The State Council released a circular on Sept 15, calling for national efforts to improve the quality of construction projects and to perfect the quality assurance system.

It requires project owners to strengthen quality control throughout the process, strictly follow the legal procedures, and fulfill their quality responsibility.

The circular, meanwhile, said project contractors should optimize their quality assurance system with professional quality management staff members to achieve traceability of responsibilities, and illegal subcontracting should not be allowed.

According to the circular, house owners and users should properly utilize and maintain the house, and it is forbidden to reconstruct the main body and the bearing structure without authorization.

Quality supervision by the government during construction processes should be intensified and the government procurement of such services is encouraged. Supervision over project security design will be enhanced to increase the overall structural and fire safety, stated the circular.

It is also mentioned in the circular that the organization mode of project construction should be reformed. Engineering procurement construction (EPC) should be implemented, and the responsibility in project quality and security, schedule control and cost management should be fulfilled.

The tender decision-making system should be perfected to further safeguard tenderers’ autonomous rights, said the circular. The tendering and bidding procedures will be simplified and online tendering and bidding as well as remote assessment will be carried out.

The circular encouraged to adopt letters of guarantee by construction surety companies and engineering guarantee insurance where the conditions permit.

To enhance the management of design and construction, the circular required scientific design of single residential buildings’ houses and a higher quality of residential environment with good security, practicability and livability.

Green construction mode will also be advocated. The criteria, certification and evaluation for green building materials should be improved with a higher bar for energy-saving products.

The circular also encouraged to properly retain and utilize existing architectures. Public architecture, properly planned and still in service, should not be dismantled without permission.

In the future, the country will also strengthen the support system in construction standards, materials quality management and scientific and innovation capacity.