Dubai Opens World's Tallest Skyscraper

and in related news
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/577691-40-furnished-apartment-blocks-in-jeddah-ordered-to-close

Forty furnished apartment blocks in Jeddah have ben ordered to close by officials after inspectors uncovered a series of safety code violations.

Deank wrote:and in related news
http://www.arabianbusiness.com/577691-40-furnished-apartment-blocks-in-jeddah-ordered-to-close

Forty furnished apartment blocks in Jeddah have ben ordered to close by officials after inspectors uncovered a series of safety code violations.

So I guess it's the cheap labour that keep costs down...

JTF wrote:Not concerning codes...perhaps where and when buildings are concerned, but not construction methodology (building codes) to my knowledge.

But hey...I've been out of the loop for many years now.

...but could you provide an example where one thing applies only to one province? I would be very interested in how methodology could be different when the engineering (physics) are the same nationally.

Codes are done by jurisdiction. There is a 'national code' that's used as a guideline but the interpretation of the requirements as well as what's required to comply with the interpretation of the code is done provincially. So is anything that falls outside of the national code. Many of the guildlines in the national codes are intentionally vague in the same way that transport canada codes are intentionally vague. It's up to the regional organizations to interpret the codes and make sure that their intent is followed in buildings. If you want to use any building material or practice not currently covered in the national building codes, you apply to the jurisdiction in which the building will be built for permission to build outside of the national code. This is a one-time allowance for that particular building and you may be allowed to use the material or technique in that case but there is no guarantee that you will be able to do the same thing in any other jurisdiction. This lets you get around needing to apply for a building code change and wait for it to be approved if you want to move head with a project and can provide supporting evidence that the practice is safe or meets the intent of the applicable code even if there is an aspect of the situation that doesn't meet the code directly. But this is very risky if you are marketing a product across Canada because you may get it approved in some jurisdictions and projects but not others. You also need to convice each jurisdiction separately if you go this route because there isn't a national approval process that will allow you to do it across projects unless you go through a code change. And even then there are risks because the interpretation of codes across the country isn't consistent if sufficient detail isn't put into that part of the code. Because of the difficulties in working across jurisdictions like this the NRC has a process to try to streamline the process for approving new materials into construction projects through their Canadian Construction Materials Centre. They will do evaluations to help provide evidence that you comply with national or regional building codes and were setup because the system is so difficult to get new products into. Here's some history on them: http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/services/irc/ccmc/history.html
The national codes are used to make provincial codes, but they aren't the same thing.

Federal codes are the minimum standards. For example the Canadian Electrical Code imposes certain standards that must be met in every jurisdiction.

Then there are provincial and municipal standards that may be imposed over and above federal standards. Lastly local utilities impose standards that must be met.

It can be a dog's breakfast.

Typically in commercial construction the developer pays to construct the building envelope including mechanical and electrical. Beyond that owner improvements would complete the cost. Depending on the circumstances and the potential tenant and potential term, the developer might pay improvement costs or the tenant would.

828 metres tall.
My HAM antenna would do wonders up there.

In this article, it says the building and surrounding developments cost $22 billion...

ABC News

Maybe if it hadn't been built by slave labour I'd be slightly impressed.

Slave labour in the Middle East????? I thought Moses took care of that centuries ago????

Maybe someone should head over there and organize them. The International Brotherhood of Enslaved Middle East Construction Workers.

Hmmm, can't really think who'd be qualified for that...

Here'a a prediction. That building will not be standing by December 2010.

Freeman wrote:Slave labour in the Middle East????? I thought Moses took care of that centuries ago????

Maybe someone should head over there and organize them. The International Brotherhood of Enslaved Middle East Construction Workers.

Freeman, rather than a snide remark I suggest you read up a bit on the labour situation in Dubai.
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4249223.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4249223.stm

Organizing them would be the solution.....if it weren't completely illegal in that country. Workers expecting to be paid as promised and treated to basic human rights would be a major set back for the ruling family.

I used to be impressed with the pace of development in that place, untill I realised it was all built on the backs of modern slaves.

Life is full of choices. I choose not to go there. Is that a difficult concept?

Your also much wealthier than 75% of the world's population, and far less likely to be lured with promises of $300/month. What's going on in Dubai is morally repugnant.

grumpyrom wrote:Your also much wealthier than 75% of the world's population, and far less likely to be lured with promises of $300/month.

As are you.

That doesn't mean that i can't recognize the situation for what it is, slavery by no stretch of the imagination.

I recognize many inequities and injustices, but don't lose sleep over them unless I can do something about it.

Not losing any sleep over it, just calling it like I see it. I was impressed with the place, untill I learned more about what's really going on behind the scenes.

grumpyrom wrote:Maybe if it hadn't been built by slave labour I'd be slightly impressed.

You brought it up.

Freeman wrote:Slave labour in the Middle East????? I thought Moses took care of that centuries ago????

Maybe someone should head over there and organize them. The International Brotherhood of Enslaved Middle East Construction Workers.

actually moses just freed his people... and then gave them some pretty clear rules about owning their own slaves.. ie how they could treat them

Not a single word of that article is true!
People wouldn't do that to other people!
"Goodwill towards man" is the rule! I read that somewhere!

Good morning, Rosie!

Deank wrote:

Freeman wrote:Slave labour in the Middle East????? I thought Moses took care of that centuries ago????

Maybe someone should head over there and organize them. The International Brotherhood of Enslaved Middle East Construction Workers.

actually moses just freed his people... and then gave them some pretty clear rules about owning their own slaves.. ie how they could treat them

Are those rules still in effect?

You have to love those codes, as they are there to make sure the building doesn't come tumbling down!
A very good builder in Winnipeg was checking on the sub trades work progress, on tha building on Route 90 at Ellice (Cunningham used to be there, may still be there) and lo and behold the concrete that was poured was misssing all the rebar.
The builder took a sledge hammer, and called in the sub trade guy and proceeded to smash apart the foundation in his anger!
He threw the sub trade off his job and had it re-done "to code"!

Let us get 2 guys from Yemen to fly a jet into the top half of that building!

Looks more like a shuttlescraper.