Jamaica Standards Body’s Code Modernization Emphasizes More Resilient Future

Established in 2012, the International Code Council’s Global Award recognizes individuals or organizations who go the extra mile to promote building safety worldwide and support the Code Council’s global mission. This year, the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) was honored for its comprehensive efforts to modernize and integrate building codes while simultaneously educating individuals on the codes.

As an agency of the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, the BSJ provides standards testing, training, trade support and consumer information. It is governed by a 14-member Standards Council appointed by the Minister. In recent years, with help from global and local government funding, the organization set out to fully update its building codes to support more sustainable, resilient structures.

To facilitate this transition, the BSJ went beyond providing piecemeal building safety regulations and sought a complete update to its full suite of codes, along with important educational and training programs to raise awareness and drive compliance.

Crossing Code Cycles

With the support of the local professional engineer groups, the first edition of the Jamaica Building Codes was published in January 2009 and was based on the 2003 version of the International Codes® (I-Codes). The Jamaican modifications were also published separately and designed to be used with the base 2003 I-Codes. This approach was revolutionary, though somewhat cumbersome for the user who had to obtain and cross-reference two separate documents.

With the need to support the construction of natural hazard-resilient buildings in Jamaica, the BSJ set out to update all current codes. With financial support from the government of Jamaica through the World Bank, the organization updated the Jamaica Building Code, Jamaica Small Building/Residential Code and the Jamaica Fire Code. These were completed and published in 2024.

Also, the United Nations Development Program in Jamaica helped fund the updates to the Jamaica Existing Building Code, Jamaica Mechanical Code and the Jamaica Property Maintenance Code, which are completed and ready to be published in the coming year.

The remaining Jamaica Fuel Gas Code, Jamaica Private Sewage Disposal Code, Jamaica Plumbing Code and Jamaica Electric Code will follow soon after.

The BSJ has also completed the development of the Jamaica Energy Conservation Code, which incorporates the 2018 CARICOM Regional Energy Efficiency Building Code that is substantially based on the 2018 version of the Code Council’s International Energy Conservation Code® (IECC).

Former Director, Standards Division at the BSJ, Julia Bonner Douett, said, “The BSJ is working closely with the Code Council to create fully integrated Jamaica codes that combine the code content into a single document. The integrated codes are, or will be, available in both print and digital formats, making them more accessible. It’s a major improvement from previous methods, as it makes the codes much more user-friendly.” 

Technological Transitions

Recognizing that updating the codes alone is not enough to ensure compliance, the BSJ is working with the Jamaica Social Investment Fund, Jamaica Fire Brigade, Social Development Commission and others to ensure that the codes are properly implemented and are effective.

The Code Council partnered with the University of Technology (UTech) Jamaica to offer four-day train-the-trainer events focused on the Jamaica Building Code, Fire Code and Residential Code. Shorter one-day introductory sessions will address eight additional codes including Mechanical, Energy, Electric and Existing Buildings.

Bonner Douett explained, “This “train-the-trainer” style program is focused on raising awareness. We are supporting the training, and then when the training is finished, we ask that persons in entities be retrained, and in that retraining we support these officers to acquire knowledge and the necessary competencies.”

A Holistic Approach to Adoption

The Bureau’s efforts demonstrate a holistic approach to building safety, going beyond just publishing codes to also investing in training and capacity building. This comprehensive outlook was a key factor in the Bureau winning the Code Council’s Global Award.

The BSJ’s goal is to promulgate a new edition of the codes every six years. Because of the commitment to updating the codes to the 2018 edition, the move to the 2024 edition is expected to be easier. This should help facilitate smoother transitions and the implementation of the latest safety standards.

The BSJ’s commitment to developing and educating about building codes is comprehensive and clearly evident in its activities in recent years.

Mark Johnson, Executive Vice President of Content and Service for the Code Council, said, “The commitment that the BSJ made in recent years to the comprehensive development of codes that cover all aspects of building construction and to supporting the importance of training is impressive.”

Judy Zakreski, Senior Vice President of Global Operations and Solutions Services at the Code Council, concludes, “We applaud the BSJ and the work they’ve done to invest in training, and encourage jurisdictions around the world to view building safety as a holistic exercise that includes capacity building and, to remember that codes are not static documents.”

The Code Council’s Global Award recognizes BSJ’s comprehensive approach, which emphasizes the capacity-building and implementation aspects essential for codes to have a meaningful impact on the built environment in Jamaica.

To learn more about the Code Council’s annual awards, click here.