| dc.description.abstract | Abstract
Centering on the earthquake of November 2019 the aim of this thesis explores the main problems that lead to the extensive building damages in the context of Durres city. The study combines desk work and fieldwork-based methods research to answer the research questions:
1) What is the building codes' impact on society's vulnerability to seismic hazards in Albania?
2) How is the process of disaster management and post-earthquake reconstruction organized and implemented?
3) How can the country generate good practices in lowering building environment vulnerability and building resilience?
Under the core concepts of resilience, natural hazards, earthquake risk, vulnerability, and building code, the conducted the case study analysis from three perspectives: i) governmental institutions, ii) NGOs, iii) community emphasizing building code as a fundamental approach in achieving good practices in lowering building environment vulnerability.
The findings revealed a lack of/ outdated proper documents in building regulations, irregularities in the construction practices, as well as no use/ misuse of the building codes; outdated national documents in disaster management institutions; the community lacked/incomplete adequate knowledge over the building code regulations; no collaboration between responsible institutions between one another, no cooperation with the community in disaster risk preparedness before the earthquakes while emphasizing the role of NGOs in the emergency response and relief, as well as in the post-reconstruction progress.
Keywords: Durres earthquake, building code, building environment vulnerability | |
