduce a licensing scheme to set minimum standards of professionalism for general builders and six selective specialist builders whose works have significant safety impact. To be licensed, builders must be financially sound, have good safety records and appoint key personnel with suitable qualifications and experience to manage the firm and supervise the construction works.
5. Provision of Adequate Site Supervision. The Bill will also require both the Qualified Persons (QPs) and builders to provide adequate site supervision to ensure that building works are carried out properly and safely. In addition, site supervisors will have to be accredited to the stipulated schemes and undergo continuous vocational training to keep abreast of new technical requirements and skills.
6. Enhance Independence of Parties in Construction Projects. To avoid any situations of conflicts of interest, the Bill specifies the circumstances under which project parties should not be associated with one another. For example, the QP who supervises the structural works and his supervision team must not be associated with the developer. This is to ensure that the QP and his supervisors can give undivided attention to their duty of ensuring construction safety.
7. Standards on Environmental Sustainability. In line with efforts to promote environmentally sustainable development in Singapore, a new provision has been included in the Bill to allow the Minister for National Development to make regulations on minimum standards of environmental sustainability for new buildings and existing buildings undergoing major retrofitting works. This is to require the development of more environmentally friendly buildings that have greater energy and water efficiency, and are constructed using sustainable methods and materials. Details of the new regulations will be released at a later date.
8. Maintenance of Barrier-free Provisions. Presently, there are cases where irresponsible owners and occupiers are frustrating provisions for disability access in completed buildings. To address this problem, the Bill has incorporated new provisions to ensure that building owners and occupiers do not alter, remove or obstruct any physical features that are provided to facilitate movement of persons with disabilities. This is to meet the needs of our rapidly ageing population and make Singapore an inclusive and caring society.
Issued by : Ministry of National Development
Date : 20 September 2007
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