News

👷The Role of Construction Engineering in Ukraine’s Reconstruction  

On December 5, 2024, representatives of the Confederation of Builders of Ukraine (CBU) participated in a meeting of the leadership and partners of the Interstate Consultants Engineers Guil (ICEG) on the topic “Tasks of Construction Engineering in the Reconstruction of Ukraine.”  

👥The event brought together representatives of government authorities, international organizations, and businesses. Nataliia Kozlovska, Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, noted that the damages caused by russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine have already reached nearly $152 billion. She emphasized that Ukraine’s reconstruction would be impossible without the support of international partners.  

She added that the Ukraine Facility program provides for nearly €50 billion in funding for Ukraine over the next four years. This funding must be accompanied by corresponding reforms to lay the groundwork for Ukraine’s recovery, further development, and integration into the European Union.  

💬“Reconstruction projects will involve auditing and control systems. In this system of implementing construction projects, independent engineering oversight bodies play a key role. We understand that investor trust and the efficient use of funds will determine future funding volumes,” Nataliia Kozlovska emphasized.  

One of the well-known mechanisms for reducing risks and ensuring transparency is the use of internationally recognized forms of construction contracts. Such agreements are being consistently implemented in Ukraine. 

The Ministry for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, in the context of implementing reforms for the country’s recovery, has introduced the following innovations:  

💠 simplified permitting and registration procedures in construction;  

💠 launched a mechanism for compensation for damaged and destroyed real estate;  

💠 initiated the development of comprehensive recovery programs for regions and territorial communities;  

💠 continued efforts to ensure the accessibility of real estate;  

💠 developed a project for the reuse of an energy-efficient school design.  

☝️Nataliia Kozlovska explained: “All these innovations must be applied practically and effectively. In this context, the role of the consulting engineer, who is involved at every stage of project implementation, is one of the key roles among construction participants.”  

👤Lev Partskhaladze, President of the Confederation of Builders of Ukraine, highlighted the importance of partnership support in Ukraine’s recovery process.  

He noted that the Confederation of Builders of Ukraine collaborates with a large number of international partners. For instance, during the ReBuild Ukraine exhibition, the Recovery Construction Forum 3.0 was held, bringing together about 500 participants interested in cooperating for Ukraine’s recovery.  

📍Mr. Partskhaladze reported that around 1 billion square meters of housing have been built in Ukraine, of which 60% are multi-story buildings and 40% are private homes.  

Seventy percent of multi-story buildings were constructed after World War II, and today, 80% of them are outdated. Comparing with the European market, where the average housing space per person is around 50 square meters, Ukraine’s figure is 24 square meters. Based on pre-war figures, it would take Ukraine 200 years to reach the European level. This indicates the need to change strategies and involve new standards during reconstruction.  

The war has been ongoing for three years, and it is already necessary to prepare for future reconstruction. The Confederation of Builders of Ukraine, together with Finnish partners, is working on developing typical designs that can be incorporated into comprehensive spatial development plans for community territories.

This will accelerate Ukraine’s reconstruction, the restoration of schools, kindergartens, safety centers, outpatient clinics, police departments, service centers, and other social infrastructure.

👷 The CBU President drew colleagues’ attention to the urgent issue of workforce shortages in Ukraine. It is known that if a person does not work in their profession for two years, they lose their qualifications. Therefore, it is crucial to promote the return of skilled workers from abroad and create appropriate working conditions for them.

During the reconstruction period, there is a possibility of engaging workers from neighboring countries. However, Ukraine will not be able to invite consulting engineers from partner countries. Therefore, in this process, the ICEG, as the main engineering and consulting institution, plays a very important role.

🤝 Finally, Lev Partskhaladze thanked colleagues for their reliable partnership and the ICEG’s contribution to Ukraine’s recovery. 

👤 As part of the meeting, Anatoliy Berkuta, Vice President of the CBU, delivered a motivational speech, stating that quality reconstruction of Ukraine requires accurate statistics on all destroyed objects.

He emphasized the need to develop territorial communities, ensure job creation, and develop new documentation for the modernization of Ukraine.

Participants of the event also discussed the following issues:

🔸 international trends in the engineering and consulting sector;

🔸 organizational and legal support for the activities of consulting engineers in Ukraine;

🔸 specifics of determining the cost of engineering services in construction;

🔸 competence, fair competition, and ethical norms in the activities of consulting engineers;

🔸 practical aspects of involving consulting engineers in implementing construction projects.

We thank the Interstate Consultants Engineers Guil, led by Oleksandr Nepomnyashchyy, for the opportunity to participate in this event. We believe that through quality cooperation with partners, we will rebuild a strong and modern Ukraine!

WE WILL WIN AND REBUILD EVERYTHING! 💪

TOGETHER TO VICTORY! 

GLORY TO UKRAINE! 💙💛