International Building Safety Day (IBSD) is a special day dedicated to promoting and celebrating building safety and the benefits it provides to the health and welfare of people worldwide. This day serves as a poignant reminder to governments, communities and all stakeholders within the built environment to uphold the importance of building safety.
Building safety encompasses more than just preventing loss of life or injury from incidents due to fire or structural failure. It also includes safeguarding the health and well-being of individuals by ensuring buildings have optimal indoor air quality, thermal comfort, weatherproofing and accessibility. Additionally, building safety considers the environmental impact, such as a building’s carbon footprint and over sustainability, which can affect its safety during extreme weather events.
International Building Safety Day is celebrated annually on May 22.
This year’s theme, Building for the Future, aims to highlight the evolving nature of the building safety industry. It focuses on modern construction methods, design innovations and materials, while addressing local environmental performance goals and other issues.
Why celebrate International Building Safety Day?
Homes and buildings are more than just four walls and a roof – they are where we live, work, play and learn.
IBSD offers a valuable opportunity to highlight the significance of building regulatory systems, building codes and standards that establish essential safeguards in the design, construction, commissioning and maintenance of buildings. With over 60 percent of the global population expected to live in urban areas by 2050 and the building stock set to double by 2060, primarily in emerging economies, this day emphasizes the critical role of building safety in shaping resilient and sustainable built environments.
IBSD also honors the building safety professionals who work tirelessly behind the scenes to help bring building projects to life and help keep existing buildings safe.
Building safety affects us all – it’s important to help spread the message about the need for safe, healthy, sustainable and resilient buildings and encourage others to get involved.