CONSTRUCTION
20 · MONEY
Simone, recently elected president of the Chamber of Architects, has served on the Building Industry Consultative Council (BICC) Advisory Board, the Planning Authority’s Users’ Committee, and the Building Regulation Board within the past 15 years.
STUMB -LING BLOCK Simone Vella Lenicker, president of the Chamber of Architects and Civil Engineers (Kamra tal-Periti), delves into the need for a modern building and construction regulation framework. In its seminal publication ‘The Urban Challenge – Our Quality of Life and the Built Environment’ (2007), the Chamber of Architects had highlighted the need to improve the quality of construction. It had stated: “New regulations are necessary and welcome but should be backed by adequate research and funding to ensure they truly provide value for money to society. The establishment of a ‘Construction Platform’ would provide a clearer reference point for developers, design professionals and the public. Continual training and professional development, the certification of tradesmen and the licensing and classification of service providers will help ensure that construction practice improves. An adequate level of
protection and cover for all stakeholders will ensure clients’ interests are better protected”. The Chamber of Architects has been calling for an overhaul of the regulations that govern the construction industry ever since. It pushed for the consolidation of the various fragmented pieces of legislation, bodies and departments regulating the industry under one legislative and administrative umbrella to ensure higher standards in the industry, to bring it in line with modern practice and standards, and to ensure the protection and sustainability of the significant investment made when properties are constructed, bought or rented out.
ISSUE 55
