Integrating Sustainability into Building Surveyor Regulatory Frameworks: Lessons from Singapore and Australia

Abstract

Building surveyors play a very significant role in assuring the safety of constructions, the integrity of the structure, fire resistance and sustainability. Nevertheless, the absence of a specific Building Surveyor Act in Malaysia has been characterised by inconsistencies in regulations, poor enforcement processes and professional identity. This paper will explore the way regulatory frameworks in Singapore and Australia can be of great value in the reform of Malaysia. In the given research, a comparative legal analysis and doctrinal research approach is used to analyse building surveyor regulations in Malaysia, Singapore and Australia. Laws, regulations and enforcement systems are the primary sources which are examined along with academic literature and case studies to evaluate the usefulness of the existing governance framework. The study notes several essential gaps in the Malaysian regulatory frameworks of building surveyors, such as poor professional recognition, a lack of enforcement authority and poor sustainability integration. By comparison, Singapore and Australia have put in place robust regulatory oversight institutions whereby building surveyors are given independent enforcement power and professional accreditation standardisation. The absence of a centralised licensing body and sustainability enforcement measures in Malaysia is associated with the unequal safety evaluation and the conflict of interests in compliance authorisation. To overcome shortcomings of regulations, Malaysia needs to institute a specific Building Surveyor Act that will offer independent enforcement powers, formalise licensing via a regulatory agency and compel sustainability. The proposed global best practices in Singapore and Australia will enhance the safety of the population, their professional legitimacy and the shift to sustainable construction in Malaysia. This paper highlights the importance of a legislative change to facilitate the effective regulation and formation of the built environment by the building surveyors.