BUILDING CODES IN RURAL AREAS OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

Building codes are an established strategy for ensuring safe and hygienic construction. These codes' development, adoption by the local councils, enforcement, and cyclic improvement are all substantial in a resilient built environment. Illustriously, the literature review indicates lacunas in building codes in Pakistan, especially in rural areas. The natural disasters and evident climate change in Pakistan are significant threats to Pakistan's built environment. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of building codes, the challenges faced by building codes, and the venues for improvement for code compliance in rural areas of Pakistan. A qualitative approach was adopted by developing a survey instrument targeting the randomly selected built environment professionals. The responses were analyzed using SPSS V24 for reliability and triangulation of the observed variables and leading constructs. The study's findings demonstrate that the development of building codes, their adoption and enforcement by the local councils, and monitoring need improvement. Furthermore, the study findings suggest that the inclusivity of architects, planners, and code officials in the development of building codes has the ability to bring resilience to the built environment in rural areas of Pakistan.