By Mersina Isidorou
- General Director, Real Estate Development Association
The reform of the framework governing the management of multi-unit buildings presents a significant opportunity to address long-standing weaknesses that directly affect the safety, maintenance, and day-to-day operation of thousands of buildings and, by extension, the protection of property owners.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
As part of the ongoing discussion, the Real Estate Development Association submitted a targeted supplementary proposal to the Parliamentary Committee on Internal Affairs: the proposed electronic registration of jointly owned buildings and their management committees should serve as the basis for the gradual creation of a Digital Building Identity.
Electronic registration is a necessary first step. For effective management, however, a comprehensive and continuously updated picture of the building’s technical condition, the work that has been carried out, and its maintenance needs is required.
A Unified and Reliable Record
The core value of the Digital Identity lies in its ability to create a unified and reliable overview of each building, bringing together in one place the information necessary for proper management, maintenance, and security.
This may include details of the building and its individual units, urban planning and building permits, technical specifications of common-use facilities, certifications, technical reports, energy efficiency data, and a history of maintenance, repair, and upgrade work. At the same time, the details of the current Management Committee and authorized individuals can be recorded.
The goal is to ensure that information currently scattered across different files and departments—or not systematically recorded—is organized and available when needed.
In this way, the Management Committees will be able to know what work has already been completed, when the last technical inspection took place, and what interventions may be required. At the same time, information about the building will be preserved even when the Committee’s membership changes.
A well-organized history can thus facilitate timely maintenance, prevent problems, and enable better-informed decision-making.
Phased Implementation
For the Association, a key prerequisite is that the new infrastructure be designed correctly from the outset. The registry of jointly owned buildings, the registration of Management Committees, and the Digital ID should form interconnected parts of a unified system, with common technical specifications applied island-wide.
Implementation can take place in phases. Initially, the basic details of the building and the current Management Committee can be entered, and, in a subsequent stage, the available technical documents and maintenance history can be added.
Where possible, data already maintained by public agencies should be utilized to avoid having to resubmit the same information. At the same time, the framework should clearly define who is responsible for updating the data, who has access rights, and how data protection is ensured.
European practices that point the way
Similar practices are already in place in several European countries. In Greece, the Electronic Building ID has been in use since 2021 and functions as an electronic system for recording basic information about buildings and standalone properties. It is perhaps the most direct comparable example in relation to the Association’s proposal.
In Flanders, Belgium, the Woningpas and Gebouwenpas systems compile information from various sources on energy efficiency, building systems, and renovations. In France, the Carnet d’Information du Logement serves as an information file for residential properties and energy retrofit projects, while digital applications such as CLÉA compile technical, legal, and energy-related data.
These examples show that a similar approach is feasible and can be adapted to Cyprus’s needs.
Laying the Groundwork for Tomorrow
The proposal for a Digital ID should not delay the necessary reform of jointly owned buildings. On the contrary, the goal is for the new electronic infrastructure to be designed from the outset with the capacity for gradual evolution.
In this way, the current reform can serve as the foundation for a more modern building management model that supports prevention, proper maintenance, and the protection of property owners.
At a later stage, and after evaluating the appropriate institutional framework, the same approach could be considered for the country’s broader building stock.
The goal is not merely to digitize information, but to transition from a piecemeal approach to problem-solving to a systematic culture of prevention, maintenance, and safety for our buildings.
