BEST “Applauds” Upgrade Of Building Codes
The Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce [BEST] said they wish to “applaud the Department of Planning [DOP] on its recent upgrade of the Bermuda Building Code.
“Bermuda is fortunate that having Building Codes in place has kept the standards of construction high. On one hand, our standards have retained an aesthetically pleasing image that is uniquely Bermudian,” a statement from the group said.
“On the other hand, these rules for building have insisted on building processes and sturdy structures that can withstand the strongest winds we occasionally get.
“This first full upgrade since 1998 has brought the Island’s building code in line with international norms:
- for health and safety, all plumbing and sanitation standards are up-to-date;
- standards for building materials and windows have been upgraded, particularly for commercial buildings to improve energy efficiency;
- much awaited guidelines now ease accessibility for the physically disabled, including guides to retrofitting older buildings;
- standards and guidelines for roadside retaining walls have also been upgraded.
“While this update is a major improvement, we recognise that there is still room to do more. As examples:
- it would be useful to require that all new residences install solar water heating, which would have a cost benefit by significantly reducing water heating costs;
- it wouldn’t hurt also to require installation of infrastructures for renewable energy technology to lower costs for future installations, such as piping and conduits for solar panels.
“Few in our community appreciate that the uniformity imposed by the DOP through these Building Codes not only enhances Bermuda’s attractiveness to tourist and business visitors alike, but also adds to our quality of life by ensuring sound construction, sanitary household water supply and safe disposal of human wastes.
“Further, the introduction of standards for energy efficiency and accessibility will contribute to the sustainability of our built environment. The work done by the Planning Department to set and uphold high standards of construction benefits the entire community. We thank them for their diligence,” added BEST.
I don’t think it would be a good idea to FORCE people to go green, not unless you’re also willing to also FORCE the utility to also go green.
Also you should also mention that also you can also save money also by also going green also.