07/03/2003
China Daily

China's building codes should be tightened in the wake of the SARS outbreak to prevent the spread of contagious diseases through substandard construction, experts and officials say.

Apart from collective infections in hospitals, strings of SARS cases occurred in residential buildings.

More than 300 cases were reported in Hong Kong's Amoy Garden - most of them in the same building.

Researchers based in Hong Kong suggested that the moist atmosphere in bathrooms permeated several metres through ventilation openings and entered windows of other apartments.

Another theory claimed that rubbish in the building's courtyard had been infected by the virus, which was then spread by insects.

In the Beiyuan Community in a northern suburb of Beijing, 14 SARS cases were found, mostly among people living in close proximity.

The vice-director of the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, Liang Wannian, said the building's structure was to blame for the spread.

James Jao, a renowned architect with JAO Design International, said public health should be stressed in the architectural designs of new residential buildings to avoid the shortcomings of the existing structures.

"The World Health Organization has already decided on standards of health in relation to buildings and we should insist on meeting those standards," said Jao, who is also employed by the State Council.

The public health standards for buildings in terms of living space, air and water quality, sunlight and sound insulation should be strengthened and real estate projects that fail to meet the standards should not get permission to be constructed, Jao said yesterday.

Due to limited land and a large population, experts say it is not feasible to only construct large amounts of low-density residential buildings. Therefore, quality and efficient designs are essential for the future of the real estate industry.

An official from the China National Engineering Research Centre for Human Settlement said the centre will issue new construction codes covering courtyards and public areas, plumbing and sewerage, and sound insulation.

Zhao Xu, dean of the centre's promotion and demonstration department, said the current codes for public health standards were first issued in 2001. The standards had proved effective in many buildings and were improved every year according to demand.

Zhao said SARS has highlighted public health in buildings and relevant guidelines will be added this year.

Yang Jinfeng, a Ministry of Construction official, said the current public health standards are comprehensive and suited market demand, but implementation is unsatisfactory.

Yang said many buildings in China are substandard, citing small doors and windows, narrow spaces between buildings and poor drainage.

The ministry will also strengthen its inspection of building standards this year, Yang said.