Regulation to limit inexperienced engineers to approve high-rises

Gülistan Alagöz - ISTANBUL

A new regulation by the Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry will limit static projects approved by inexperienced new graduate civil engineers to four floors, as the experience criteria to prepare high-rise building projects will vary in accordance with the height of the building.

The earthquake disaster that jolted the country’s east in early February once again revealed the shortcomings in the construction sector.

One of the important points emphasized by the sector representatives was the concept of competent engineering.

It was discussed that the approval power of civil engineers should be regulated and that they should take jobs based on their experience.

The ministry has planned to impose experience requirements on engineers with the regulation to be made in the “Planned Areas Zoning Regulation.”

According to the regulation, fresh graduate civil engineers will no longer be able to give approvals to the projects of high-rise buildings.

Static projects that they can prepare will be limited to four floors.

At least three years and four different projects experience will be sought for civil engineers who will prepare building projects between four and eight stories.

They also have to actively take part in 10,000-square-meter building projects.

For a project over eight floors, an additional five years of experience will be required.

At the same time, it will be necessary to have a master’s degree in the department of construction or earthquake engineering for these types of structures.

The regulation also introduces rules for architectural projects and owners of buildings for public use.

The architects of such buildings, which will be built in order to gain identity to cities, will need to have at least five years of professional experience.

It will be required to have a doctorate and to take an active role in the process of at least 10,000-square-meter structures.

The buildings will be designed in accordance with the local architecture, and the suitability of the project will be submitted to the approval of the architectural aesthetic commission.

While the number of architect members in the architectural aesthetics commission will be increased from one to two, conditions such as that the chairman of the commission must be an architect with at least five years of experience or a master’s degree will also be introduced.

New rules will also be introduced for commercial enterprises on the ground floor of residential buildings.

The story height of the commercial unit will not exceed 4.50 meters.