Safer and more accessible buildings with new Building Control Act changes

By BCA

Passed in Parliament on Friday, 6 March 2020, new amendments to the Building Control Act made with the support of industry stakeholders will ensure safer and more accessible buildings.

With Singapore’s densely populated high-rise buildings and an ageing building stock, the changes are aimed at firstly, strengthening the building control regulatory framework and secondly, allowing for a more accessible built environment to cater to the needs of an ageing population, and persons with disabilities.

Key changes to the Act include the introduction of a new Periodic Façade Inspection (PFI) Regime, an enhanced framework for lift and escalator regulation, a mandate on a Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for the lift industry and a requirement for basic accessibility features to be fitted in older buildings that undergo addition and alternation (A&A) works.

Periodic Facade Inspection (PFI) Regime

To prevent the likelihood of facade failure in older buildings, the new PFI Regime requires buildings of more than 20 years of age and over 13 meters in height, excluding landed houses, to undergo inspection by a Competent Person (i.e. Professional Engineer or Registered Architect), who can be assisted by a Facade Inspector (FI), every seven years. Such a regime will facilitate the early detection of facade deterioration and allow defects to be rectified in a timely manner as the building stock ages.

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) expects to inspect more than 4,000 buildings each year, starting with the older buildings.

Safer Lifts and Escalators

To strengthen regulatory oversight upstream and achieve greater downstream compliances in lifts and escalators, BCA will introduce new requirements for the design and installation of lifts and escalators.

Under the new rules, owners of lifts and escalators will be required to engage the services of Specialist Professional Engineers (SPEs) to certify their lift and escalator design plans, which are to be submitted to BCA for approval. As part of this new plan submission process, BCA will require lift and escalator professionals to ensure that lift models and their key safety components are certified by independent certification bodies.

Progressive Wage Model (PWM) uplifts the lift sector

The lift sector with more than 2,000 technicians maintaining 70,000 lifts in Singapore will see a boost with the introduction of the PWM. Providing Singapore Residents in the lift sector with clear career progression pathways, commensurate wages and related training courses, the PWM will help to attract and retain talent in the industry.

To date, 40 lift maintenance contractors, representing 95% of the market share in Singapore, have committed to adopt the PWM.

Upgrading accessibility for older buildings

To accelerate accessibility in Singapore’s built environment, all existing inaccessible commercial and institutional buildings that undertake A&A works, regardless of where such works are carried out, will be required to provide at least the following basic accessibility features. These features are: an accessible entrance, an accessible route at entrance level and an accessible toilet at entrance level or at the specific location of the A&A works. Buildings with a gross floor area of 500 m2and below are exempted from this requirement.

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The above changes have been made with the consultation and support of industry stakeholders. The industry will be given sufficient notice ahead of the implementation of the new requirements, which will take place progressively from the second half of 2021.

Read more about basic accessibility upgrading for older buildings and the Periodic Façade Inspection (PFI) Regime.