Some professionals in the built environment have expressed discomfort with proposed amendments to the National Construction Authority (NCA) Act that would expand the Authority’s mandate to include the promotion and enforcement of environmentally sustainable construction materials, designs, standards and practices.
If passed, the changes would make sustainability and resilience a core statutory obligation of the NCA, rather than a voluntary or secondary consideration within the construction sector.
The National Construction Authority (Amendment) Bill 2025 also proposes the introduction of a mandatory solar energy installation regime in designated zones. Under the Bill, the Authority, in consultation with other relevant agencies, would be empowered to identify areas with adequate solar exposure where all new buildings would be required to install solar energy systems.
However, the Architects Alliance (TAA) has raised concerns that several clauses in the Bill could create regulatory overlaps and undermine the principles of devolution. The Alliance argues that environmental compliance falls under the mandate of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), while the regulation of solar energy is the responsibility of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).
Industry stakeholders warn that the proposed amendments risk transforming the NCA into an overbearing regulator, while blurring constitutional boundaries between institutions with clearly defined mandates.
The National Construction Authority (Amendment) Bill 2025 was first tabled in Parliament in September last year and is awaiting further consideration when Parliament resumes.
