The National Building

Code of the Philippines

CE 421 – Civil Engineering Laws, Ethics and Contracts

Professor
Presidential Decree 1096
 The Decree shall be known as the “National Building Code
of the Philippines”.
 apply to the design, location, siting, construction,
alteration, repair, conversion, use, occupancy,
maintenance, moving, demolition of, and addition to
public and private buildings and structures
 Exception: traditional indigenous family dwellings
General Building Requirements
 All buildings or structures as well as accessory facilities
thereto shall conform in all respects to the principles of
safe construction and must be suited to the purpose for
which they are designed.
 Buildings or structures intended to be used for the
manufacture and/or production of any kind of article or
product shall observe adequate environmental safeguards.
 Buildings or structures and all parts thereof as well as all
facilities found therein shall be maintained in safe,
sanitary and good working condition.
Building Official
 primarily responsible for the enforcement of the
provisions of PD 1096, its IRR, RIRR and ARR as well as
ordinances, orders, circulars, decisions made pursuant
thereto
 advises the Mayor, as the case may be, on matters relative
to the development of the construction industry
Qualifications of the Building Official
1. A Filipino citizen and of good moral character.
2. A duly registered architect or civil engineer.
3. A member of good standing of a duly accredited
organization of his profession for not less than two years.
4. Has at least five years of diversified and professional
experience in building design and construction.
Duties of the Building Official
 Implements the NBC and its IRR and related laws
 Issues building permits
 Enter any building or its premises at all reasonable times
to inspect and determine compliance with the NBC
 Order work stoppage and prescribe the terms and/or
conditions when the work will be allowed to resume when
any building work is found to be contrary to the NBC
 Order discontinuance of the occupancy or use of any
building or structure or portion thereof found to be
occupied or used contrary to the NBC
 Issues Certificate of Occupancy
Permits & Inspection
 No person, firm or corporation, including any agency or
instrumentality of the government shall erect, construct, alter,
repair, move, convert or demolish any building or structure or
cause the same to be done without first obtaining a building
permit from the Building Official assigned in the place where
the subject building is located or the building work is to be
done.
 Exemptions: A building permit shall not be required for the
following minor constructions and repairs, provided these shall
not violate any provision of the Code and this IRR.
 Validity: A building permit issued under the provisions of the
Code shall expire and become null and void if the building or
work authorized therein is not commenced within a period of
one (1) year after the issuance of the building permit, or is
suspended or abandoned at any time after it has been
commenced for a period of one hundred twenty (120) days.
Minor Construction
 Sheds, outhouses, greenhouses, children’s playhouses, aviaries,
poultry houses and the like, not exceeding 6.00 sq. meters in total
area, provided they are completely detached from any other building
and are intended only for the private use of the owner.
 Addition of open terraces or patios resting directly on the ground, not
exceeding 20.00 sq. meters in total floor area, exclusively for the
private use of the owner.
 Installation of window grilles.
 Garden pools for the habitation of water plants and/or aquarium fish
not exceeding 500 millimeters in depth and exclusively for private
use.
 Garden masonry walls other than party walls not exceeding 1.20
meters in height, footpaths, residential garden walks and/or
driveways.
Repair Works
 Repair works not affecting or involving any structural member, such as
replacement of deteriorated roofing sheets or tiles, gutters,
downspouts, fascias, ceilings and/or sidings.
 Repair and/or replacement of non load-bearing partition walls.
 Repair and/or replacement of any interior portion or a house not
involving addition or alteration.
 Repair and/or replacement work of doors and windows.
 Repair and/or replacement work of flooring.
 Repair of perimeter fence and walls.
 Repair and/or replacement of plumbing fixtures, fittings or pipings,
such as toilet bowls, sinks, lavatories, urinals, bidets, pipes, faucets,
valves for single detached dwellings and duplexes.
Certificate of Occupancy
 No building or structure shall be used or occupied and no
change in the existing use or occupancy classification of a
building or structure or portion thereof shall be made
until the Building Official has issued a Certificate of
Occupancy.
 issued within thirty (30) days if after final inspection and
submission of a Certificate of Completion
 Maintain a logbook containing the actual progress of
construction including tests conducted, weather conditions
and other pertinent data are to be recorded.
 Upon completion of the construction, the said licensed
architect or civil engineer shall submit the logbook, duly
signed and sealed, to the Building Official and a Certificate
of Completion
Location on Property
 No building shall be constructed unless it adjoins or has
direct access to a public space, yard or street on at least
one of its sides.
 The centerline of an adjoining street or alley shall be
considered an adjacent property line.
 Eaves over required windows shall not be less than 750
millimeters from the side and rear property lines.
 See guidelines on easement, view corridors/sight line,
street/road-right-of-way (RROW), sidewalks, arcades,
basements, lots and public building structures.
 See Suggested Minimum Lot sizes, lot dimensions and
types by Use or Occupancy
Allowable Floor Areas
 See Table VII.1 of the IRR - Allowable Maximum Total Gross
Floor Area (TGFA) Based on the Allowed Percentage of Site
Occupancy (PSO) of the Total Lot Area (TLA)
 The floor areas hereinabove provided may be increased in
certain specific instances and under appropriate
conditions, based on the existence of public space, streets
or yards extending along and adjoining two or more sides
of the building or structure subject to the approval of the
Building Official.
Maximum Height of Buildings
 The maximum height and number of storeys of proposed
building shall be dependent upon the character of use or
occupancy and the type of construction, considering end-
user population density, light and ventilation, width of
RROW/streets particularly of its roadway/carriageway
component, building bulk, off-street cum off-site parking
requirements, etc. and in relation to local land use plan
and zoning regulations as well as other environmental
considerations, e.g., geological, hydrological,
meteorological, topographical, prevailing traffic
conditions, the availability and capacity of public
utility/service systems, etc.
 See Table VII.2 - Building Height Limit (BHL) by Type of
Use or Occupancy
Parking Slot, Parking Area and
Loading/Unloading Space Requirements
 The size of an average automobile (car) parking slot must be computed at
2.50 meters by 5.00 meters for perpendicular or diagonal parking and at 2.15
meters by 6.00 meters for parallel parking.
 A standard truck or bus parking/loading slot must be computed at a minimum
of 3.60 meters by 12.00 meters.
 An articulated truck slot must be computed at a minimum of 3.60 meters by
18.00 meters which should be sufficient to accommodate a 12.00 meters
container van or bulk carrier and a long/hooded prime mover.
 A jeepney or shuttle parking/loading/unloading slot must be computed at a
minimum of 3.00 meters by 9.00 meters.
 Table VII.4 - Minimum off-street/off-RROW cum on-site requirements for
specific uses/occupancies for buildings/structures, i.e., all to be located
outside of the road right-of-way (RROW)
Minimum Requirements for Group A
Dwellings
 The dwelling shall occupy not more than 90% of a corner
lot and 80% of an inside lot and shall be at least 2.00 m
from the property line
 Every dwelling must have adequate light and ventilation.
 Every dwelling must have at least one (1) sanitary toilet
and adequate washing and drainage facilities.
 Footings shall be of sufficient size and strength to support
the load of the dwelling and shall be at least 250mm thick
and 600mm below the surface of the ground.
Minimum Requirements for Group A
Dwellings
 Dimension of Wooden Posts
Minimum Requirements for Group A
Dwellings
 The live load of the floor shall be at least 200kg per sqm
and for the second floor, at least 150 kg per sqm.
 Wind load for the roofs shall be at least 120kg per sqm for
vertical projection.
 Stairs shall be at least 750mm in clear width, with a rise
of 200mm & minimum run of 200mm.
 There shall be at least one (1) entrance and another for
exit.
 All electrical installations shall conform to the
requirements of the Philippine Electrical Code.
 Mechanical systems shall be subject to the requirements
of the Philippine Mechanical Engineering Code.
Requirement for other Group
Occupancies
 The DPWH Secretary shall promulgate rules and
regulations for each of the other group occupancies
covering:
 Allowable construction, height and area,
 Location on property,
 Exit facilities,
 Light & ventilation,
 Sanitation,
 Enclosure of vertical openings,
 Fire extinguishing systems, and
 Special hazards.
Light & Ventilation
 Governed by the Civil Code of the Philippines on
Easements of Light and View (Art. 667-673)
 All building shall face a street or public alley or a private
street which ha been duly approved.
 Maximum site occupancy shall be governed by the use,
type of construction, height of the building, area, nature
and location of the site subject to local zoning
requirements
 See Table VIII.1 – Table of Maximum Allowable of
Percentage Site Occupancy
Light & Ventilation
 Required open spaces hall be distributed anywhere within
the lot so as to provide maximum light and ventilation to
the building.
Light & Ventilation
 Required open spaces hall be distributed anywhere within
the lot so as to provide maximum light and ventilation to
the building.
Light & Ventilation
 Ceiling height – not less then 2.40 from floor to ceiling
 For 2 storey buildings or more: 1st -2.70m, 2nd – 2.40m, 2.10m for
others (unobstructed clearance above floor finish)
 Mezzanine floors – not less than 1.80m clear ceiling height
 Sizes & dimensions of rooms:
 For human habitation: 6.00 sqm with a least dimension of 2.00 m
 For Kitchen: 3.00 sqm with a least dimension of 1.50m
 For T&B: 1.20 sqm with least dimension of 900mm
Light & Ventilation
 Air Space Requirements:
 School rooms: 3.00 cu.m With 1 sqm per person
 Workshop, factories, offices: 12 cu.m airspace per person
 Habitable rooms: 14 cu.m of airspace per person
 Vents & shafts
 Vent shafts: cross sectional area of not less than 1.00 sqm for
every meter of height but in no case less then 1.00 sqm
 Unless opening to outer air at the top of its full area, vent shafts
shall be covered with skylight
 Air ducts shall open to a street or court by a horizontal duc or
intake with a minimum cross sectional area of 0.30 sqm &
dimension of 300 mm
Light & Ventilation
 Ventilation Skylights
 Glass area not less than that required for windows
 Equipped with movable sashes or louvers
 Artificial Ventilation
 Rooms housing industrial or heating equipment shall be
provided with artificial means of ventilation
Light & Ventilation
Light & Ventilation
 Window Openings:
 At least 10% of the floor area of the room but not less 1.00 sqm
 For T&B: not less than 1/20 of the floor area but not less than
240sqmm
 The window shall open directly to a court, yard, public street or
alley or open watercourse
 Windows may open into a roofed porch with at least a ceiling
height of 2.70m & 65% open and unobstructed
 Eaves, canopies and awnings (media agua) over windows shall
not be less than 750mmfrom the side and rear property lines
 No openings on firewalls
 All areas immediately outside a fire exit must be free of obstacle
& must lead to a direct access down into the ground or street
level
Light & Ventilation
 For a detailed discussion of the requirements, see
Guidelines (IRR) on easements, view corridor/sight lines,
street/road-right-of-way, sidewalks, arcades, basements,
lots, and public building structures
Sanitation: Water Supply System
 Water Supply system – supplied from existing municipal or
city waterworks system
 Design, construction & operation of deep wells for ground
water shall be subject to the provisions of the Water Code
of the Philippines (PD 1067).
 Design, construction & operation of independent
waterworks system of private housing/subdivisions shall
be governed by existing laws related to local water works
system
 Water piping installation including waster water drainage
shall conform to the provision of the Revised National
Plumbing Code of the Philippines.
Sanitation: Waste Disposal System
 Sanitary sewage from buildings and neutralized pre-
treated industrial waste water shall be discharged directly
into the nearest street sanitary main of existing municipal
or city sanitary sewerage system.
 All building in areas where there are no available sanitary
sewerage system shall dispose their sewage to “Imhoff” or
septic tank
 Sanitary and industrial plumbing installations inside
buildings and premises shall conform to the Revised
National Plumbing Code of the Philippines.
 All pipe materials shall conform to the standards of the
Bureau of Product Standards of DTI.
Sanitation: Storm Drainage System
 Rainwater shall not discharge to the sanitary sewer
system.
 Adequate provisions shall be made to drain rainwater from
low areas in buildings and their premises.
 Drainage pipe installation and sewerage system of any
premises and/or connection with any public disposal or
any acceptable terminal shall conform to the Revised
National Plumbing Code of the Philippines.
 All pipe materials shall conform to the standards of the
Bureau of Product Standards of DTI.
Sanitation: Pest Control System & Noise
Pollution Control System
 All buildings with hollow and/or wood construction shall
be provided with rat-proofing.
 Garbage bins and receptacles shall be provided with ready
means for cleaning with positive protection against entry
of pests and vermins.
 Dining rooms for public use without artificial ventilation
shall be properly screened.
 Industrial establishments shall be provided with positive
noise abatement to tone down the noise level of
equipment and machineries to acceptable limits set by
the DENR.
Building Projection Over Public Street

 Clearance shall not be less than 3.00m

Building Projection Over Public Street
 Arcades - covered passageway with arches along one or
both sides
Building Projection Over Public Street
 Canopy or Marquee – permanent roofed structure above a
door attached to and supported by the building&
projecting over a wall or sidewalk
 Awning – movable shelter supported entirely from an
exterior wall ; can be retracted, folded or collapsed
 Horizontal clearance between the outermost edge of the
marquee & curb line shall not be less than 300mm
 Vertical clearance for canopy shall not be less than 3.00m
 Doors, windows & the like less than 2.40m above the
pavement shall not project beyond the property line when
fully opened.
Building Projection Over Public Street
 Every corner building or solid fence on a public street or
alley less than 3.60min width shall be truncated at the
corner.
 The face of the triangle so formed shall be at right angle
at the bisector of the angle of intersection of the street
lines
 If the building is
arcaded, no chaflan
is required.
Protection of Pedestrians during
Construction or Demolition
 No person shall use or occupy a street, alley or public
sidewalk for the performance covered by a building
permit
 No person shall perform any work or any building or
structure adjacent to a public way in general use for
pedestrian travel
 Any material, building/structure temporarily occupying
public property, including fence, canopies, and walkways,
shall be adequately lighted between sunset and sunrise.
Protection of Pedestrians during
Construction or Demolition
 No person shall use or occupy a street, alley or public
sidewalk for the performance covered by a building
permit
 No person shall perform any work or any building or
structure adjacent to a public way in general use for
pedestrian travel
 Any material, building/structure temporarily occupying
public property, including fence, canopies, and walkways,
shall be adequately lighted between sunset and sunrise.
 Mixing of mortar, concrete or similar materials on public
streets shall not be allowed.
Protection of Pedestrians during
Construction or Demolition
 All public and private utilities and services above or below
the ground shall be protected from any damage.
 Protection shall be maintained while such work is being
done and shall not obstruct the normal functioning of such
facility.
 Temporary walkway shall be provided in case building
official authorizes a sidewalk to be fenced or closed
 Where walkway is 5m or less, no temporary walkway shall
be allowed.
Protection of Pedestrians during
Construction or Demolition
 Fence shall entirely enclose the construction or
demolition site
 Provision for protected canopies
 Warning signs shall be conspicuously posted around the
property. These signs shall be adequately illuminated at
night
General Design & Construction
Requirements
 Excavation, foundations & retaining walls
 Veneer
 Enclosure of vertical openings
 Floor construction
 Roof construction and covering
 Stairs, exits and occupant loads
 See Table XII.1 General Requirements for Occupant Loads & Exits
 Skylights
General Design & Construction
Requirements
 Bays, porches, balconies
 Penthouses and roof structures
 Chimneys, fireplaces and barbecues
 Fire extinguishing system
 Stages and platform
 Motion Picture Projection Rooms
 Lathing, Plastering & Installation of Wall Boards
Electrical and Mechanical Regulations
 Rule XIII of the IRR
 All electrical system, equipment & installations, shall
conform to the provisions of the Philippine Electrical Code
 All mechanical systems, equipment & installations, shall
conform to the provisions of the Philippine Mechanical
Code
Other Rules
 Photographic & X-Ray films
 Prefabricated construction
 Plastics
 Sheet Metal Paint Spray Booths
 Glass & Glazing
Use of Computers
 Used of computers for design of buildings are permitted
provided that all programs are documented
 Copy of the output sheets for computer-generated
computations shall be submitted as part of design
computations
 Accompanied by certification of designer/consultant