Abstract
This paper deals with the application of building regulations to the rehabilitation of existing buildings, taking a recent Government initiative to deregulate construction works in existing buildings as a case-study. To contextualize the analysis, the Portuguese housing stock is briefly described and the way building regulations apply to existing buildings in Portugal is reviewed. The deregulation initiative was presented by the Portuguese Government as a pragmatic policy measure to stimulate urban rehabilitation but sparkled wide opposition from a number of professional and scientific associations, who questioned both its strategic sense and its technical convenience. The structural safety professional and scientific community was particularly active in this debate. Focusing on them, the analysis of the process shows that: (i) the opposing positions were founded on two equally reasonable priorities (i.e., to stimulate the rehabilitation of existing building stock versus to improve structural safety), (ii) both parties were unable to support their positions with hard facts and argued mostly around their respective priorities and (iii) the debate ended in a deadlock. Main conclusions are that to overcome the deadlock more applied research is needed to bring forward appropriate solutions to rehabilitate existing buildings, along with a better dissemination of this practical knowledge in the building and real estate sectors. An informed and enlightened debate involving all relevant stakeholders, including the consumers’ associations and the public, should also be actively pursued. A final important conclusion is that increased attention should be given to sustainability and resilience when accessing social and economic efficiency in the process of designing and updating building regulations. Conducting these processes in the future will require a broader and more comprehensive approach and a more extended reference time frame that have often been adopted in the past.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Pedro JB, Meijer F, Visscher H (2010) Technical building regulations in EU countries: a comparison of their organization and formulation, 2010 CIB world congress. Salford Quays (England). Available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260980505
UN Habitat (2003) The Habitat agenda goals and principles, commitments and the global plan of action, UN Habitat Agenda. Available at http://unhabitat.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/The-Habitat-Agenda-Goals-and-Principles-Commitments-and-the-Global-Plan-of-Action-2003.pdf
Instituto Nacional de Estatística & Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (2013) O parque habitacional e a sua reabilitação—análise e evolução 2001–2011. The housing stock and its rehabilitation—analysis and evolution 2001–2011. INE & LNEC, Lisboa. Available at http://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_publicacoes&PUBLICACOESpub_boui=165231362&PUBLICACOESmodo=2
Pedro JB, Meijer F, Visscher H (2009) The Portuguese building regulation system: a critical review. Int J Law Built Env 1(2):156–175. Available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242021483
Pedro JB, Campos V (2015) Reflexões sobre a codificação das Normas Técnicas da Construção. Reflections on the codification of the building regulations. LNEC, Lisboa. Available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276269079
Pedro JB, Coelho AL, Pinto A, Pina dos Santos C, Viegas J, Grandão Lopes J, Patrício J, Campos V (2015) Regulamentação técnica da construção nas obras em edifícios existentes: análise da aplicação e sugestões de melhoria. Technical building regulations in the works in existing buildings: analysis of their application and suggestions for improvement. LNEC, Lisboa
Decree-Law no. 555/99 (1999) Legal framework for urban development and construction works. Official J (PT), Ser 1(291):8912–8942. Last amendment by Law no. 136/2014, 9 of September. Consolidated version available at http://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_mostra_articulado.php?nid=625&tabela=leis
Decree-Law no. 307/2009 (2009) Legal framework for urban regeneration. Official J (PT) Ser 1(206):7956–7975. Last amendment by Law no. 136/2014, 9 of September. Consolidated version available at http://www.pgdlisboa.pt/leis/lei_busca_assunto_diploma.php?buscajur=estrutural&artigo_id=&pagina=1&ficha=1&nid=1197&tabela=leis&diplomas=&artigos
Pedro JB, Campos V (2015) Memorando: o RERU e a segurança estrutural. Memo: the RERU and structural safety. LNEC, Lisboa
Decree-Law no. 53/2014 (2014) Exceptional and temporary legal framework for the rehabilitation of existing buildings or fractions. Official J (PT) Ser 1(69):2337–2340. Available at https://dre.pt/application/file/25344956
Regime Excecional para a Reabilitação Urbana e Risco Sísmico (2014) Special legal regime for urban rehabilitation and seismic risk. Constr Mag. Available at http://www.construcaomagazine.pt/scid/webCM/defaultArticleViewOne.asp?articleID=1712&categoryID=780
GECoRPA Grémio do Património (2014) Comunicado de imprensa: o regime excecional para a reabilitação urbana face ao risco sísmico. Press release: the special legal regime for urban rehabilitation and seismic risk. Available at http://www.gecorpa.pt/Upload/SalaImprensa/comunicado_RERU.pdf
Lei ignora risco sísmico (2014) Law ignores seismicrisk. Correio da Manhã. Available at http://www.cmjornal.xl.pt/nacional/sociedade/detalhe/lei-ignora-risco-sismico.html
Resolution of the Council of Ministers no. 48/2015 (2015) Approves the housing national strategy for 2015–2031. Official J (PT) Ser 1(136):4826–4850. Available at https://dre.pt/application/file/69809543
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this paper
Cite this paper
Pedro, J.B., Campos, V. (2016). Building Regulations and Existing Buildings: Setting the Requirements on Structural Safety in Portugal. In: Cruz, H., Saporiti Machado, J., Campos Costa, A., Xavier Candeias, P., Ruggieri, N., Manuel Catarino, J. (eds) Historical Earthquake-Resistant Timber Framing in the Mediterranean Area. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering , vol 1. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39492-3_21
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39492-3_21
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-39491-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-39492-3
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)