The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
(RICS) is collaborating with a coalition of over 70 international organisations
to develop a new fire safety global standard. The project aims to bring
reassurance to people across the world that the buildings and infrastructure
they use follows the best worldwide expertise on fire safety.
RICS, which is chairing the development of the
International Fire Safety Standard, is inviting experts to help shape the
standard through a global consultation in an effort which is being supported by
the United Nations and World Bank.
This follows previous RICS work to bring
consistency to the standards people can expect globally across property,
construction and valuation.
Says TC Chetty, South
Africa Country Manager for RICS: “Various incidents of fire safety
non-compliance, resulting in tragic consequences, have raised questions about
the safety and compliance of South African buildings, and highlighted the
importance of clear fire safety standards and ensuring compliance with such standards.
The International Fire Safety Standard will ensure occupier safety by providing
landlords with clear fire safety standards for building design and management while
also providing occupiers with a means of holding landlords and building owners
accountable when it comes to fire safety.”
Through the global consultation process, it is
hoped that a uniform set of principles can be created for countries to adopt. RICS
leadership in this initiative underlines the profession’s commitment to
creating safer built environments for people around the world.
Comments Gary Strong,
Chair of the International Fire Safety Standards Coalition and Global Building
Standards Director at RICS: “Fire knows no geographical or political
boundaries, and along with this, the differing approaches to buildings fire
safety across the globe can be inconsistent, ineffective and in some cases,
non-existent. There is an urgent need to deliver better safety for people’s
homes, communities and workplaces and RICS is committed to being at the heart
of this.
“This project has
brought together wide-ranging global expertise and attracted the support of the
United Nations and World Bank. I now encourage experts to engage with this
consultation to help us deliver the best possible fire safety standard for the
environments we all inhabit.”
The International Fire Safety Standards will be
open for global consultation until 23 March 2020 with the final international
standard to be published later this year.
For further information contact TC Chetty on 031 764 4645 or +27(0)66 468 3056 or email [email protected]
ends
Notes
for editors:
- The
International Fire Safety Standards consultation paper and questions can
be viewed here.
Interested parties should respond by 23:59 on 23 March 2020. - The IFSS Coalition (IFSSC) was
formed at a meeting hosted by the United Nations in Geneva in July 2018. A
full list of all the coalition organisations and partners can be viewed here. - The Coalition came together to
address the need for better and consistent global standards in fire safety
in light of some tragic fires in recent years. The aim is to improve fire
safety both during the design and construction phase and the maintenance
and management of existing buildings and infrastructure in the public
interest, sharing best practice knowledge and expertise. - All coalition organisations have
committed to adopting and implementing the new standard through their own guidance
to professional practitioners.
We are RICS. Everything we do is
designed to effect positive change in the built and natural environments.
Through our respected global standards, leading professional progression and
our trusted data and insight, we promote and enforce the highest professional
standards in the development and management of land, real estate, construction
and infrastructure. Our work with others provides a foundation for
confident markets, pioneers better places to live and work and is a force
for positive social impact.
For more information,
please contact:
RICS
in Middle East and Africa:
Lynne
Davidson, Communication and External Affairs Director, Middle East & Africa
(MEA) on [email protected]
