The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), in partnership with Agrément South Africa (ASA), on February 24 signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Infrastructure South Africa and the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC).

The MoU is aimed at formalising and strengthening partnerships between government and the private sector within the construction space.

This intervention further intends to promote ASA’s certified non-standardised construction products, which aim to address some of the challenges in construction, such as backlogs, through the use of building technology systems.

The partnership maps out areas of collaboration between the entities and is aimed at providing opportunities for small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) to formally tap into the market.

In this vein, several SMMEs received certification for different non-standardised construction products which will allow them to formally begin trading. This certificate handover ceremony occurred during a stakeholder engagement forum.

It was noted at the signing of the MoU that this agreement aimed to create awareness of available ASA-certified products and systems to gain insights into avenues for infrastructure delivery by drawing on the knowledge of key industry players.

It was noted that the journey towards formalising partnerships with other stakeholders in the public and private sector started a while back. However, it was only in this current financial year that the ASA introduced the signing of the MoU.

The objective of the agreement is to formalise the partnerships that will govern these collaborations with other stakeholders. They also serve as a means to promote the use of certified innovative technologies through joint marketing initiatives.

It is also for sharing information between ASA and its stakeholders on certified innovative technologies, and thereby promoting the use of these technologies.

ASA will also, through this partnership, train and workshop other stakeholders in its certificate process as well as its conditions of certificates.

ASA will also undertake joint research with other stakeholders.

Stakeholders will also have input into the ASA certification process.

This partnership will also ensure that ASA is invited to participate as part of the bid specification committee to inform the specs as far as innovative technologies are concerned.

ASA also has an industry advisory committee where it shares the activities happening in the built environment industry.

ASA says it has also engaged with other stakeholders and has pending MoUs that are under consideration by three other government entities.

ASA is an entity of the DPWI responsible for undertaking technical assessments and issuing of fit-for-purpose certificates for non-standardised construction products.

It is tasked with the testing and performance of building industry products and methodologies to ensure quality and durability on behalf of government.

It was noted during the forum that ASA was also aiming to expand its reach and mandate, to provide more regulatory services to the entire industry.

It is intended that the forum will now be held yearly.