Construction and Building Materials

The building industry in Kuwait is fortunate to find itself in an open market that facilitates import, and encourages free trade and fair competition. That being said, the Kuwait’s building codes and standards currently in use are mostly outdated and not performance based. Furthermore, with the exception of petroleum, Kuwait is very poor in natural mineral resources and has to endure aggressive environmental conditions. This situation has often resulted in the use of inconsistent and occasionally substandard materials, which has contributed to premature deterioration and loss of safe and efficient functionality of many Civil Engineering building structures and road surfacing. Realizing the importance of regulating construction and building practices, KISR launched the Construction and Building Materials (CBM) program to study how best to maintain and improve the performance, durability and sustainability of Kuwait’s infrastructure and buildings. The program has led efforts to upgrade Kuwait’s material and building standards and to support local industry in order to address concerns related to safe and sustainable construction practices.