Abu Dhabi building code workshops start this month

The new International Building Codes are soon to become law for the construction industry in Abu Dhabi.

RELATED ARTICLES: Meeting building codes is not enough | Building codes training draws over 1,000 pros | Workshops to be held before building codes release

Workshops aimed at easing the implementation of Abu Dhabi’s new building codes to be launched early 2011, will run from now until November in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

The training, organised by the Department of Municipal Affairs (DMA), is the second phase of the municipality’s largest ever training programme, aimed at ensuring trade professionals are ready to comply with the new regulations once they become law.

Starting this month, the workshops are being led by eight qualified International Code Council (ICC) instructors from the US responsible for publishing the codes and who are able to provide international best practice principles.

Story continues below

Advertisement

FEATURED COMMENT Please click here to comment on this article

The International Codes themselves, which will be mandatory across the emirate in the very near future, are aimed at improving the quality of construction materials and building practices in line with the Abu Dhabi 2030 economic vision.

Commenting on the workshops, DMA’s undersecretary Ahmed Shareef said: “The new building codes warrant the largest training of its kind to take place in the UAE.

“Our message to the construction industry is clear: take advantage of this opportunity to get ready for the new codes.

“Right now, we are in a process of consultation and training with our industry partners. By taking the journey towards better buildings together, we can ensure that the transition to the new codes will be a smooth one.”

As part of a series of workshops, the training began with the building codes fundamentals workshop in order to help engineers, consultants and technical staff understand the interrelatedness of the code requirements and help to develop a procedure for applying them.

Among the attendees were delegates from the municipal system, relevant government entities, and the construction industry.

Following on from these first workshops will be a suite of further, more specific courses on the International Fire Code, the International Energy Conservation Code, and other International Building Codes covering accessibility, means of egress, mixed occupancy and performing non-structural plan reviews.

All these training workshops are currently being offered by the DMA at significantly subsidised rates.

HE Shareef added: “We are working hard with all stakeholders to identify their roles and responsibilities in adopting and implementing the new codes.

“The training workshops will bring world-class standards and practices to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, which will help us achieve a sustainable environment and the Emirate’s 2030 vision at large.”