Assessing the implementation of planning and building codes and regulations on collapsing buildings

Abstract

The current series of building collapses in Kampala city have continued to attract research efforts to unveil the causes and possible remedies. Although cases of building collapses in Kampala have been associated with many factors, those factors associated with the implementation of planning and building codes and regulations on collapsing buildings have not been adequately investigated. The study investigated the applicable planning and building codes and regulations in the planning, approval and safe construction and occupation of buildings in Kampala central division, the role of planning and building codes and regulations in ensuring proper planning, approval and safe construction and occupation of buildings. It also investigated the extent to which the planning and building codes and regulations have been adhered to during the planning, approval and safe construction and occupation of buildings in Kampala Central division and the ways in which to improve the adoption of building codes and regulations to minimize building collapse in Kampala Central Division. Well-structured interview guides were administered to the different stakeholders involved in the planning, approval and safe construction and occupation of buildings that is to say the Kampala Capital City Authority, National Building Review Board, the different technocrats including the Architects, Physical Planners, Engineers, Environmental officers, Geotechnical officers, contractors and a few developers. Using descriptive analysis, the data collected was analysed. It observed that the integrity of all stakeholders in the planning, approval and safe construction and occupation of buildings and ineffective supervision and monitoring the level of adherence of the buildings under construction to the planning and building codes and regulations spearheads the deviation from the planning and building codes and regulations that causes buildings to collapse. The study concludes that the deviation from the roles of the stake holders to enforce the building codes and regulations especially at the construction phase of building execution contributes to the increasing cases of building collapses in Kampala Central division. The study further recommends that the stake holders in the building industry should maintain their integrity and professional ethics and work in accordance to the standard practice laid down by the standard form of building contracts.