Fact sheets

Ministry of Public Works Building Department
The Ministry of Public Works has five key departments, which fall under the umbrella of Building Department. The major function of building department is designing and supervision of the construction and maintenance of movement building projects. The building department offers other Ministries, government departments and parastatals consultancy services for building works. The five key departments are also charged with the responsibility of advising the government on building matters, setting and maintenance of standards of public building. This responsibility is also extended to other government institutions.
The departments are
Architectural Department: The department is responsible for rendering of those services required to obtain the clients accommodation requirements, translate these into building designs and then carry out the construction and subsequent maintenance of the buildings by advising on standards of design and construction of government building and providing client ministries with estimates of costs of buildings and structural works.
Electrical and Mechanical Department: The department’s mandate is to design, supervise, and maintain electrical/electronic and mechanical engineering services in public buildings and institutions. This includes installation and maintenance of lifts and elevators, PABX, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV), refrigeration services, fire protection services among others.
Structural Department: The Structural Department is responsible for the design, documentation, supervision of structural and civil engineering components in all government building and Institutions. It is also responsible for design and construction of sea protection works, jetties and gives structural advice on major structures and any other buildings in the country.
Quantities and Contracts: The department prepares approximate and/or detailed estimates for building/construction projects for purposes of forward Budgets, works programmes, prepares valuations for interim payment certificates and final accounts and advises other ministries and government departments on matters relating to building construction contracts in conjunction with the Attorney-General’s chambers.
The Kenya Building Research Centre: The Kenya building Research Centre is responsible for carrying out research on building materials and systems to facilitate availability of innovative and cost effective building materials and technologies. The department is also charged with the responsibility of disseminating information relating to the building construction industry.