On 28 August this year, the 1st round of the project “Development of construction processes and information system” implemented by the State Construction Control Bureau (SCCB) has been officially completed. The project is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) which has also formed the basis for the development of the Building Information System so far.
The project has been implemented since 2017 gradually in seven stages or parts, as a result of which it is possible to remotely carry out all the formalities associated with the construction – from the registration of a conception to the commissioning of a structure.
At first, the process for managing construction merchants’ data has been improved – a possibility has been created in the System to perform classification of construction merchants.
In the first stage, coordination of the conception documentation has been significantly improved, a working environment for the issuers of technical regulations has been created, and the working environment of the Public Portal, as well as of building and supervising authorities has been greatly transformed. The most important e-services which have become available within the framework of the process include request for technical regulations and parallel coordination and receipt of the conception documentation electronically.
In the second stage, improvements have occurred in the supervision of construction process, an electronic construction work logbook has been developed and functionality of the commissioning of a structure has been improved. The System has also become available to foreign construction specialists and merchants.
Supervision of the operation of structures has been greatly improved within the framework of the third stage – an operation case has been created for each surveyed building, and a map showing condition of the operation of public buildings has been introduced. In order to ensure increased supervision of structures the construction process of which involves increased risks (such as previous breaches committed by a performer of construction work), an algorithm for risk level has been integrated in the System with regard to the control of construction work. Additionally, the transfer of data to the State Land Service has been ensured regarding new structures and structures to be deleted from the Cadastre Information System, as well as structures the use of which has changed. A possibility has been generated in the BIS to submit a complaint.
The fourth, the fifth and the sixth stages have been implemented in parallel. New data automation features have been developed within their framework, for example, the BIS automatically selects data from the State Education Information System regarding higher education acquired by specialists. Management of the data regarding practice and professional development of construction specialists, and control of specialists have been improved. Registers necessary for the monitoring of energy efficiency have been introduced, and also a database characterising conformity of structures and construction products have been integrated in the System in cooperation with other institutions.
Currently 55 construction e-services and 16 register e-services are available in the BIS. It is possible to establish authorisation and delegation in the System, as well as submit all documents associated with the construction process. The BIS contains 11 different registers and databases, including those maintained by other institutions – the Latvian Standard, a national standardisation body, is responsible for information regarding harmonised standards for construction products, while the Consumer Rights Protection Centre maintains the Register of Non-conformity of Construction Products.
The BIS has been integrated with 20 other State information systems or their components, including the National Real Estate Cadastre Information System of the State Land Service, the Information System of the State Revenue Service, the State Unified Computerised Land Register, and the State Education Information System of the Ministry of Education and Science. This integration ensures re-use of the data at the disposal of the State and reduces the risk of errors in the documents regarding property, owners, constructions specialists, builders and other persons involved in the construction process, since data are selected automatically.
The purpose of the project “Development of construction processes and information system” is to ensure establishment and provision of services that meet residents’ needs in order to reduce the administrative burden, improve availability of services, as well as promote efficiency and transparency of the State administration. Funding for the 1st round of the project amounts to EUR 1.7 million, out of which the State budget resources account for 15 %, while the ERDF resources – for 85 %.
167 working groups have been organised and 2,085 participants have been involved in the development of the System within the framework of the 1st round. In implementing both on-site training and online seminars, a total of 12,882 BIS users has been provided with training during the project.
The 1st round of the project is followed by the next one – the 2nd round of the development of the BIS has started in November 2019. Implementation of the 2nd round will continue until October 2020, and it envisages further development of the BIS – optimisation and automation of processes. It is expected to offer unprecedented possibilities to use data of electronic working time accounts in construction supervision, develop a BIS mobile app, establish accounts of disposal of construction waste, and introduce other major innovations.
Information prepared by:
Elena Balgalve
Public Relations Specialist, State Construction Control Bureau
E-mail: Elina.Balgalve@bvkb.gov.lv, phone: 67013320