Building Regulation: Science Versus Values Based Decision Making

Research into government regulation indicates difficulties in drawing an equitable balance between the role of science and societal values in building regulation decision making. To explore how these views are being balanced in relation to one country's building regulations, an examination of the administrative processes used in the development of the Building Code of Australia has been undertaken. This approach to balancing competing interests evaluates whether the inclusion of stakeholders, particularly industry and the general public, affects the balance between the weighting of science and societal values. The research method focusses on a qualitative analysis of historical regulatory changes. It explores the role of policy deliberation, uncertainty and justification in the examination of environmental issues, science, and values. While the regulatory determinations involved in balancing the many views finds benefit in current processes, the key findings are that shortcomings are identified which have yet to be resolved.