This document summarizes a UNESCO project on building codes and disaster risk reduction. It discusses the objectives of the project to raise awareness of policymakers in earthquake-prone countries. It also analyzes questionnaires received from 31 countries on their building legislation, codes, and retrofitting policies. Key findings include that Central/South American countries have adopted a wide range of policies while Asian countries' policies are less balanced. The document concludes with recommendations for holistic, cross-border approaches and continuous improvement of building safety systems.

1. UNESCO Project on Building Code at World
Conference on Disaster Reduction
26 August 2014
Soichiro Yasukawa
Programme Specialist
Disaster Risk Reduction, Natural Science Sector,
UNESCO
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

2. 1
1. Hyogo Framework of Actions
2. Earthquake Damage
３. UNESCO Project
3-1 Objective
3-2 Questionnaire
3-3 Sample Analysis
3-4 Lessons from other Practices
4. Others

3. WCDR (Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 (HFA))
Expected Outcome
Substantial reduction of disaster losses, in lives and in the social, economic and environmental assets
Priorities for Action
(to be taken by Nations and regional/international organizations)
A1: Make DRR a
national priority with
strong institution
A2: Identify, assess &
monitor disaster risks,
and Early Warning
A3: Use knowledge, innovation
& education for a culture of
safety
A4: Reduce the underlying risk factors A5: Strengthen
preparedness for
effective response
1. National institutional
and legislative
framework
(Integrated mechanisms
across sectors, Legislation,
Decentralization)
２．Resources
(Capacity-building,
Administration, budget
allocation, Political
determination)
３．Community
(Promotion of participation
incl. volunteers)
１．National and local risk
assessments
(Risk maps, Indicators,
disaster statistics)
２．Early warning
(Timely & understandable,
Information system,
Institution, 2nd EW intl
conference, Mauritius
Strategy)
３．Capacity
(Research and monitoring,
databases, Scientific &
technical method)
４．Regional & emerging
risks
１．Information management and
exchange
(Understandable info, Networks and
dialogue, Recent technologies, Info-sharing,
DRR prior to construction,
terminology)
２．Education & training
(Promotion of education,
Preparedness in schools, Trainings
for each sector, Community-based,
women & vulnerable people)
３．Research
(multi-risk assessments & cost-benefit
analysis, Technical &
scientific capacity
４．Public awareness
(Media engagement)
１．Environ. & natural resource management
(ecosystem management, Structural & non-structural
measures, climate change adaptation)
２．Social & economic development practices
(Food security, health sector, critical public
facilities, Safety-net mechanisms, recovery
scheme, DRR into recovery process, displaced
persons, income options, Insurance & reinsurance,
Public-private partnerships, Innovative financial
instruments)
３．Land-use planning & other technical
measures
(Risk assessments in urban planning, Risk
considerations for major infrastructure projects,
land-use policy, Risk assessment for mountain &
coastal flood plain areas, Building codes,
reconstruction practices)
a: Policy, technical &
institutional capacities,
b:Dialogue among EW,
DRR, response, and
development agencies,
c: regional approach
d: Contingency plans,
preparedness drills,
e:Emergency funds
f:Participation
Strategic Goals
G1: Integration of DRR into sustainable
development policies and planning
G2: Development and strengthening of
institutions, mechanisms and capabilities
G3: Systematic incorporation of DRR into
emergency preparedness and recovery
General Considerations
a) Principles in Yokohama Strategy retain b) Primary responsibility of
each State c) Multi-hazard approach d) Gender perspective
e) Consideration for diversity and vulnerable groups
f) Empowerment of communities and local authorities
General Considerations
g) Consideration for LDC and SIDS h) Need for international/regional
cooperation i) Resource mobilization with DRR as investment j) Need
for DRR in relief and recovery phase k) DRR as an important element
for international development goals
Implementation and Follow-up (by Nations/regional/international organizations)

4. 3
Earthquake Damage (Compared with other hazards)
・Earthquake causes highest number of deaths in the last 10 years.
・Damages by earthquakes have been increasing last 30 years.
by UNESCO based on the database of CRED
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
0
1984-93 1994-2003 2004-13
Death
Percentage
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
1984-93 1994-2003 2004-13
Drought Earthquake
Tsunami Extreme Tmeperature
Flood Mass Movement
Storm Volcano

5. 100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
700000
600000
500000
400000
300000
200000
100000
0 Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania
Africa Americas Asia Europe Oceania
Drought Earthquake Tsunami Extreme Temperature Flood Mass Movement Storm Volcano
4
Earthquake Damage (Continued)
2004-2013 deaths by continent
Number of death Percentage

6. 5
Earthquake Damage (Occurrence and Death)
Made with Philcarto http://philcarto.free.fr UNESCOS.Yasukawa
Occurrence 1984-2013
120
90
70
50
20
1
No information
Deaths 1984-2013
200000
30000
10000

7. 6
Earthquake Damage (building collapse)
Causes of deaths in the Great Hanshin-Awaji
Collapse
of Houses
88%
Earthquake (1995)
Data from Cabinet Office Japan
Collapse
Fire
11%
of
Highways
0%
Landslide
0% Overturni
ng
Furniture
1%
Cause of death in Earthquake in the
world
From “Earthquake Protection” by Andrew Coburn and Robin Spence
2002
・Major cause of death during an earthquake is the collapse of buildings.

8. UNESCO Project (Objective)
7
・Primarily aims to raise awareness of policy makers in earthquake prone
countries.
・The outcome of project will be 1) Strategy for securing building safety, 2)
Method to assess policy setting, 3) Good practices countries can refer in
developing policies.
Tentative Structure of Project
We focus on earthquake for this publication and the output would consist of
• Global mapping of securing building safety policies in earthquake prone
countries.
• Analysis and gaps of policies (Questionnaires and research/Project
review).
• Recommendation for better policy settings.
• Good practices

9. UNESCO Project (Questionnaire)
The questionnaire distributed by UNESCO covers;
Building Code
• legislation for new buildings
• code maintenance -code/guideline for non-engineering buildings etc.
Building control
• legislation/practice (responsible entities, capacity of entities, procedure of
building control,) etc.
• licensing of engineers, continuous professional development
Retrofit Policy
• legislation for promoting retrofitting, assessment tool etc.
• financial incentive (public subsidy, low interest loan, tax redemption) etc.
Land Use Restriction
Legislation/Policy for Disaster Risk Management
• Data/Estimation for policy making
• Statistics for seismic safety, damage estimation etc.
Progress and not progress in the past 10 years 8

10. 9
UNESCO Project (Questionnaire)
31 Questionnaires are responded through Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, DLA
Piper, UNESCO IPRED network, UNESCO Field Office and individuals
Andorra Georgia Monaco Russia
Armenia Haiti Morocco Samoa
Bangladesh Indonesia Nepal Spain
Belgium Iran New Zealand Tanzania
China Israel Pakistan Tunisia
Colombia Italy Peru Turkey,
Costa Rica Japan Portuguese Yemen
Egypt Mexico Romania

11. 10
UNESCO Project (Sample Analysis 0)
Legislation
100
80
60
40
20
0
Building Code
Building Control
Retrofit
Others
Land Use
Country A
Legislation
100
80
60
40
20
0
Building Code
Building Control
Retrofit
Others
Land Use
Country B
By UNESCO based on UNESCO survey

12. UNESCO Project (Sample Analysis)
11
・In order to analyze the questionnaires, tentatively set 6 policy factors (Disaster
Management Legislation, Building Code, Building Control, Retrofit, Land Use and
Others) with several element policies.
Policy Factor (number of elements) Policy Element
Disaster Management Legislation
(9)
National Level Policy/Law, Scenario Based DRR Law, National DRR Target,
National Damage Estimation, Local Level Policy/Law, Scenario Based DRR Law,
Local DRR Target, Local Damage Estimation, Community Level DRR Law
Building Code (8) Building Code, All Municipalities, Frequent Revision, Structural Code, Guidelines,
Adaptation of Technology, Dissemination, International Network
Building Control (9) Legislation , All Municipalities, Building Types, Process/Documents,
Initial/Interim/Completion check, Penalty, Maintain Record, Control Entity
Capacity Data, Control Entity Qualification
Retrofit (6) Assessment Tool, Policy/Initiative for Promotion, Retrofit Technical Guideline,
Data for Status, Retrofit Target, Public Financial Support
Land Use (4) Land Use Restriction Legislation, Land Use Restriction Policy, Hazard Mapping
Legislation, Hazard Map
Others (6) Statistics/Stock or flow, Insurance, Law for Re-Insurance, Qualification, Penalty
for Fraud, CPD

13. ・Radar chart shows how many element policies are introduced in each policy factor.
・Based on the tentative analysis, for example, we can see Country A has holistic
approach on securing building safety.
12
UNESCO Project (Sample Analysis 2)
Legislation
100
80
60
40
20
0
Building Code
Building Control
Retrofit
Others
Land Use
Country A
Legislation
100
80
60
40
20
0
Building Code
Building Control
Retrofit
Others
Land Use
Country B
By UNESCO based on UNESCO survey

14. UNESCO Project (Sample Analysis 3)
・Central/South America adopt wide range of policies, while Asian countries have
unbalanced policies.
・High income countries have more policies but not significant difference between
lower-middle and low income countries.
100
80
60
Others Others
40
20
0
Land Use Land Use
Central/South Americas
Asia
Oceania
100
80
60
40
20
0
Upper Lower-middle Low
13
DRR Legislation DRR Legislation
Building
Codes
Building
Codes
Building
Control
Building
Control
Retrofit Retrofit

15. 14
• Cross analysis by (policy setting score and death increase rate by
earthquake) shows some positive relation
• With more policies, decrease of the death by earthquakes
Death increase rate between (1974-1993) and (1994-2013) period and policy
settings score
200
150
100
50
0
-50
-100
-150
0 200 400 600
%
policy setting score
Still needs assessment of data accuracy.
UNESCO Project (Sample Analysis 4)

16. 15
UNESCO Project (Sample Analysis 5: Retrofit)
Retrofitting Policy Analysis among 25 earthquake countries,
• More countries have already legislation on retrofitting.
• But they don’t have policy tools to promote retrofitting especially data on
25
20
15
10
5
0
Legislation National
Plan
Assessment
Tool
Retrofitting
Tool
Data Public
Support
Legislation Technical Guideline Policy Tool
NA
NO
YES
Policy Settings on Retrofiting
vulnerable buildings

17. 16
UNESCO Project (Sample Analysis 6: Retrofit)
Countries have references on policy setting, technical guideline and
financial support, but they don’t mention data
Based on the 10 countries that replied progress and non-progress since 2005 on
Retrofitting of Buildings in the Questionnaire since 2005
Progressed
• Greater public and political attention to the retrofitting of buildings (5 countries)
• Legal and technical development (e.g. legislation, guidelines) (3 countries)
• Government policies and supports tend to focus on urban or touristic areas.
Not-Progressed
• No policy/ bad implementation to promote retrofitting (6 countries)
• Lack of government budget and incentives on retrofitting (2 countries)

18. Lessons from other Practices (Retrofit)
17
• In Japan, National Statistics of Housing/Building (every 5 years) enables
Housing safety (2003)
Housing safety in 2015
(National Target)
Housing safety in 2008
11.5 million units
35.5 million units
0.5 million units
44.5 million units
10.5 million units
39 million units
EQ safe Buildings EQ non- safe Buildings
EQ Proof
Housing 75%
EQ Proof
Housing 79%
EQ Proof
Housing 90%
to estimate earthquake proof building/housing stocks.
• National target is set 90 % of housing stocks are earthquake safety by
2015 in various national Plans/Strategies
Total Housing Stock
47 million units
Total Housing Stock
49.5 million units Total Housing Stock
49.5 million units

19. Lessons from other Practices (Retrofit by JICA)
18
Technical Cooperation on Retrofitting techniques and its dissemination
Technical Lessons:
-Amelioration/Dissemination of quality management of retrofitting work
-Practical construction methods to decrease inconvenience of residence
Administrative Lessons:
-Organizational management and securing staff for implementing policies
-Raise awareness among residence to promote retrofitting
Capacity Building and Formulating DRR Master Plan
Technical Lessons:
-Vulnerability Assessment tools and retrofitting techniques needed
Administrative Lessons:
-Public support on private building needed (beneficiary pays principal)

20. Others (Possible Recommendation)
• -Holistic approach/ becoming priority: Holistic intervention is
needed to secure building safety but at the same time, it needs to
become a priority among interventions.
• -Cross border Cooperation: public/private/academic cooperation,
international cooperation needed to facilitate effective practice by
knowledge and experience sharing.
• -Continuous Improvement of System: continuous improvement of
legislation/implementation/practices are important for securing
safer building.
• -From Attention to Action: stakeholders need to take action against
seismic risk not just pay attention to the seismic risk.
19

21. Others (Asking your Comments)
Questionnaire
• Ideas/Comments on analysis methods
Sharing Information
• Filling Questionnaire in your country
• Practices in your country (for good practice)
• Reports/papers about securing building safety
policy
Please send us comments/suggestions at Soichiro Yasukawa 20
(s.yasukawa@unesco.org)