Achieve better building quality

Quality Assurance Act ready to go, far-reaching building system change

The Dutch ‛Wkb bouw’, hereinafter also referred to as the ‘Wkb’’ (quality assurance act for the building sector), is ready to go. It is the culmination of a wide-ranging debate, one that has in fact lasted more than 20 years. The Wkb will introduce drastic change to the Dutch building system. The roll-out of the Administrative Agreement will start right away. Within this agreement, it has been agreed that until the time the Wkb is introduced − presently expected to be 1 January 2021 − 10% of all permits will be handled in accordance with the Wkb.

Until 5 March, the Dutch Upper House could submit input for written consultation concerning the legislative proposal for the Wkb. Ms Ollongren, Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (Netherlands), reached an agreement with the municipalities on the Wkb (14 May 2019). The Upper House has now definitively ratified the legislative proposal, which was already adopted by the Lower House in 2017.

Better building quality is the goal

The purpose of the Wkb is to give the Dutch ‘building consumer’ a stronger position, to clarify liabilities and to achieve better building quality and widespread commitment by means of a building column comprised of all parties successively involved in the building project chain. Very brief summarised, the main innovations are:

• From a permit based on a building plan, it becomes a permit based on the completed structure.
• The builder is given ‛proof’ regarding the quality level delivered.
• The application of an approved quality-assuring instrument through a private and thus independent quality assurance provider (official, recognised institution/body) is obligatory.
• The building company is responsible and liable for the completed structure and delivers this in combination with a building file.
• The role of the Housing and Building Control Department is set to change through the new system.

Building regulations in the Netherlands and KOMO certificate holders in other countries

Do you export to the Netherlands and do you hold a KOMO certificate (or several KOMO certificates)? Then the building legislation about to be introduced in the Netherlands is definitely good news for you! Under the new act, everything –more than ever before– revolves around demonstrable and therefore guaranteed quality. This includes products and services, the quality of which will be given even more priority by means of a KOMO certificate. In the future every builder that applies a higher degree of pre-assured quality will enjoy far lower external quality assurance costs. And the better each builder will be able to prove a ‛good job’ has been done. So that fact forms an important incentive for applying building and infrastructure materials that are accompanied by a KOMO certificate!