Engineers Australia have released two new publications, which will assist built environment professionals in maintaining a building through its life cycle.

The two publications – Guide for Design Engineers and Building Certifiers, and Managing Building Defects: Roles, Responsibilities and Collaboration Among Owners, Strata Managers and Engineers – have been launched in the hope of creating excellent community outcomes.

Engineers Australia CEO, Romilly Madew AO, says both publications feature information on the design, construction, and maintenance stages of a building’s life cycle and clarifies roles and responsibilities of each professional involved.

“The Building Confidence report unearthed numerous construction industry problems and regulatory failures, prompting widespread building sector reform. However, without clear guidance, these new regulations, along with evolving commercial environments, have led to some uncertainty,” she says.

“The Guide for Design Engineers and Building Certifiers steps out how buildings are designed, approved, and constructed, the roles and responsibilities of each party in those processes; establishing best practice in terms of communication, collaboration, problem-solving, record keeping, and teamwork.”

Managing Building Defects focuses on the roles and liabilities of professionals in regards to the post-construction phases of a building. The guide focuses on avoiding tragedies such as the Surfside condominium collapse in Miami, US, which saw an engineer’s report warning fall on deaf ears and led to the deaths of 98 residents.

Madew says the new guides outline the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, while highlighting the importance of meaningful collaboration.

“While owners are responsible for the upkeep of buildings, they may not possess the technical expertise to appropriately manage their assets,” she says.

“As technical experts, engineers should ensure the advice in inspection reports is clear, to prevent owners feeling overwhelmed about costs and disruptions. Strata managers should act as conduits between owners and engineers, maintaining up-to-date records and ensuring appropriate steps are taken.

“These guides will help ensure this happens and that’s a win for the industry, engineering, and most importantly, homeowners.”

Architecture & Design Team

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