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In the Cabinet meeting on August 22, this year, amendments to the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 500 of August 19, 2014, "General Building Regulations," were approved, specifying norms for the procedure of expert examination of the construction project during construction works, the inventory of mineral materials (useful minerals) in construction, and the duties of the building inspector regarding compliance with environmental requirements in the construction area.

Point 60 of the General Building Regulations currently states that if there are changes to the architectural solution or the structural solution of the building, its load-bearing structure, or its part concerning the mechanical strength, stability, fire safety, or safe use of the building, and a construction expertise has been carried out for the construction project, a repeated expertise of the relevant part of the construction project is necessary before the start of construction work or during construction. However, in practice, it has been observed that in cases of insignificant changes to the construction project, expertise creates a greater burden than the potential benefit to society. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers regulations have been clarified, stating that repeated expertise is required only if there is a change in the structural solution of the building, its load-bearing structure, or its part, reducing the mechanical strength, stability, fire safety, or safe use of the building.

At the same time, to expedite the construction process, it is envisaged that in cases where an expertise of construction project changes is necessary, construction work on the part of the building affected by changes in the structural solution can be interrupted only in cases when the building is in use during construction work. This will allow, during the expertise of changes to the construction project, to continue the implementation of project changes agreed upon by construction participants and accepted by the building authority, without posing risks to public safety.

In implementing the task of the Shadow Economy Restriction Plan regarding the inventory of mineral materials (useful minerals) in construction, with amendments to the Cabinet regulations, it is stipulated that the construction log must include information on the requisites of the permit for the extraction of useful minerals (issuer, number, and date). This will allow, in accordance with the Shadow Economy Restriction Plan, to accumulate information about the introduced mineral materials in the construction object so that the State Environmental Service can later use this information for the control of the extraction of useful minerals.

Currently, in point 140 of the General Building Regulations, it is stipulated that if a building inspector finds that, when carrying out construction work, deviations from environmental requirements have been made, resulting in or may cause danger or significant harm, the building inspector informs the institution that carries out state environmental control. From the existing regulation, it is not explicitly clear whether the State Environmental Service will also be informed within the framework of this obligation. Therefore, the relevant point of the General Building Regulations has been clarified, indicating that the term "institution that carries out state environmental control" is understood to include the State Environmental Service.

Detailed information on the amendments to the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 500 of August 19, 2014, "General Building Regulations," can be found on the Legal Acts Portal.

Ministry of Economics Public Relations Department Email: prese@em.gov.lv