IRCC Charter of Membership

The purpose of the Inter-jurisdictional Regulatory Collaboration Committee (IRCC) is to promote effective international collaboration concerning ‘best current practice’ building regulatory systems, in particular those that are functional, objective or performance-based. This purpose necessitates interaction with bodies having compatible interests worldwide.

The focus of the IRCC is to identify public policies, regulatory infrastructure, education and technology issues for implementing and managing these systems. This focus necessitates interaction with other international bodies having compatible interests with the IRCC.

Specific goals of the IRCC include:

1. Providing a forum for promoting a common understanding of, and a framework for, building regulatory system development that are objective based and aim to meet societal needs;
2. Identifying contemporary and anticipated public policies, regulatory infrastructure, education and technology issues for implementing and managing building regulatory systems.
3. Fostering the exchange of ideas and the development of ‘best current practice’ documents and approaches;
4. Promoting the sharing of information and the pooling of resources to aid research and development of commonly-needed components of a ‘best current practice’ building regulatory system;
5. Providing guidance and feedback for members in their development and implementation of ‘best current practice’ building regulatory systems; 6. Providing benefit to countries embarking on ‘best current practice’ building regulation development, by providing guidance and reference materials, thus minimising potential duplication;
7. Developing ‘best current practice’ building regulatory systems that cultivate productivity, competitiveness and innovation; and
8. Fostering co-operation and participation in activities that contribute to the international community (Note: that the involvement of individual members in such activities is at their discretion).

MEMBERSHIP

Appointment of new members to the IRCC will be by consensus agreement of Committee members. Applications would be expected to be from the primary national lead regulatory entity or national organisation with delegated regulatory tasks having experience in the development of that country’s building regulatory system, having the ability to make an effective contribution towards the achievement of the IRCC’s stated goals and can provide reliable information and knowledge about that country’s practices.

Applications for membership are to be submitted to the Secretariat in writing and be accompanied by supporting information on the experience, expertise and role in the country’s building regulatory environment and the contribution, including resource allocation, that is envisaged could be made to help achieve the IRCC purpose and goals.

All costs associated with the activities of the IRCC will be borne by the members.

Continued membership of the IRCC requires active ongoing participation in its activities. In this regard, non-attendance at two consecutive IRCC meetings without justification by a member, or their nominated alternate, will be cause for review of membership. Should membership be terminated the above application process will need to be followed for re-admittance.

Membership of the IRCC will be subject to periodic review.

An organisation contributing to the national regulatory system, with the consensus agreement of Committee members, may become an Affiliate of the IRCC where this organisation has the potential to make a substantial contribution to advancing the goals of the IRCC through their experience and expertise in the development of ‘best current practice’ building regulatory systems.

Such organisations will ideally have the support of that country’s primary national lead regulatory entity or national organisation with delegated regulatory tasks to participate in the activities of the IRCC, but does not represent the views of that entity. An Affiliate does not have a capacity to formally participate in any matters requiring a decision of Committee members.


MEETINGS

It is intended that ordinary meetings will be held at least once each year at a time and place agreed by the IRCC. Generally meetings will be rotated amongst the member countries.

Members can seek approval of the group for observers to attend meetings. This is to be obtained prior to the meeting. Any requests are to be forwarded through the Secretariat.

A representative of the host country will assist the Chair in organising the meeting in their country and participate as co-Chair.

The host country for a meeting has the discretion to invite individuals and representatives of organisations who have either acted as representatives of its membership or are involved in IRCC related activities in that country. Any invitations are to be confirmed with the Secretariat.

The host country has the option of nominating a contemporary topic for members to prepare for and workshop as part of a meeting’s proceedings.


WORKING GROUP

Working Groups may be established by agreement of the IRCC for all agreed tasks and any other relevant purposes.


APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR

A chair is to be appointed from and by members, and confirmed by a simple majority, for a minimum 2 year term.

A Secretariat is to be appointed from and by members, and confirmed through a simple majority vote, for a minimum 2 year term.

For a nomination to be considered at a meeting, a quorum of at least two thirds of members is required to be in attendance and can also consider any position received from a member by the Secretariat prior to the meeting.


Additional Information

THE CURRENT CHAIRMAN

Neil Savery
CEO Australian Building Codes Board
Canberra Australia
Email: Neil.Savery@ABCB.gov.au

THE CURRENT SECRETARIAT

Ms Judy Zakreski
Vice President of Global Services
International Code Council Washington DC, USA
E-mail: jzakreski@ICCSafe.ORG

Membership

The IRCC currently consists of representatives of the following organisations:

Australian Building Codes Board ABCB , Australia
Austrian Institute of Construction Engineering OIB , Austria
Institute for Research in Construction, National Research Council NRC, Canada
Chinese Academy of Building Research CABR , China
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government MHCLG, England
Deutsches Institut fur Bautechnik, DIBt, Germany
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport MLIT , Japan
National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management NILIM , Japan
Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), TNO , Netherlands

Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment MBIE, New Zealand
Norwegian Building Authority NBA , Norway
Scottish Government Directorate for the Built Environment DBE , Scotland
Building and Control Authority BCA , Singapore
Singapore Civil Defence Force SCDF , Singapore
Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda MITMA, Spain Ministry of Housing MOH , Spain
Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning BOVERKET , Sweden
International Code Council ICC , USA