Impacting building safety in the MENA region

I recently returned from a visit to the International Code Council’s Dubai office, which serves as the regional hub for building safety outreach to stakeholders in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The office was established in late 2019 and Mohamad Amer, regional director of operations based in Dubai, joined the Code Council in March 2020.

As a U.S. building official actively involved in Code Council activities for decades — including following and supporting the organization’s global activities — seeing the reality ‘on the ground’ in this region provided me with a new appreciation for both the similarities and differences in the opportunities and challenges faced by those involved in construction and building regulation.

Joining together on universal building safety challenges

Many of the discussions that took place in meetings or conferences could have just as easily been occurring in the U.S. — many building safety challenges are truly universal, especially in the area of compliance. For instance, regardless of the codes and standards that are referenced in a jurisdiction’s regulations, building safety officials need effective tools and procedures to enable them to approve the use of innovative construction methods and materials; ensure that designers, contractors and inspectors are qualified and competent; and that existing buildings remain safe.

At the same time, it was clear that each stakeholder group assigned high importance to the Code Council’s global engagement, as evidenced in part by a high-level visit from U.S. leadership. Likewise, it was important for our customers and partners to see that the Code Council’s focus extends beyond the U.S., and even beyond the MENA region — that we are truly a global organization.

Understanding the global importance of codes and standards

The most resounding takeaway was that the commitment that the Code Council made in establishing an office in the region is recognized and appreciated by our partners, including government regulators, consultants, manufacturers, standards developers and conformity assessment organizations. As the codes are widely used throughout the MENA region — although not always mandated as the exclusive compliance pathway — having a presence in the region adds a great deal of value to those seeking to understand more about the codes, the code development process, training opportunities and tools that we provide to help jurisdictions to safely enable the use of innovative technologies in construction. Some of these include 3D printing, modular and off-site construction, and new construction materials and methods that facilitate sustainability.

New council helps advance global mutual goals

One of the most enlightening meetings that I attended was the inaugural meeting of the Building Science Advisory Council. In discussions with a carefully curated cross-section of smart, knowledgeable and experienced industry professionals, the importance of the ongoing ‘soft engagement’ that we are able to do through our Dubai office was emphasized, and well recognized as simply not the same as engaging remotely from the U.S.

Through this meeting, I also gained an appreciation for the importance of aligning with strong partners who are established and well respected in the market to promote the Code Council’s mission and message of building safety, in ways that will enable us to advance our mutual goals and facilitate a safer and more sustainable built environment.

Local presence allows for deeper engagement

Success in any new market will require a long-term vision and commitment to ongoing, in-person engagement. Globally, engagement does not always start with the use of the International Codes (or I-Codes), and the importance of understanding the unique needs of each partner, user or client often involves a great deal of education and development. It frequently involves a much longer project lifecycle than the work that we do in the U.S.

Those at the International Code Council who are involved in global projects have long understood this, not only in the MENA region but also in many other regions around the world. Even after just two years of operations (entirely during a global pandemic), it is easy to appreciate the added value of having an on-the-ground presence that allows for deeper engagement. The momentum was palpable and I can only believe that this is just the beginning of a long and successful journey.