International comparative analysis of building regulations: an analytical tool
International Journal of Law in the Built Environment
ISSN: 1756-1450
Article publication date: 17 April 2009
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to introduce a tool for the international comparative analysis of regulatory regimes in the field of building regulation.
Design/methodology/approach
On the basis of a heuristic model drawn from regulatory literature, a typology of building regulatory regimes is introduced. Each type is illustrated with a number of real‐life examples from North America, Europe, and Australia.
Findings
Governments worldwide have introduced building regulatory regimes with a variety of designs. On an abstract level, these designs are shown to have a comparable pattern. This pattern is utilised to draw up a typology of regime‐designs that can be placed on a sliding scale, with a “pure public regime” at the one end and a “pure private regime” at the other. Intermediate regimes display characteristics of both.
Originality/value
The comparative analysis of different regimes assists policy makers by demonstrating which combinations of regulatory characteristics can provide the best results in particular instances. The typology introduced by the paper assists this process by providing a tool for systematic analysis of complex real‐life cases.
Keywords
Citation
van der Heijden, J. (2009), "International comparative analysis of building regulations: an analytical tool", International Journal of Law in the Built Environment, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 9-25. https://doi.org/10.1108/17561450910950223
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited