The committee announced the update of the Saudi Building Code 2024 system, to replace the current version, based on Article 5 of the Saudi Building Code System, which stipulates that the code be updated every 5 years to keep pace with developments in the construction sector.
The update of the Saudi Building Code 2024 system included the addition of 3 new construction codes, including the Saudi Code for Seismic Design of Steel.
According to the National Committee for the Saudi Building Code, the 2024 version included the addition of the Saudi Code for the Repair, Rehabilitation and Treatment of Existing Concrete Structures, and the Saudi Code for Reinforced Concrete Using Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer Bars.
The committee explained that the building code sets the minimum mandatory technical requirements for buildings, which achieve stability and steadiness of facilities, safety of lives and property, rationalization of consumption of natural resources such as energy and water, and improvement of quality of life and public health by providing the necessary requirements for safety and public health, noting Noting that updating the building code comes within the framework of the efforts of the National Committee to improve engineering practices and enhance the competitiveness and leadership of the construction sector through compliance with international standards to ensure keeping pace with the increasing urban growth in the Kingdom regionally and globally.
The committee indicated that updating the 2024 Building Code was based on a number of key sources, including updating international references and specifications, and adopting the latest international standards to ensure keeping pace with developments in the fields of design and construction. The National Committee for the Saudi Building Code also evaluated previous corrections and addressed the challenges faced by the entities concerned with implementing the code to ensure ease of implementation. The committee also took into account the comments of government agencies to enhance coordination in implementing the code.
In addition to the participation of the private sector and workers in the construction sector in cooperation with the Saudi Council of Engineers, to ensure that their engineering requirements are met according to best practices and to achieve flexibility in implementation.
The Saudi Building Code National Committee called on all concerned parties, including engineers, real estate developers, contractors, consultants and construction sector workers, to review the updated version on the committee’s website and learn about its details to ensure compliance. The committee stressed its endeavor to provide guidelines and training programs to facilitate the implementation process and ensure the achievement of the desired goals in cooperation with the relevant authorities.
The Committee confirms that the Saudi Building Code 2024 system will be mandatory starting from June 30, 2025, which gives the various entities a transitional period of (180) days starting from the beginning of January 2025, during which the Saudi Building Code 2018 version will continue to be applied to all existing and new projects until the date of implementing the updated version of the Saudi Building Code 2024 system.