KOMO anticipates market developments and changing legislation

Certificate holders certainly do benefit from the KOMO quality mark!

At the end of May, the new starting date of the Dutch Building Quality Assurance Act (Wkb) was set for 1 January 2022, by Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, Kasja Ollongren. This means an extra year for all parties operating in the building sector, including KOMO. A conversation with KOMO director Ton Jans.

What are the advantages for the KOMO certificate holder?
“When working in accordance with the new legislation of the Building Quality Assurance Act and the Civil Code (the now changed burden of proof for the builder, ed.), products and building processes that are covered by the KOMO quality mark prove that building work is carried out correctly. Products and building processes with the KOMO quality mark reduce the costs of calling in the quality assurance provider and demonstrate both that the correct products and working methods have been applied. The client, the builder and the certificate holder, as well as the subcontractor and supplier, all benefit. The KOMO certificate will prove its value in the Building Quality Assurance Act pilot projects that have already started and are yet to start.”

What developments are there in the world of KOMO certification?
“In general, you can say that we anticipate market developments and changing legislation. Accordingly, we are taking important steps in the field of sustainability. We are developing a new addition to all KOMO Assessment Guidelines currently in use concerning environmental data in the context of the sustainability of buildings. As scheme managers, the certification bodies SKG-IKOB and SKH are going to support and advance this development for KOMO. Coordination with the Dutch National Environmental Database will ensure effective and efficient access. All KOMO certificate holders can certify themselves for this new addition. We will be able to tell you more about this in the autumn.

There is also a new KOMO guideline, Assessment Guideline 5212-3, for the ‘Installation of Zinc, Copper and Lead Roof, Facade and Gutter Structures on Historic Buildings and Sites’. This Assessment Guideline is an extension of existing Assessment Guidelines 5212-0/5212-1/5212-2, with additional conditions for restoration ethics, historic buildings and sites.”

In the world of building and infrastructure, platforms for sharing information are becoming more and more important. What position does KOMO have there?
“We seek collaboration and initiatives with various organisations to make KOMO Certificate Data and KOMO Assessment Guidelines highly accessible, in the most efficient and effective ways. For instance, KOMO-online has a direct link with databases such as Bouwbesluitonline.nl (building decisions online), KennisID (knowledge ID) and soon with STABU (knowledge institute for the residential and non-residential building sector). In KOMO Online, all KOMO Assessment Guidelines and associated certificates and building contract specifications are easy to look up digitally; KOMO online is also linked to the software application tool for Building Quality Assurance KiK, from KOMO.

Another example is DigiDealGO. KOMO is one of the 35 organisations that participate in this national digitisation programme for the built environment. It is an initiative designed to make (accelerated) sector-wide agreements concerning the exchange, ownership and organisation of data and information in the building sector. Most recently, DigiDealGO launched the project ‘Traceable Building and Installation’. The project aims to make it possible to trace products back to the source on the basis of uniformity and efficiency.”

Another closing remark?
“The environment in which KOMO operates is dynamic and interesting. KOMO always seeks to respond to these changing circumstances. And that is precisely what makes our work challenging and appealing.”