To better understand the opportunities and barriers that U.S. public and private stakeholders face, IAPMO undertook a review of technical requirements in several ASEAN member economies. The vision of this work was guided by two interconnected strategic priorities:
- Provide guidance to international manufacturers and U.S. exporters to better understand the current standards and conformity assessment landscape for plumbing, water efficiency, and water quality standards within the priority markets;
- Identify opportunities and barriers to trade and industry development for potential
collaboration between public and private stakeholders operating in the region.
- This study was developed for the purpose of understanding how ASEAN member economies utilize
internationally recognized standards in the development of their water and sanitation systems, aligning critical infrastructure objectives with trade considerations. Plumbing codes and related technical regulations are important policy tools for managing the safety, security, health, environment and economy of this critical aspect of the building sector. They are also regulatory tools for helping economies adapt to water stresses, protect water quality and improve energy efficiency. Plumbing standards also provide policymakers with an important tool to promote sustainability, encourage economic growth, and develop smart cities.
This study is focused on plumbing-related regulations in Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. These countries were selected because of IAPMO’s historical involvement in each country and as a representative sample of the other seven ASEAN countries. As part of its review, IAPMO examined several key elements for each country:
- Industry-developed international standards that are referenced in each country’s plumbing
installation code of practice
- Technical regulations on plumbing fittings/fixtures, piping, and water treatment technologies
- Mandatory and voluntary certification requirements
It is recognized that the data included in this study is a snapshot of an ever-changing landscape. It is also limited to the input of important industry stakeholders who made every effort to provide a comprehensive review of technical requirements. IAPMO’s intent is that this research become the foundation for future development and actions.
KEY FINDINGS
In its review of the data gathered as part of this effort, IAPMO identified several key findings that are summarized below. These findings also include areas of potential collaboration between industry and policymakers in ASEAN economies.
- ASEAN represents an enormous market opportunity for the plumbing industry with a growing middle class, increasing disposable incomes and a continuing focus on infrastructure.
- ASEAN is at a critical stage in the development of its regulatory frameworks for water and sanitation systems. Today, there is an opportunity to shape and align market access requirements across the region and with the U.S. before regulations and conformity assessment requirements become too firmly entrenched in this sector.
- Similarly, without coordinated action there exists a risk of fragmentation among ASEAN markets, increasing the potential costs and technical barriers faced by exporters.
- Plumbing is central to the provision of water and sanitation services. However, inefficient and unsafe products crowd the marketplaces. Growth of the plumbing industry and trade in this region are hampered by:
- Incomplete, out-of-date, or misaligned technical regulations
- Lack of voluntary or mandatory certification schemes
- Recognition of international conformity assessment bodies, as well as further development and alignment of mandatory certification schemes, will help increase the competitiveness of quality products, including U.S. exports.
- National sustainability and disaster resiliency goals, as well as initiatives to promote smart cities in this region, are hindered by lack of regulation and enforcement of plumbing systems.
- Water efficiency requirements have rarely been adopted and enforced, despite growing populations, increased urbanization, and rising water stresses across the region.
- Ensuring water quality is a challenge throughout the region. In the built environment, these efforts are hampered by 1) insufficient technical regulations on water system components; and 2) limited regulatory requirements for water treatment technologies (e.g., point-of-use/point0of-entry systems).
- Progress has been made in aligning market access requirements in the region. Successful initiatives in this area have been industry-led and have greatly benefited from partnerships with U.S. government agencies and ministries in ASEAN member economies. More collaboration between public and private stakeholders will be essential to continuing to grow trade, remove technical barriers, and increase opportunities for international manufacturers and U.S. exporters.
