A 5 days training workshop on “Building Code Implementation" was organized from 19-23 May 2008 for engineers/planners/architects from Municipalities all over the country at Godavari Village Resort, Lalitpur. The workshop was jointly organized by United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD), Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC)/ Ministry of Physical Planning and Works and National Society for Earthquake Technology–Nepal (NSET).  The main objective of the training program was to prepare a framework for building code implementation in each participating municipality.  Its specific objectives were to;

• Be familiarized with various requirements of building codes, building regulations, building/planning by-laws for ensuring safe building construction and proper city development;
• Be familiarized with building control system (building permit process) to ensure the safe construction of buildings being in practice in few cities of Nepal and other countries and to help review such practices by field visits; and
• Guide/facilitate in developing general broad framework for implementation of building control system (ensuring building code compliance) suitable for large, medium, small municipalities of Nepal based on the current and potential institutional system and capacity; and suggest action plan.

The training program was participated by the Engineers and Junior engineers of 24 municipalities namely Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur,  Madhyapur Thimi,  Banepa, Panauti, Biratnagar, Itahari, Ilam, Tansen, Nepalgunj, Birendranagar, Dhangadhi, Triyuga, Kamalamai, Birgunj, Hetauda, Pokhara, Vyas, Butwal, Bharatpur, Dharan and Janakpur

The five days training workshop was divided into different sessions as:

Module 1: Opening Ceremony/ Introductory Module
Module 2: Understanding the Building Codes, Building by-laws, Building Regulations and their provisions
Module 3A: Experiences from Building Code Implementation in Nepal and Japan (Achievements and lessons) - Experience of Nepal

• Structural aspects (Group 1)
• Planning (Group 2)
• Municipal laws / bylaws (Group 3)
• Field Inspection system (Group 4)
• Quality Control (Group 5)
• Capacity building, awareness, publication

Module 3B: Experiences from Building Code Implementation in Nepal and Japan (Achievements and lessons) - Experience of Other Countries
Module 4: Lessons from Experiences of Building Code Implementation
Module 5: On-site Observation of Building Code Implementation Process, Field Practices
Module 6: Evaluation of Existing Practices
Module 7: What Next for Effective Building Code Implementation?Module 8: Conclusion

National symposium on Building Codes and Building Code Implementation Systems

The Training Workshop on Building Code Implementation was followed by a half-day National symposium on 'Building Codes and Building Code Implementation Systems' open to public. The symposium was jointly organized by Department of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC), Earthquake Risk Reduction and Recovery Preparedness Program for Nepal/ ERRRP, UNDP, United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) and National Society for Earthquake Technology – Nepal (NSET) on May 24, 2008 at the Yak Palace, Narayani Complex, Pulchowk, Lalitpur. The main objective of the symposium was

• To share outcomes of the workshop with the key stakeholders of building code implementation process
• To get buy-in from the stakeholders and get support for the implementation of outcomes

The symposium was a huge success participated by around 100 participants representing Government bodies, Non government organizations, Private Organizations, NGOs INGOs, Construction companies,  Consultancies, Engineering associations, Students, Media persons etc