17% of buildings inspected in Latvia found in pre-emergency condition

In 2021 the State Construction Control Bureau (BVKB) performed a total of 313 inspections of public buildings. 17% of those buildings were declared to be in pre-emergency condition. This means those buildings are not allowed to be publicly used until problems have been fixed, as confirmed by BKVB representatives.
At the same time, 18% of inspected buildings were in excellent or good state. 66% of inspected buildings need safety improvements.
Representatives of the bureau add that last year was noteworthy because the institution’s duties for monitoring of construction activities were clarified and the Construction Information System (BIS) was further developed.
BVKB reports that last year the bureau received additional functions in regards to construction activities along the country’s border, monitoring of border signs, as well as monitoring of safety documents of A-class hydro electric power plants of Ķegums, Pļaviņi and Riga.
Last year BVKB’s duties were changed in regards to construction organised by municipal administration worth more than EUR 1.5 million.
The bureau does monitor construction in all third group public buildings if construction requires a permit.
A strategic decision was made to transition from classic inspections towards systematic inspections, basing construction control on analysis of processes and risks. To provide support to entrepreneurs, BVKB published guidelines for a construction quality control system in 2021. The objective of guidelines is ensuring the quality of construction work meets the indexes detailed in Latvia’s construction regulations and standards.
To provide support to parties involved in construction work to ensure their rights and interests, as well as to prevent arbitrary deviations from construction plans, violations of regulations, as well as negligence of technologies needed for the implementation of construction projects, BVKB worked together with the industry and developed guidelines, which were later published on the bureau’s website.
Last year the bureau provided construction control for 475 projects. Continuing the Consult First initiative, BVKB organised 24 consultations with 874 construction process participants in 2021. The bureau also organised qualification improvement seminars in the field of construction control.
BVKB made 227 decisions last year. Most of them – 214 – were related to construction projects necessary for Ministry of Defence, its subordinated organisations and National Armed Forces. Last year the Construction Committee processed 114 construction cases.
At the same time, changes were added to the monitoring of buildings monitored by BVKB. While previously the criterion was the number of people the construction object is intended for, now this requirement has been crossed out. Instead BVKB now monitors third group public buildings with an area of at least 1 000 m2.
In total BVKB monitors approximately 8 000 public buildings, of which 1 496 or 19% are under technical inspection.
BVKB was founded on 1 October 2014. The bureau, which is under the Ministry of Economy, ensures compliance with quality and safety standards in construction and performs energy policy management in accordance with regulations.