Jamaica’s 2023/4, Small Buildings & Residential Building Code is a well put together & extensive document. The stakeholders & professionals involved (BSJ, ICC, Engineers, Firefighters, Public Health…) have done a very good job.
💥The Issues However Include:
1. No visible mention of a Geologist and/or a representative body (such as the Geological Society of Jamaica) involved in the development of the document.
— GSJ needs to fix it’s issues for Jamaica’s sake.
2. The reference of a map of Jamaica with Mean Peak Ground Motion Scale (Seismic-Geology) & Spatial (Geographic) gradation.
✅ The reference map has errors.
3. The builders potentially using this seismic reference data to build in areas such as KMA & Portmore, below the minimum Mean Peak Ground Motion values, because of an outdated/inaccurate reference scale.
— Engineers need the most accurate data to build specific to the desired outcome of this & future editions of Jamaica’s Building Code. The Earth Scientists (Geologists…) are the primary here.
About The Author
Oshane Bryant: BSc Geology, Geography Minor; ACE CPT since 2012; Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) Accelerator Graduate-2018 cohort; Licensed KUKIBO Martial Arts & Self Defense, Senior Instructor; OB Fitness Founder & Managing Director.
