The World Organization of Building Officials (WOBO) was founded to fill a void and satisfy a number of needs. The need for an organization of building officials to deal with issues on a global scale began to emerge in the 1970s as a result of the following activities:

• The continuing expansion of international trade and commerce
• That more and more building officials found they were dealing with products that were manufactured in different countries and all to different standards
• Architects and designers from one country, designing structures to be located in other countries
• Participation of nations in the global marketplace
• Rapid development of new building technologies

Building officials did not have a global organization to provide a system for international communication and networking to assist them in the course of their daily activities.

In April 1981, a conference was held in the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This conference includes delegates from Australia and the United States of America. A motion was passed that the delegates should work toward the development of a world body of building officials. Together with the growing support from other countries, activity proceeded with the planning of a general meeting in order to gather such a world representation of building officials. The general meeting was planned to be part of the first international Building Officials World Conference, and it took place from June 3 to 8, 1984, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. At this first meeting, a motion was passed to form an international body of building officials. The body was to be called the World Organization of Building Officials (WOBO) and it was to be Associated with the United Nations. The founding of WOBO was voted on and approved by representatives from Australia, Botswana, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and United States of America, in the presence of a representative from the United Nations. Letters of support were received from 40 other countries.

Since the 1984 organization of WOBO in Saskatoon, Canada, National Advisory Councils have been formed in member countries, and National Directors appointed by the president. In the last decade, WOBO has organized or been involved with conferences; conventions and seminars in several countries. WOBO's first World Congress was held in London, UK, in 1987; its Second World Congress in Sydney, Australia, in 1990; its Third World Congress in New Orleans, USA, in 1993; its Fourth World Congress in Hong Kong in 1996; its Fifth World Congress in Dubai, U.A.E. in 2000 and its Sixth World Congress in Dallas, TX, USA in 2003.

Founding Countries
Australia – Botswana – Canada - Hong Kong  - India – Kenya – Malaysia - New Zealand - United Kingdom - United States of America.

Purpose
The purpose of WOBO is to provide a world organization for building officials and code administrators. The organization is associated with the United Nations:

• To Act as a media to transfer information from nation to nation, generators of technical information to users of the information
• To promote the concept of international standards and building codes for construction, materials, equipment and appliances

Objectives
To advance the professional status of those engaged in the administration and enforcement of codes and standards, WOBO will strive toward the following:

• To promote safeguards from potential hazards and to recommend solutions for preventing fire risks in existing buildings or buildings under construction
• To promote the concept of standardizing construction materials, equipment and appliances
• To promote the unification of legislation pertaining to the administration of codes and standards
• To collaborate with international organizations, governments and educational institutes to promote the development of training programs for building officials
• To encourage and establishment of national organization for building officials and national advisory committees
• To promote conferences, seminars and congresses of a national and international characters in furthering the objectives of the organization
• To promote the communication and exchange of information internationally through the WOBO News.

To carry out its primary objectives of advancing education through dissemination of knowledge in building science, technology and construction WOBO encourage the following:

1. The creation of an information clearing house through which each participating member can share:
• recent technological development in buildings products, designs and construction which are being introduced into the marketplaces
• their immediate public safety concerns which relate to the building environment; and
• information on their nation's building regulatory system and means of handling such issues as code adoption and changes, standards development and usage, education and training of code officials and enforcement personal, liability of code regulatory officials, and approval and use of new building technology.
2. The convening of round-table forums in which all member nations and organizations could candidly and freely discuss their building regulatory problems and seek common solutions to their mutually shared problems.
3. The sponsoring of symposia through which attendees can hear experts in code administration and construction fields and hold discussions to seek solutions to commonly shared problems in providing for the public's safety in buildings.