The built environment is undergoing rapid growth and transformation, with nearly 70 percent of the world’s population expected to live in cities by 2050. At the same time, there is an urgent need to make buildings more resilient and sustainable to disaster and climate risks, and accessible to people of all ages and abilities. Comprehensive building codes, paired with effective compliance mechanisms, are powerful tools to meet these challenges.
A new study, A Global Assessment of Building Codes: Current Status and Evolving Needs to Promote Resilient, Green, and Inclusive Buildings, provides a comprehensive assessment of global building codes for 22 countries in six regions. The countries examined were Algeria, Bhutan, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Ghana, Indonesia, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Peru, the Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, South Africa, Tajikistan, Tonga, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, and Vanuatu.
Conducted in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) with support from the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) and the government of Japan, through the Japan-World Bank Program for Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Management in Developing Countries, the study drew on data from building design and construction experts in each country. It was validated by global specialists and supplemented with case studies and a broader desktop review to understand different approaches and to share relevant examples.
Building codes must keep up with a changing landscape
The study identified a need for building codes to strengthen resilience against earthquakes and strong winds by updating hazard maps and enhancing design requirements for structural and nonstructural elements to protect building occupants and limit damage. It also identified gaps in provisions for emerging climate hazards not traditionally addressed in building codes, such as more frequent and severe flooding, extreme heat and wildfire. For example, only seven of the 22 countries reviewed have any building design provisions addressing flooding.
Addressing small-scale and existing buildings
The study identified that simplified, easy to understand provisions for small-scale buildings can promote safe construction and better compliance. Furthermore, the study found that building codes predominantly address the design and construction of new buildings. For example, only 10 out of the 22 countries have provisions that cover additions or alterations, or changes in building use. To ensure the safety, adaptability, and resilience of existing buildings, codes should also include guidance for assessment, rehabilitation, retrofitting, and modifications. For example. a review of Indonesia’s regulatory environment under the World Bank supported National-Scale Seismic Resilience Plan, identified gaps in the Indonesian National Standards (SNIs) regarding existing buildings. The government of Indonesia is currently developing a new SNI to address this gap.
