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The Caribbean Uniform Building Code (CUBiC) OBJECTIVES
AND BENEFICIARIES OF THE CODE: 1
Background 1.1
The Caribbean Uniform Building Code (CUBiC) was developed by Caricom and
published in 1985 with financial assistance from the USAID, CDB, Caricom and
the CCEO. Caricom appointed the Project Manager (Dr. Myron Chin) and three
associates (Engs Adams, Gibbs and Wason) to manage the development of the
Code and in particular to manage the output of the special consultants
engaged for developing specific aspects of the Code such as Masonry Building
Design and Construction, Wind Loads, Earthquake Loads, Steel Design and
Construction, and to arrange for the printing of the documents. Part 1 of
the Code also provides a model set of building regulations which can be
adapted by the Caricom member states. 1.2
The Code itself is in fact a set of technical standards which should be used
by all building professionals, builders and Government regulators to ensure
that buildings constructed will be resistant to the natural hazards of high
winds, heavy rainfall, earthquakes and the environmental pressures of the
Caribbean. The Code was produced in eleven volumes, each volume of which
being a separate subject matter- such as Wind Loads or Earthquake Loads etc.
This was done so that building professionals can purchase any or all the
specific volume to meet their needs. Ten copies of each set of the documents
were provided to each of the Caricom countries, and the Trinidad and Tobago
Bureau of Standards was contracted to print other sets for sale. To date
besides the copies made available to the various countries, about 100 sets
have been sold at a price of US $110.00 each, generally to firms of
engineers and to regulatory bodies such as the Department of Planning in the
Turks and Caicos Islands. 1.3
It is important to note that CUBiC like all major Codes includes references
to standards and codes used in building to provide more information for the
building professionals, and that CUBiC being a regional Code pays specific
attention to the resistance to the hazards affecting the region. 1.4 Funding for the development of CUBIC was provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USID), the Caribbean DevelopmentBank CDB), Caricom and the CCEO. 1.5
In 1987, the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS) recognised
the need for each country of the OECS to pass legislation mandating the use
of a simple set of building standards and engaged consultants to develop the
standards using CUBiC as the base document. The countries benefitting from
this exercise included the Turks and Caicos Islands, British Virgin Islands,
Anguilla, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, Dominica,
St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenada. The country Codes are based on the
standards developed in CUBiC and make specific reference to CUBiC for such
items as wind and earthquake loads, and generally for the administration of
the Code. The country Codes also included Building Guidelines which were
first developed by the Pan Caribbean Disaster Preparedness and Prevention
Project (PCDPPP) and which provide illustrated principles for the design and
construction of residential buildings. 1.6
In parallel with the exercise of developing the country codes, the UNDP/UNCHS
assisted the OECS countries in developing model physical planning
legislation which contains the Building Regulations needed to mandate the
use of the Code. Such legislation has been passed in Turks and Caicos and in
St. Kitts and Nevis. In Antigua and Barbuda the existing Development Control
Regulations were amended to include the mandatory use of the Code and
Guidelines. In all of the other OECS countries, steps are being take to pass
the enabling legislation , and in Anguilla and in Montserrat the regulatory
authorities have made administrative decisions that the designs of new
buildings must be in accordance with the requirements of the Code. 1.7 As an example of the use of the Code for the construction of new buildings, the Turks and Caicos (TCI) Building regulations were passed by Parliament in 1990 mandating the use of the Code and the Building Guidelines and establishing the regulatory body for the administration of the regulations. The TCI Department of Planning has since 1990, ensured that all developers and their technical personnel make use of the TCI Codes for the design and construction of buildings in the country. So far over 200 copies of the documents have been sold to building professionals and to developers. Building Inspectors have been trained and engaged to review plans and to inspect buildings. In Montserrat, 50 copies of the country Code were sold before the eruption of the volcano, and in Anguilla about 30 copies of the country Code has been sold. The Organization of American States has provided funding for fifty copies of the St. Lucia Code and one hundred and fifty copies of the St.Lucia Building Guidelines. The Physical Planning legislation is under review for presentation to Parliament. 1.8 It is important to note also that the Government of Barbados is in the process of developing a Building Authority which will mandate the use of the Barbados Building Code in which the CUBiC technical standards are used. The Governments of Trinidad and Tobago and of Jamaica is actively proceeding with legislation to mandate the use of the Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago national building codes. 1.9 In 1999, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry with assistance from the OAS developed a set of Belize National Building Standards and Residential Construction Standards the standards for which have been based on the CUBiC standards. The use of the Belize Building Standards and Residential Construction Standards should shortly be approved by the Belize Parliament. 1.10
The use of technical standards requires trained personnel for design,
construction and inspection. The OAS has assisted the OECS Governments by
funding training workshops for Building Inspectors. Training for Building
Inspectors has also been provided by CDERA. The OAS has also provided
funding for St. Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda for the production
of documents in a format which can be easily used in the filed by the
Building Inspectors. The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands has also
produced such documents for its regulatory authority out of its own funds. 1.11
In summary, CUBiC is being used as the technical base for the in country
codes and the necessary legislation to mandate the use of the technical
standards is in force in some of the countries and is being prepared in
others. All of the countries of the Caribbean have been seized with the
necessity to use building codes for regulating the quality of building
in their respective states, and National building codes are in use by some
countries and being prepared for use by other countries. 2
Objectives of the Code 2.1
The importance of CUBiC to the countries of the region is primarily to
establish the technical standards which can be mandated for use by all
developers and home builders in the countries. 2.2
As stated, the Code provides the technical standards which are designed to
be used for all new construction and for the upgrading of existing
construction. The country codes do not contain the detailed technical
information which is in CUBiC and which is necessary for the design and
construction of buildings to resist the natural hazards. The country codes
refer to this information and ensure that the requirements given in CUBiC
are also made mandatory where appropriate. 2.3
It should be noted that the National Building Code of Canada is used by the
separate Provinces and Territories of Canada in a similar manner. The
Provincial Building Codes use the National Building Code as the technical
base with amendments where appropriate. Without a National Building Code
each Province and Territory will be forced to develop its own Code with its
resultant requirement for research and updating of the technical
information. Similarly without CUBiC each country in the region will be
forced to develop its own technical standards for use in the Code. This will
mean that continuing expensive research into use of materials and
construction methods must be carried out by each country if the Codes are to
be effective. CUBiC prevents this. 2.4
The objective of the CUBiC therefore is to provide a set of technical
standards which can be used or referred to by the countries of the region in
the respective country codes, without the need for further research into the
nature and use of the building materials and construction methods. 3
Beneficiaries of the Code 3.1
The ultimate beneficiaries of the Code will be the owners and occupiers of
buildings in the region. As stated, the purpose of the use of the Code is to
prevent to almost annual major damage and destruction of buildings due to
high winds and to a lesser extent in terms of frequency, the damage incurred
by earthquakes. 3.2
The design of large buildings require a knowledge of the impact of the
extreme natural events on the buildings and the resistance of materials and
components to these extreme events. Engineers and architects designing
buildings in the region are aware of the need to consult appropriate
technical documents for “safe” designs. CUBIC is designed to provide the
information needed by the building professionals. 3.3
The design and construction of residential buildings of not more than two
storeys and of less than 3000 square feet in gross area, are important
considerations for the development of the set of standards in the Code. Most
of the damage due to high winds is incurred by small residential buildings.
The Building Guidelines address the important requirements for building a
safe home. The construction principles illustrated in the Guidelines are
based on the requirements given in CUBiC for resistance to high winds
and earthquake forces and for resistance to corrosion. Home owners and
designers benefit from the use of the Guidelines by being able to build with
confidence that the residences will not suffer the damage that has been the
norm. 3.4
The cost of repair of buildings which have suffered from the effects of high
winds or earthquakes is very much less than the extra cost (if any) of
designing and constructing buildings in accordance with the requirements of
the Code. Some research done on buildings has shown that the extra costs of
meeting the requirements of the Code are not more that two percent of the
cost of the building. Even in circumstances of insurance coverage the full
cost of reconstruction of the building will be higher than that recovered
from the insurance company. 3.5
The economic costs which affect
individuals and the communities must include: a)
the cost of restoring the buildings and contents b)
the cost of alternative accommodation while the damaged buildings are being
restored c)
loss of working time consequential on the damage to the buildings d)
loss of revenue for commercial and retail establishments e)
trauma of those persons whose buildings have been damaged f)
additional costs of patient care where hospital patients have to be
relocated There may be other costs which should be examined and which may not be reimbursed by the insurers. 3.6 A building which has been designed and constructed in accordance with the requirements of the Code will not suffer the damage which will lead to the costs outlined. 3.7 The international community has always been responsive to calls for financial assistance when disaster strikes, but such assistance is usually not much more than 25% of the costs incurred. The affected community therefore has to bear the majority of the costs. An effective building Code will benefit the individuals and the community by the reduction in the costs of the repair to buildings and other costs which result from the onslaught of heavy winds, torrential rains and earthquakes. SCHEDULE OF WORKSHOPS AND
REQUIRED RESOURCES
In response to
the concern expressed by CDERA about the unrealistic schedule for conducting
the workshops over 12 months the following elaboration is given. From the
Proposed Work Schedule it will be seen that the workshops/seminars will be
as follows:- Activity 2
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