Buildings to be safer and offer better protection
From early 2010, buildings in Abu Dhabi will be safer and better protected against fire as all new construction and additions to existing structures will be required to comply with Abu Dhabi's new International Fire Code. The Department of Municipal Affairs (DMA) is implementing stringent processes and procedures to enforce the new codes across the emirate's construction industry.
"Ensuring safety for the community of Abu Dhabi is at the heart of everything we do," says H.E. Rashid Al Hajeri, Chairman of Department of Municipal Affairs and Chairman of the Building Codes Higher Council. "The new family of building codes, including the fire code, requires all buildings to follow international standards of fire safety that will better protect the lives and property of our people across the emirate, in turn bringing about greater consistency in safety requirements."
More than a thousand fire protection system designers, engineers, architects, and code enforcement agency professionals from across Abu Dhabi emirate had attended the Building and Fire Codes Training Sessions. The emirate's construction industry continues to cooperate with DMA ahead of the implementation of the new codes early next year.
"Our priority is to ensure safety of the people living and working across Abu Dhabi. We are preparing the emirate to minimise fire hazards and related damages. Once the codes are implemented, a new era of safety will begin where buildings will be better equipped to resist fire, thus protecting the lives of its occupants," says H.E. Ahmed Shareef, Under-Secretary of Department of Municipal Affairs.
Buildings will be required to have safe and clearly indicated fire exits, smoke detectors, sprinkler systems and alarms that will alert occupants of any emergency situations. Safety during the construction phase is also addressed as part of the new fire code to ensure the workers and property under construction are well protected.
"We will work continually with the International Code Council to ensure that the adopted Abu Dhabi Building Codes will represent current, safe and accepted technology that suits the emirate of Abu Dhabi," adds H.E. Shareef
The new fire code requires ongoing maintenance of installed safety systems in buildings to ensure their continued proper operation and use. Periodic inspections and testing programmes will apply to all the required safety items and processes to reduce the threat of fire and minimise its impact.
Department of Municipal Affairs will continue to inform, engage and educate the public and private sectors through its training workshops that will be held across the emirate to ensure compliance with the new codes.
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About Department of Municipal Affairs:
Earlier this year, DMA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and service agreement with the International Code Council (ICC), the world's leading building code authority and developers of the International Codes.
The MOU establishes the framework for adoption of the International Building Code (IBC), which will take effect by January 2010 and the development of the Abu Dhabi International Building Code, the new localised set of standards which will guide the development of Building construction projects in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The Department of Municipal Affairs (DMA) commenced operations in May 2007, following the Abu Dhabi Executive Council's decision to integrate the Emirate's municipal system. As a new government entity, the Department of Municipal Affairs was created to lead, coordinate and oversee three municipalities in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region. The DMA has a regulatory role while the service delivery and operations are at the municipality level.
On the 5th of May 2008, the Department of Municipal Affairs along with the Abu Dhabi Municipality, Al Ain Municipality and Western Region Municipality embarked upon a new municipal services journey, with the signing of the historic Municipal Charter which aligns the DMA and three municipalities towards greater collaboration and cooperation.
For further information, please contact:
Mrs. Amal Al Jarwan
Department of Municipal Affairs
Tel: 971-2-4030311
Email: amal@dma.abudhabi.ae
Sarika Aidasani
Impact Porter Novelli
Mobile: 971-50-612 7765
Email: s.aidasani@ipn.ae
© Press Release 2009
