Integrated Code Compliance During Design

Functional Requirements

• Automatically gather and store essential project parameters including plot specifications, zoning classifications, height restrictions, adjacent infrastructure, and master plan constraints
• Retrieve only building regulations relevant to the specific project type, eliminating irrelevant provisions that clutter traditional code searches
• Anticipate and deliver applicable regulatory requirements for each design element as it develops, providing occupancy loads, dimensional constraints, and safety requirements before design decisions are finalised
• Monitor and incorporate regulatory amendments and local jurisdictional changes to ensure current compliance, with the ability to lock code versions to specific submission dates
• Enable shared access to project-specific regulatory findings with version control and change tracking
• Maintain comprehensive records of all regulatory decisions and their sources for permitting and liability purposes
• Identify potential code conflicts or ambiguities early, with suggested resolution pathways and professional consultation triggers
  

Technical Requirements

Core Requirements:

• Establish and maintain a clean, consistently structured, and systematically organised source of regulatory data* as the foundation for rule extraction and compliance checking
• Implement end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, and role-based access controls to protect sensitive project information in compliance with cybersecurity requirements related to the Official Secrets Act
• Maintain industry-specific data protection standards to meet professional liability insurance requirements
• Ensure client data remains within specified jurisdictional boundaries with clear data residency controls
• Generate comprehensive reports in standard formats (PDF, markdown, JSON, or XML) for legal documentation and archival purposes
• Create timestamped, immutable records of all regulatory findings with source citations, code version references, and decision rationales
• Integration with major design software platforms (Revit, ArchiCAD, or Rhino) and project management systems
• Comprehensive logging of all user actions, code queries, and system responses with tamper-evident timestamps

* Note: This regulatory data should also be accurate, verbatim to the source, to avoid potential legal issues.

Additional Preference:

• Export findings directly into architectural documentation templates and BIM software formats
• Maintain core functionality during internet outages with local code caching and synchronisation upon reconnection
• Support concurrent multi-user access with real-time collaboration and conflict resolution

‍Expected Outcomes

• Reduction in manual compliance research, which currently may take up to 30 minutes or more per code query, saving up to 60% of time across a project lifecycle
• Reduced incidence of non-compliance being discovered late in the design process, minimising costly rework and delays (late-stage revisions that typically require 3 to 5 times more resources to implement)
• Improved knowledge-sharing within project teams through collaborative access and traceable audit trails
• Increased design efficiency by surfacing only relevant regulatory requirements at the right time, integrated into the design workflow
• Enhanced professional liability protection through version-locked, timestamped documentation of compliance decisions

Deployment Environment and Constraints

The system must function in the real-world context of architectural design practice, where teams manage projects spanning residential, commercial, and institutional sectors while navigating multiple overlapping regulatory authorities. Architects and designers frequently work across different platforms (e.g., Revit, ArchiCAD, and Rhino), often in collaborative, multi-stakeholder environments with frequent design changes.

The solution must therefore integrate smoothly into existing BIM-based workflows without imposing steep learning curves, support projects of varying complexity and scale, and remain reliable in dynamic, iterative design settings.

WOHA may provide access to active Singapore-based architecture projects. These will include residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments, allowing the solution to be tested across diverse regulatory and design contexts. Such projects are ideal as they involve multiple building types within a single development (retail, residential, office, and/or hotel), where regulatory complexity is high and the benefits of proactive compliance integration would be most apparent.

Their design teams will actively use the tool during live workflows, providing structured feedback on usability, accuracy, and the contextual relevance of regulatory checks. This feedback will be used to fine-tune the tool’s functionality and user interface. By testing in real project environments, the POC will evaluate both technical performance (e.g., rule-matching accuracy, update responsiveness) and practical adoption factors (e.g., ease of integration into design workflows, time savings achieved).

WOHA will provide:

• Access to live project design workflows for pilot deployment
• A dedicated liaison to support the project and test proof-of-concepts, providing essential domain expertise and industry connectivity throughout development phases
• Representative case studies involving diverse regulatory requirements
• Ongoing iteration support to refine integration with design tools

‍Commercialisation and Scaling

Once validated, the solution has potential to scale across the wider architecture and design industry. Singapore’s regulatory environment is both dense and dynamic, making proactive compliance particularly valuable.

WOHA anticipates demand not only within its own practice but also across other firms seeking to reduce compliance risks and improve efficiency. The solution could also serve as a platform for regulatory authorities, consultants, and contractors to streamline rule-checking and documentation in a shared, transparent environment.