About Us
	History
	Vision/Mission Statement
	Our Members
	Contact Us

The purpose of the Building Standards Authority is also to safeguard people in and around buildings, and also to promote energy conservation and efficiency and the suitable provision of facilities for disabled people. The BBSA will administer the standards system, enforcing regulations approved by parliament.

The functions of the Building Advisory Committee are as follows:-

" Review the Building Code and Act.

" Advise on the functions, staffing and operation of the Unit to be established to administer the Code in Barbados.

" Be responsible for advising the Minister on the administration of the Barbados National Building Code.

The Government of Barbados requested assistance to procure appropriate building legislation, regulations and the creation of a complete Building Authority from conception to implementation. The Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation has provided this assistance through which Mr. George Matthews has been seconded from the Scottish Executive as Director of the Barbados Building Authority for a two year period.

A number of working parties have been formed out of the Building Advisory Committee to review issues pertaining to the establishment of the Authority. These working parties are as follows:

" Working Party to review the first draft Bill;
" Working Party to discuss the registration of Building Practitioners/Artisans; and
" Working Party to discuss insurance issues as set out in the draft Discussion Bill and the December 1999 Report prepared by Mr. Alwyn T. Wason.

The proposed Barbados Building Act will provide the legislative framework for the establishment and operation of the Barbados Building Standards Authority and the mandatory use of the Barbados National Building Code. The Act will give the legal requirements for:

(a) the mandatory use of the Building Code;

(b) the establishment of the Building Authority;

(c) the making of building regulations for the operation of the Authority and for the system of building control;

(d) the staffing of the Authority;

(e) the registration of building practitioners;

(f) the use of Review Consultants who must be engaged for the review of designs and periodic inspection of the construction process for specified classes of buildings;

(g) the charging of application fees; and

(h) discipline and penalties for infractions of the Act.

In relation to progress of work on the proposed Act, a small working party has been formed to discuss the amendments required to the Act as a result of the Director's report on the same. With regard to the updating and revision of the BNBC, the BNSI is in the process of setting up a committee whose mandate will be to update and amend the Building Code. It is hoped that the Code and the Act will
be ready for use in time for the commencement of the Barbados Building Authority.