TANDARDSS Journal

Volume 1. Issue N0. 01 August 6, 2013

Supported by TradeMark East Africa

Importance of certifying construction materials

Ensuring construction standards a shared responsibility

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18August 6, 2013

INTERVIEW

We want to ensure a durable and safe construction industry

get these products tested outside Rwanda. The minimum time they can get these results back is after one month. But at RBS, mandatory tests take a maximum of one week, depending on the volume of work.

We have got good testing equip-ment for a wide-range of products. There is a universal testing machine with a capacity of handling 1,000 tonnes. It is for testing strength.

We also test cement, so when you make bricks we are able to test the quality. RBS can also test the chemi-cal composition of those products using an x-ray machine called XRF. The composition determines the strength of the steel bar.

Do you have specific mechanisms to ensure compliance?Answer: We believe in self regula-

tion. What is important is a culture of standardisation.

Personally, I believe in creating that culture first. So we encourage self regulation by having a stand-ards culture. We are no longer no-mads and, if we have decided to live in storied buildings or glass houses with electricity and piped water, then we should know the conse-quences of not ensuring that the buildings are properly constructed.

So, you don’t agree with some who are calling for harsher measures against offenders?Answer: I support rules, but even if you deployed 15,000 police officers to deal with a rebellious construc-tion sector, I don’t think they would succeed. It has to come from the heart. But if you rebel, there will be

penalties. That should not be the way, rules are there for prevention...the best way is for the industry to self-regulate.

Which construction materials have been certified so far?Answer: I don’t want this to sound like a promotion, but since you have asked, I will tell you. For cement we have Great Lakes and Cimerwa; for iron sheets we have got Master Steel and Safintra and steel bars from Steelrwa.

We have not yet certified bricks and pavers, but we have been working with COTRACO and have confidence in their bricks, blocks and pavers.

We have also worked with Ruliba and trained them on quality issues and their products are of high qual-ity.

Your message to stakeholdersAnswer: It is more profitable to have a safe structure. If a structure col-lapses, it causes death, which is a loss to the nation and a liability to the company.

The people involved in construc-tion should know that the industry is safety-sensitive, even more than the medical sector. An error by a medical practitioner may claim at most the life of a mother and her baby, but a structure that collapses can claim lives of thousands of people.

So, industry stakeholers must understand that stakes are high for the nation and survival of their companies. Construction material dealers should also beware.

The dividends for doing it right are high.

Rwanda cannot compete against our neigbours on quantity, but no one can stop us from having acompetitive edge as far as quality is concerned.

Get your building ma-terials cer-tified with RBS’s Stand-ardisation mark or Mark of Excellence

The Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) has partnered with The New Times to promote quality and safety standards in the country through publication of a monthly journal to sensitise the public. The first edition of the Standards Journal focuses on safety standards in the construction industry.The campaign aimed at sensitising stake-holders in the sector and the general public to adopt and adhere to best practices in construction so as to build infrastructure “that is not only safe, but durable”. EdwaRd OJulu caught up with dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, the RBS director general, who expounded on this and other sector issues

QUESTION: Why is RBS focusing on standards in the construction industry now? Answer: The construction industry in Rwanda is growing very fast. It is therefore imperative that we have infrastructure that is safe and durable. When you go to developed countries, you find infrastructure that has been there for 500 years but some buildings here collapse a few years after completion. In resi-dential areas, a number of houses suffer humidity.

RBS and The New Times came up with this campaign to sensitise stakeholders so that they use con-struction materials that meet stand-ards, and use them in compliance with the sector standards.

The drive is about ensuring that clients get value-for-money, that all construction materials comply with mandatory standards. Everyone in the sector will have to comply. Be-cause they are mandatory, it means every product will have to be certi-fied. Currently, there are 15 prod-ucts that are certified, including steel bars, iron sheets and cement.

We are also working on bricks, blocks and pavers because they are construction products that are being taken for granted.

People think they can go to their backyard and make bricks or blocks; but after a few months they break because of poor materials used.

As a result of poor standards, even banks are losing money be-cause people use sub-standard buildings, which on the surface look fine when they are not. Since we don’t have enough independent and competent valuers, someone goes to the bank for a loan and over values his property at say, Rfw150m. After getting the loan, the borrower defaults deliberately and the bank seizes the buidling (collateral). Because the building is sub-standard, the bank can’t even sell it at Rfw100m.

That’s why I expect banks to part-

ner with us in the campaign.If you bring a 12mm iron bar

for testing and is certified, does it mean it can be used on a storey building? No, it cant.

Although we certify its material composition, we do not specify how it is to be used. That now calls for other partners, including civil engi-neers, architects, city and municipal authorities to ensure proper usage. There is need for supervision to ensure materials are used correctly.

It is the same thing with wir-ing. I don’t know what is causing fires, but my guess is that it easy to cause a fire in Kigali because some residential houses have been turned into offices. This can eas-ily overloaded the wiring system, resulting into a fire. It is always im-portant to ensure that the wiring is proper and the use correct.

How do you anticipate standards in construction to support eco-nomic growth?Answer: If we can successfully instill the culture of quality, then we should expect durable and safe infrastructure.

Apart from steel bars, most of the construction materials are import-ed. This means we are spending a lot of foreign currency. Also, when you lose productive people in col-lapsing buildings, it impacts on the economy negatively.

Most importantly, when we guar-antee to clients in Rwanda and in the region that our products can compete in terms of quality, the country will benefit financially.

Although Rwanda cannot com-pete on quantity against neigbours who have more volumes, no one can stop us from competing on quality because quality is vertical progression that has no limit. So, if we can guarantee that our steel bars, wiring, bricks or pavers are of good quality, there will be no need to import construction materials from South Africa. How does RBS support the con-struction industry?Answer: This promotion is one of such ways we support the sector. People can read The New Times on-line or the newspaper. It costs less to buy a copy of The New Times and get the information than the price we are paying. We are provid-ing information materials for free.

We have also been offering train-ing stakeholders and continue to do so to increase awareness among the public. The training sessions are free.

We also offer testing services at a fee, but it is cheaper in terms of safety dividends or if they had to

Dr. Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, RBS Director General.Ph

oto:

John

Mba

nda

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19August 6, 2013

MANy people pay little at-tention to the importance of standards in construc-

tion works for buildings and other structures. They overlook the fact that these structures are laid down and constructed one small piece at a time. It is actually these small solid pieces that make up structures ranging from simple buildings to mega structures.

The common belief “cheaper is always better” is flawed when it comes to building materials. That’s why they have to be certi-fied by RBS to ensure they meet standards.

Because these raw materials are the ‘bread and butter’ of building your desired structure, choosing an appropriate supplier is one of the most important de-cisions you would have to make. The problem is that people are willing to ignore quality to save costs. However, working with a good supplier can help you get deals at reasonable prices.

The suppliers have the best perception on the quality of the materials since they are the dis-tributors. Choose a reliable and

Importance of certifying construction materials

trustworthy supplier who will ensure that you get quality materials at affordable prices.

Remember, the quality of building materials cannot be overlooked if you want to construct a physically and technically safe and sound structure. Poorly designed structures and use of low quality materials are the primary reasons contributing to the collapse of buildings, roads, bridges, etc, resulting in widespread damage and loss of lives.

Construction materials require ascertainment or product certification to ensure they meet quality. Product certification provides quality assurance and safety to the contractors and society.

Manufacturers benefit from having certified building materials as this builds their

reputation, credibility and customer confidence of their brands, increase of market access and gives them a competitive edge.

RBS certifies different prod-ucts including construction materials such as cement, steel bars, wires, pipes, blocks and bricks, roofing sheets, tiles, among others, based on the compliance with the standards requirements, which are auditable.

The Rwanda construc-tion industry is growing at a rapid rate, with many mod-ern storied buildings being implemented all over the country. In every construction project, from a single-storey structure to the most complex buildings, bridges and roads, standards play a vital role in helping to address important issues, including safety, reli-

ability, durability and econo-my. Certification plays a key role in ensuring that products are safe, of high quality and meet the standards specific requirements.

When construction materi-als are certified, the user will not be worried about liability aspects during the service time of the material. Thus, certification gives both suppliers and consumers certainty about the quality of the material. This is why RBS introduced certification for building materials to improve effectiveness and efficiency of the structure.

Currently, some construction materials manufactured in Rwanda have been certified by RBS such as cements, reinforcement steel bars and roofing sheets. Any construc-tion material can be certified.

NEWS

Standards of some of the construction materials

N0Product (Construction materials)

Applicable standards

1 Cement

RS EaS 18-1:2004

Cements Part 1: Composition, specification and conformity criteria for common cements

RS EaS 18-2:2004

Cements Part 2: Conformity evaluation

2 Steel bars

RS ISO 6935-1: 2005

Steel for reinforcement of concrete

Part1: Plain bars

RS ISO 6935-2:2005

Steel for reinforcement of concrete

Part2: Ribbed bars

3 Burnt clay BlocksRS EaS 94: Burnt Clay Building Blocks-Specification

4 Burnt clay BricksRS EaS 54: Burnt Building Bricks-Specification

5Cement blocks and bricks

RS 568: Cement Blocks and Bricks-Specification

6 Roofing sheets

RS 91:2005

Specification for galvanized and corrugated steel sheets

EaS 468:2008, Pre-painted metal coated steel sheets and coils — Specification

EaS 410:2005, Hot-dip aluminum-zinc coated plain and corrugated steel sheets - Specification

7 TilesRS 261:2009 Ceramic tiles - definitions, Classification, Characteristics and marking

8Precast Concrete paving Blocks

RS EaS 179:

Precast Concrete paving Blocks

9 Burnt clay roofing tiles

RS 358:2009

EaS 71:2000

Burnt clay roofing tiles - Specification

10Electrical wiring of premises

RS 116-1:2011 Electrical wiring of premises part one: low voltage installation

RBS staff tests the strength and qual-ity of a steel bar using the universal testing machine.

By Théogène Ishimwe

PETROCOM Ltd is a leading in-ternational transport company of petroleum products in Rwanda with a fleet of trucks operating across the borders of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.

The PETROCOM Commercial Director, Derrick Kayombya, pledges continuous compliance and meeting international stand-ards in their operations as a way of contributing to Rwanda’s development.

“We emphasize quality and fair

prices; our products meet the best quality standards,” Kayomb-ya explains.

PETROCOM Ltd, which as well owns a steel factory, UFAMETAL, produces various building steel materials such as roofing sheets and steel construction materials.

Kayombya says when the raw materials arrive at PETROCOM from Kenya, India and South Africa; the Rwanda Bureau of Standards takes a sample to test the compliance to standards, after which a test certificate is issued to PETROCOM.

“We can neither purchase nor sell substandard materials. Reputation and credibility are very dear to our company,” Kay-ombya clarifies with an abundant air of certainty.

Observing standards define our credibility

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20August 6, 2013

By PETERSON TUMWEBAzE

ThE need to enhance quality and safety standards in the con-struction industry should con-

cern every citizen, especially sector stakeholders. Poor standards and use of sub-standard building mate-rials have lately exposed the public adverse risks and even death.

This has called for action from the Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) and industry stakeholders who are now seeking ways to en-sure construction regulations and guidelines are followed to protect the public and investors.

According to RBS standards lead officer Samuel Mporanzi, contra-vening standards in the construc-tion industry has meant loss of innocent lives and money. As a result, the standards body is work-ing with stakeholders to ensure sector laws are punitive enough to deter people from dealing in or us-ing fake and substandard construc-tion materials.

The Standards Journal thought views from stakeholders on what they think should be done to en-sure quality and safety standards in the construction industry:

Sandeep Phadnis, head of busi-ness at Safintra Rwanda Limited, a steel making firmThe government has a big stake as far as promoting standards is con-cerned. Because the government is there to safeguard people’s lives and health, it should make it a crime to buy products that have not been certified by RBS.

No imported products should be allowed to enter into the country

unless they bear a quality mark from their point of origin. Stand-ards should apply across the board and be enforced strictly.

Unscrupulous dealers are expos-ing poor people to substandard products, so whoever is caught selling fake materials should be punished harshly.

Dismas Nkubana, the chairman of the Rwanda Engineers’ CouncilThe construction sector is the engine of the economy. This, there-fore, calls for strict measures as far as standard compliance is con-cerned to ensure sector guidelines are followed. People only think of standards as being rules and laws. And as long as they can take short-cuts, they dont mind. They forget the long-term impact of substand-ard materials.

We believe that compliance should not be left for RBS alone, but everyone who is in chain of construction.

The need for RBS to develop standards that relates with the domestic environment is also important. The tendency of relying on international standards cannot continue.

We sometimes use British stand-ards, which might not relate with our environment and climatology and topography.

We also need a streamlined law to make everyone comply with guidelines and regulations.

The good news though is that we have made it mandatory for all en-gineers to register with the council to able to identify and eliminate quarks and errant members.

The council is working closely with RBS and other stakeholders to ensure quality and safety in con-struction.

Jimmy Mugabo, a sales and mar-keting manager at Hima Cement Rwanda Random and consistent tests will help curb the sale of substandard construction materials in the coun-try.

Construction materials must be subjected to periodic random tests to inculcate a culture of responsibil-ity among producers, suppliers and dealers. I am always impressed when a customer comes to our warehouse and the first thing they ask is; “Where is the quality mark from RBS?” Manufactures lose nothing by pro-ducing standard products.

Improving standards in the construction industry is everyone’s responsibility

There is also need to reduce the hierarchy gap between architects, engineers, site supervisors and masons to better the industry. Peo-ple need to work as one team; mis-takes always come when you the big bosses leave all the work to ma-sons who have limited knowledge about design and other crucial is-sues at sites. RBS and the Council of Engineers must find a way to harmonise these disparities.

For cement to meet the stand-ards, its compressive capacity must be between 42.5 per cent for strong structures like bridges, dams and skyscrapers and 32.5 for regu-lar construction.

Liliane Mupende Uwanziga, the director of urban planning and One Stop Centre

The City of Kigali has imple-mented several reforms in the con-struction industry, starting with the establishment of the Construction

One Stop Centre in 2010. Other key reforms include reduc-

tion in the number of days required to obtain a construction permit, the number of steps to obtain a con-struction permit were reduce from 12 steps to 6 steps and introduction of an electronic application portal for construction permits and other related permits - www.kcps.gov.rw.

She says this has been coupled with the need to ensure compliance to the City Master Plan and other relevant laws and regulations such as the environmental law, law gov-erning roads in Rwanda, Rwanda building control regulations, among others.

The city carries out site inspec-tions to monitor ongoing construc-tion for compliance to the City Master Plan, supporting laws and regulations and approved construc-tion drawings. She added that they ensure construction sites have an authorised supervision company to monitor the day-to-day construction activities on site.With the introduction of new con-struction materials, technologies and solutions the city emphasises the need for all developers and contractors to guarantee quality through a close collaboration with

People need to work as one team; mistakes always come when you the big bosses leave all the work to masons who have limited knowledge about design mixtures at sites. RBS and the Council of Engineers must find a way to harmonise these disparities. the relevant partnering authorities

such as the Rwanda Bureau of Standards and the Rwanda Hous-ing Authority among others.

Titain Taratibu, a civil engineer and user of construction materialsPeople working contrary to stand-ards should be held criminally responsible. It is laziness for one to compromise standards. You either abide by what the law says or you quit.

Amijee Kalim director Sadolin Paints "Standards are very importantnot only in construction but in our day to day lives. "We should notleave it for RBS, every body has a role to play when it comes tocomplacency. We need to make this world a better place and we can achieve this by having a set of standards every one must follow."

NEWS

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Edward Ojulu

IN RESPONSE to the quality and safety standards of a fast-growing economy that Rwanda has been for the last three years, the Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS) has adopted a gradual process to trans-form the bureau into a board, the Rwanda Standards Board, which will comprise of separate entities.

“In 2010, we envisaged that the econ-omy was going to grow faster and there was need to position RSB to respond to the needs of a fast-growing economy,” said RBS director general Dr. Mark Cyuba-hiro Bagabe.

Agriculture, construction and industry have been the fastest growing sectors of the economy. Implementation of the restructuring process, however, ran into difficulties due to financial constraints

and shortage of competent local human resource. It was, therefore, decided to upgrade the bureau in phases, whereby the institution would be split into separate entities so that the current divisions be-come separate entities.

It is international good practice to sepa-rate functions of developing standards, harmonisation, testing, metrology and certification, especially as the mandate expands.

According to Bagabe, this is the case in some developed countries, where safety and quality standards are strictly enforced. “For example, in South Africa, certification is an independent institution while in the UK, standards’ development is a separate entity and holds the main mandate. In Germany, metrology (a divi-sion that deals with weights and meas-urements) is a stand-alone institution.”

Fast economic growth expands RBS mandate

Amijee Kalim Sadolin Paints director Standards are very important in the construction industry and in

our day-to-day lives. So, all of us have a role to play to ensure com-pliance to standards. We can achieve a lot by following standards guidelines.

Fred Rwihunda, Institute of Engineers Rwanda presidentWe are training our members to help them keep updated with the

latest technology. An engineer who graduated 10 years go needs to keep pace with sector trends.

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