The government has revised and enforced the National Building Code to ensure the construction of earthquake-resistant buildings. Provisions in the old code that were impractical, did not align with international standards, made design calculations complex, and increased unnecessary construction costs have been amended.

The revised National Building Code was published in the Gazette on Thursday and has now been implemented. The new code will not only guide the construction of buildings but also provide direction for building dams, powerhouses, tunnels, and other underground structures related to hydropower projects.

Urban Development Minister Kulman Ghising said that this revised code is a milestone in building a safer future for the country. He expressed confidence that buildings constructed according to the new code will minimize the loss of life and property from possible future earthquakes.

He urged local governments, engineers, and the general public to strictly implement the code in new building construction.

The revised code includes a new seismic zoning map that covers all 753 local levels, providing clear design guidelines based on location. Improvements have been made in soil classification, and a special map detailing the soil types of the Kathmandu Valley has been included.

In the new load combination formulas, snow load, liquid pressure, and soil pressure have been incorporated, and the equations for load combination and stability checks have also been updated.

New standards have been included to improve the flexibility of structures, enabling buildings to absorb more energy during earthquakes. For the stability of tall buildings, improvements have been made to control soft-story issues and torsional irregularities. This will help reduce construction costs.

The new code was prepared by incorporating suggestions received through discussions and interactions with professional designers, the Society of Structural Engineers Nepal (SSEAN), professional associations, and scholars from universities, among other stakeholders.

To make the building code timely, user-friendly, and easy to apply, provisions from codes used in various countries were studied, and both national and international experts were consulted to make the necessary technical revisions.

Because some international standards were lacking in the old code, technical difficulties were encountered during design. The revised code will help reduce damage to buildings during earthquakes, enhance the safety of human life, maintain uniformity and transparency in design and construction, make scientific evaluation easier in the building approval process at the local level, reduce long-term costs, simplify maintenance, and provide clear guidelines for engineers and designers.