MULUNGUSHI UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND

TECHNOLOGY

CIE 311 CIVIL ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES ASSIGNMENT

NAME : BISANKA KING

STUDENT NO. : 201601160

ATTENTION : Mr. CHILANGA

DUE DATE : MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2018.

Assignment Question: Evaluate and discuss the effectiveness of the Building Codes/
standards for Zambia in the construction industry.
DEFINITION:
Building codes/standards are a set of rules that specify the standards for constructed objects such
as buildings and non-building structures. Buildings must conform to the code to obtain planning
permission, usually from a local council. The main purpose of building codes is to protect public health,
safety and general welfare as they relate to the construction and occupancy of buildings and structures.
The building code becomes law of a particular jurisdiction when formally enacted by the appropriate
governmental or private authority.
Building codes are generally intended to be applied by architects, engineers, interior designers,
constructors and regulators but are also used for various purposes by safety inspectors, environmental
scientists, real estate developers, subcontractors, manufacturers of building products and
materials, insurance companies, facility managers, tenants, and others. Codes regulate the design and
construction of structures where adopted into law.

COMPARISON
With varying governments and environmental factors, building codes/standards as well do vary between
regions and the globe though in a very minimal way. Certain set of rules that specify the standards for
constructed objects i.e. buildings in a particular region cannot be the same as the ones that may be
accepted in other countries or largely by the globe. However, a major comparison between building
codes/ standard lies in each in that, each of the building codes/standards do meet the aspect of regulating
public health, safety and general welfare.
In comparison, building codes/standards that regulate rules on the construction of objects (i.e. buildings,
roads, etc.) in Zambia cannot pertain as to the one used in other countries to say i.e. Russia though there
may be some few difference. This is because with the aspect of government and environmental factors of
which most likely weather conditions, a building code/standard to be used in Zambia cannot cover the
aspect of constructions to be carried out in weather conditions such as snow. This is because in Zambia
we do not come across such environmental factors hence the being of some varying
comparisons/differences in the building code/standard.

CONTENT
By being sets of rules that specify the standards for constructed objects i.e. buildings, roads, dams, etc.,
building codes/standards should meet every aspect to be dealt with during or after carrying out the
construction process. This is because building codes/standards should enforce the need of regulating
public health, safety and general welfare henceforth building codes/standards should be content full and:
1. Relevance – Building codes/standards should providing high quality, well evidenced material and
judgements on whether the construction was carried out rightly or not i.e. if the right things were
done during constructions.
2. Effectiveness – Building codes/standards should examine key interventions and partnerships and
identify and explain successes and failures.
3. Efficiency – Building codes/standards should tell a narrative around the allocation of resources
(financial and staffing) to deliver the results which the client be in this case of construction was
hoping to achieve.
 4. Impact – Building codes/standards should consider constructions pertaining to long term
outcomes.
5. Sustainability – Building codes/standards should discuss evidence on progress towards
sustainability in terms of ownership of reforms, capacity development and resilience to risks.

In addition, Building codes/standards contents should ensure that buildings are designed and constructed
in accordance with the law. For These regulations guide about what to construct, how and where. It is
therefore important to check with the local council with any building regulations that they have in place,
and if there are any contracts or approvals which may be need before commencing the construction
project.

ACCESSIBILITY
With largely expansions in the construction industry In Zambia as of lately, Building codes/standards
should be easily accessed and readily available. There accessibility should be both in print Medias and
electronic Medias of which choice should be with the user. Building codes are mainly found with
consultants and contractors and quiet minimal with the client. Consultants and contractors are the must
have firms of Building codes/standards as they are the designers and supervisors of the construction
project (i.e consultants) and the one who carry out the actual construction process (i.e. contractors). Other
areas to be found with building codes/standards include the local council, government construction
departments, town and country planning, public health department, Architectural statute department , fire
departments, regulators, subcontractors, manufacturers of building products and materials and
insurance companies.

USE/APPLICATION
The main professionals using the building codes/standards in Zambia include engineering professionals
dealing with the construction industry, architects, interior designers, contractors and regulators, national
construction act (Construction services and Building Restrictions), Zambia Institute of Architect, Public
Health Act, Council, Provincial and the Factories Act in the Zambian Construction Industry.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, as the effectiveness of the Building Codes/ standards for Zambia in the construction
industry are Evaluated and discussed here in, it is important to know that building codes/standards
address many of a society’s most important concerns, including public health and safety, and
environmental protection. This is because they are developed by a democratic and deliberative process
that applies improvements incrementally, the building codes also address cost efficiency and investment
value. In large part, building codes/standards establish a building’s quality, safety and energy
performance for years to come, because initial design and construction decisions determine operational
and maintenance costs for the life of the building. As such there is more need to pertain to building codes
or standards when carrying out a construction project.

RECOMMENDATIONS
Ellen Vaughan; The Value and Impact of Building Codes
Hadjri, K., Osmani, M., Baiche, B. and Chifunda, C., 2007. Attitudes towards earth building for Zambian
housing provision.
The building societies act chapter 412 of the laws of Zambia arrangement of sections