In 2020, the responsibility of the State Construction Control Bureau (SCCB) increases considerably – starting from January, the authority commences administration of the energy policy, as well as ensures only electronic exchange of the construction process documents.
Moreover, a month later, on 1 February, the Single Database for Electronic Working Time Accounts (SDEWTA) maintained by the SCCB will receive the first data regarding working time of the persons working on construction sites[1].
The most significant changes are expected due to the monitoring of energy policy – starting from this year, the SCCB performs monitoring and control of the mandatory procurement of electricity, administration of energy-efficiency issues, monitoring and control of the fulfilment of transport energy conditions, and administration of petroleum product issues, as well as provides a commerce service of a protected user. The said functions are taken over from the Ministry of Economics in order to implement more efficient control of the national aid system and separate policy-making from monitoring. Performance of the new functions entails an increase of 30 permanent positions at the Bureau.
The year 2020 has also brought some considerable developments to the SCCB as a developer of the Building Information System (BIS). Pursuant to the Construction Law of the Republic of Latvia, now each new construction intention shall only be registered electronically – in the BIS. Only construction cases which have been started previously may be continued on paper. Digital exchange of documents will enable to coordinate construction documents faster, provide permanent access to data, guarantee their transparency, save natural resources, as well as ensure complete information regarding construction in Latvia, as so far the sector did not have a single database and information records were within the competence of each building authority.
In carrying out the maintenance functions for the SDEWTA, the Bureau in turn will have to ensure collection of the data from the systems for electronic working time accounts submitted by builders. The SDEWTA will operate within the framework of the BIS. The purpose of the establishment of the system is to ensure that the information regarding hours worked by the persons employed on construction sites is available in one place. This is necessary for more efficient and better performance of control and monitoring functions.
For the purpose of adapting a framework document for operation of the SCCB – By-laws of the Bureau – to its new responsibilities, amendments to the By-laws came into force on 1 January 2020. Supplementation of functions by energy issues has resulted in changes in the legal form of the Bureau – it has become a subordinate authority of the Ministry of Economics.
Information prepared by:
Elīna Balgalve, Public Relations Specialist
E-mail: Elina.Balgalve@bvkb.gov.lv, phone: 67013320 / 28319189
[1]On construction sites of new structures of the third group or on construction sites where construction work is carried out the costs of which account for at least EUR 350,000.