Building officials

Qualifications and Certification of Building Officials
– Building officials often act as project engineers or project managers for the chief building official.
– Usual qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in Administration, Engineering, Architecture, Building Surveying, or Construction Management.
– In some instances, building officials may be licensed as Professional Engineers, Architects, Building Surveyors, or Building Certifiers.
– Building officials can obtain certification by meeting specific requirements.

Building Officials in Australia
– Australian building law is governed by individual state laws and territories, outlined in state Building Acts and Building Regulations.
– Town planning and development concepts are primarily approved under state Town Planning Acts and Regulations.
– Local Authority Codes are used to approve individual project concepts, with Council Town Planners acting as the preliminary Assessment Authority.
– Building officials in Australia are called Building Surveyors or Building Certifiers.
– Plumbing works in Australia are generally approved and inspected by Local Authority Plumbing Inspectors.

National Construction Code (NCC)
– All state building acts and regulations in Australia refer to the minimum standards required within the National Construction Code (NCC).
– The NCC consists of three volumes that deal with different aspects of buildings based on use, size, and type of construction.
– Volume 1 of the NCC covers larger commercial buildings, while Volume 2 covers smaller residential buildings.
– Volume 3 of the NCC focuses on plumbing and drainage, including fire fighting, gas, solar water heating, and on-site waste water systems.
– The NCC is upgraded bi-annually to consider new products, improvements, or methods of construction.

Building Officials in the United States
– Building officials in the U.S. are responsible for enforcing building and construction codes, permits, and accepted construction procedures.
– The International Code Council (ICC) develops and publishes model codes and standards used in building regulations.
– The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) develops and publishes fire safety codes and standards.
– The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) provides guidelines and standards for civil engineering aspects of building construction.

Building Control Bodies in England and Wales
– Building control bodies (BCBs) in England and Wales can be under Local Authority control or private bodies (Approved Inspectors).
– Applicants can choose between local Building Control or an Approved Inspector for work controlled under the Building Act.
– Approved Inspectors liaise with the relevant local authority for necessary approvals in areas with local legislation.
– The Secretary of State issues non-mandatory guidance in the form of Approved Documents to support the Building Regulations.
– Designers are free to offer alternative solutions to meet functional requirements, with the burden of proof on them to demonstrate performance. Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Building_officials