Challenges in Monitoring the Implementation of Disaster-Resilient Building Regulations: A Delphi Study in Kerman Province, Iran

In recent years, alongside natural disasters such as earthquakes, unsafe construction practices have contributed to a rise in incidents in Iran. Adherence to building codes and safety standards is crucial for mitigation. This Delphi study in Kerman Province identifies challenges in monitoring the implementation of construction laws and regulations.

A qualitative approach using the three-round Delphi method was employed with 30 experts (≥10 years’ experience). Round 1: Open-ended questionnaire responses were thematically analyzed (Cohen’s Kappa = 0.82). Round 2: Experts ranked 21 identified challenges on a 5-point Likert scale. Round 3: Results (means/SDs) were reviewed for consensus (≥75% agreement). Data were analyzed via MAXQDA and SPSS v26.

Challenges were categorized into supervisors (11 subcategories) and tools/interactions (10 subcategories). Top priorities included multiple authorities in construction (mean = 4.7, SD = 0.3, 90% agreement) and imbalance between violation benefits and fines (mean = 4.6, SD = 0.4, 85% agreement).

These systemic issues, driven by urban growth, inadequate oversight, and inter-ministerial coordination gaps, align with global studies on weak enforcement and training deficits, highlighting institutional fragmentation and incentive misalignments as key barriers to regulatory compliance.

Recent disasters, such as Metropol Abadan (2022 collapse: 41 deaths due to non-compliance) and Plasco (2017 fire: 22 deaths from outdated practices), underscore the urgent need to address these challenges through unified oversight and incentives to enhance disaster-resilient practices.