Building standards, inspections, and
permit systems to protect builders and communities from possible risk
demonstrate that safety has always been a critical focus in the business.
In the past, there have been multiple
instances where the permit system has not been taken seriously and has been
delayed. Hence, this is the reason why there was a need to switch from offline
to online measures at the earliest, to overcome all these issues.
Online Permit Portals – Here to Reduce
the Risk
Municipalities worldwide have been
forced to implement new ways in online permit portal to stay safe during the ongoing
pandemic, physical drop boxes at municipal offices to avoid physical contact,
sending information and files via email to maintain social distance, phone
calls to try to close communication gaps, the list goes on.
Although some obstacles, such as the
construction industry's fragmentation are dependent, the private sector can
focus on public policy reforms that reduce the time and cost of obtaining
building permits while also improving construction quality standards.
In 2018/19, 21 of the 37 economies
that were altering parts of dealing with construction licenses made the
procedure easier. 16 overhauled their quality-control systems in the
construction industry. Furthermore, 12 economies created or enhanced online
platforms for processing building permits, and three economies introduced
one-stop shops.
Economies Able to See Changes:
The number of economies reforming their construction permits continued to be
highest in Sub-Saharan Africa (12). The majority of the changes are focused on
implementing proper building quality regulations.
The requirements for architects and
engineers in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia have been updated.
By making requirements publicly available online, Eswatini, Togo, Kenya, and
Zimbabwe increased the transparency of getting a building permit.
Bahrain saw a significant improvement
in the procedure of acquiring a construction permit in 2018/19. The new
system outsources application assessment to private engineering firms, cutting
down on the number of steps and time it takes to get a permit.
Kuwait and Morocco, both in the
Middle East and North Africa, have improved their online application platforms.
Builders in these nations can apply for and get construction permits
electronically.
E-permitting is safe and secure data
storage and communication technology that helps reduce risk by facilitating
safer and more efficient building permit operations.
Municipal building departments can
now receive, review and issue construction permits online, eliminating the need
for physical drop boxes (go paperless), as well as excessive emails and phone
calls during office closures and physical separation activities.
E-permitting protects data from being
compromised by physical threats (when data and files are stored in filing
cabinets or on-premises systems, they are susceptible to forgeries, theft, and
physical disasters like fires and floods)
Applicants, construction
professionals, and municipal building departments in the online permit portal may follow permit status and interact with one
another simply online using time-stamped messaging, reducing any potential
risks in back-and-forth communication and increasing openness.
When it comes to the construction aspect, then it is very important for the
builders to adhere to all the intricate details. The E-permit has made the
lives of all the stakeholders easier who are in this process. There are also no
delays in the permits anymore, which is a great thing.
