BSYDES REVIEWER

Part 1. Introduction to the Building Code Design Requirements by NSCP

1.1 National Building Code of the Philippines (NBCP) • There are five general design requirements based
• is applied for the over-all design of a building on the NSCP, these are: strength requirement,
including its key functional areas, site location, serviceability requirement, structural analysis,
inclusion for provisions in water, sanitation, etc. foundation investigation, and design review.
• a Presidential Decree 1096 by the former 1.3 Plan Enforcement
president Ferdinand E. Marcos in February 19,
Building Official – enforces and implements within
1977, an act to adopt a national building code in
his governing a specific area of jurisdiction the
the Philippines as implemented by the Republic
National Building Code
Act 6541.
• The National Building Code of the Philippines is These building officials are the following:
the policy of the Philippines to safeguard life,
health, property, and public welfare, that is a. Public Works District Engineer (from the
consistent with the principles of sound Department of Public Works and Highways,
environmental management and control. DPWH),
• It aims to regulate and control their location, site, b. City Engineer (from a city local government), and
design, quality of materials, construction, use, c. Municipal Engineer (from a municipal local
occupancy, and maintenance. government).

General Building Requirements by NBCP Qualifications of Building Officials As stated in the

National Building Code of the Philippines, no person
a. All buildings or structures as well as accessory shall be appointed as a Building Official unless
facilities shall conform in all respects to the he/she possesses the following qualifications:
principles of safe construction and must be suited
to the purpose for which they are designed 1. A Filipino citizen and of good moral character
b. Buildings or structures intended to be used for the 2. A duly registered architect or civil engineer
manufacture and/or production of any kind of
product shall observe adequate environmental 3. A member of good standing of a duly accredited
safeguards organization of his profession for not less than two years
c. Buildings or structures and all its parts as well as
4. Has at least five years of diversified and professional
all facilities found within it shall be maintained in
experience in building design and construction
safe, sanitary and good working condition
Duties of the Building Official
General Site Requirements by NBCP
a. issuing building permits.
• This land or site upon which will be constructed
b. inspect and determine compliance with the
with any building or structure, or any ancillary or
requirements of this Code, and the terms and
auxiliary facility, should be sanitary, hygienic or
conditions provided for in the building permit
safe. In the case of sites or buildings intended for
when it was issued., the Building Official
human habitation, the land or site should also be
c. may order the work to be stopped When any
sanitary, hygienic or safe within a safe distance, as
building work is found to be contrary to the
determined by competent authorities, from
provisions of this Code
streams or bodies of water and/or sources
d. is authorized to order the discontinuance of the
considered to be polluted; from a volcano or
occupancy or use of any building or structure or
volcanic site and/or any other building that is
portion found to be occupied or used contrary to
considered to be a potential source of fire or
the provisions of this Code.
explosion.
1.2 National Structural Code of the Philippines 1.4. Building Permit
(NSCP)
• focuses on the specific aspects of the structural • No entity shall erect, construct, alter, repair, move,
design of a building. This provides standards in convert, or demolish any building or structure
properly designing a safe, sturdy, and long-lasting without first obtaining a building permit from the
structure. Building Official
• The National Structural Code of the Philippines A building permit, specifically its application form which
has gone many versions, from its first release in can be acquired from the Office of the Building Official
1972 as National Structural Code for Buildings (OBO), contains at least the following information:
(NSCB) then on its third edition in 1987 as the
National Structural Code of the Philippines • description of the work to be covered by the permit
(NSCP), up to the current 7th edition of NSCP applied for
2015. • description and ownership of the lot on which the
• The provisions of the code applies to the proposed work is to be done
construction, alteration, moving, demolition, repair, • use or occupancy for which the proposed work is
maintenance, and use of buildings, towers, and intended
other vertical structures within its jurisdiction. • estimated cost of the proposed work
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Supporting Documents recorded. Upon completion of the construction,
the said licensed architect or civil engineer shall
• Barangay Clearance; Association Certificate; submit the logbook, duly signed and sealed, to
Consent of Owner/SPA the Building Official.
• Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT); Tax Declaration; • He shall also prepare and submit a Certificate of
Deed of Absolute Sale Completion of the project stating that the
• Contract/Agreement with the General Contractor construction of building conforms to the
(contract price included); Contract/Agreement with provisions of this Code as well as with the
the Subcontractors (contract price included) approved plans and specifications.
• Fire Safety Certificate Checklist
• Location Clearance 1.5. Occupancy Permit
• DENR Environmental Compliance Certificate
• After submitting the Certificate of Completion to
• Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) the Building Official along with various documents
Certificate supporting this document, the Building Official
• Fully accomplished application forms for: shall conduct its final inspection prior to an
o Building Permit issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy. This
o Sanitary/Plumbing Permit Certificate of Occupancy (or Occupancy
o Electrical Permit Permit) certifies that the finished building or
o Mechanical Permit structure or its portion, after its inspection by an
• Sets of technical plans: inspector or enforcer from the Office of the
o Architectural/Building Plans Building Official, has been successfully
o Structural Plans completed in compliance with the standards set
o Plumbing/Sanitary Plans by the National Building Code of the Philippines.
o Electrical Plans • As mandated by the National Building Code of the
o Mechanical Plans Philippines, no building or structure shall be used
o Structural Design Computations (structural or occupied and no change in the existing use or
analysis) occupancy classification of a building or structure
o Bill of Materials or its portion shall be made until the Building
o Project Specifications Official has issued a Certificate of Occupancy. A
The Building Official will check the following factors: certificate of Occupancy shall be issued by the
Building Official within thirty days if, after final
• approved standard requirements on zonings and inspection and submittal of a Certificate of
land use Completion, it is found that the building or
• lines and grades structure complies with the provisions of this
• structural design Code. The Certificate of Occupancy shall be
• sanitary and sewerage posted or displayed in a conspicuous place on
• environmental, health, electrical and mechanical the premises and shall not be removed except
safety upon order of the Building Official.

Issuance and Validity of Building Permits Part 2. Design Provisions of the Building Code

• The Building Official shall, within fifteen days 1.6. Types of Construction
from payment of the required fees by the
Type I buildings shall be a wood
applicant, issue the building permit applied for.
construction. The structural elements may
• Approved plans and specifications shall not be Type 1
be any of the materials permitted by this
changed, modified or altered without the approval Code
of the Building Official.
Type II buildings shall be of wood
• A building permit issued under the provisions of construction with protective fire-
this Code shall expire and become null and void resistant materials and one-hour fire-
if the building or work authorized is not Type 2 resistive throughout: Except, that
commenced within a period of one year from permanent non-bearing partitions may use
the date of the permit, or if the building or work fire-retardant treated wood within the
so authorized is suspended or abandoned at framing assembly
any time after it has been commenced, for a
Type III buildings shall be of masonry and
period of 120 days.
wood construction. Structural elements
Inspection and Supervision of Work may be any of the materials permitted by
Type 3 this Code: Provided, that the building shall
• a duly licensed architect or civil engineer to be one-hour fire-resistive throughout.
undertake the full-time inspection and Exterior walls shall be of incombustible fire-
supervision of the construction work resistive construction.
• There shall be kept at the jobsite at all times a Type IV buildings shall be of steel, iron,
logbook wherein the actual progress of concrete, or masonry construction.
construction including tests conducted, weather Type 4
Walls, ceiling, and permanent partitions
conditions and other pertinent data are to be shall be of incombustible fire-resistive
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construction: Except, that permanent non- • Group I: Assembly with Occupant Load of 1000
bearing partitions of one-hour fire-resistive or more
construction may use fire-retardant treated • Group J: Accessory
wood within the framing assembly.
Type V buildings shall be fire-resistive. The Section 702. Change in Use
structural elements shall be of steel, iron, • the National Building Code of the Philippines
Type 5 concrete, or masonry construction. Walls, strictly mandates that no change shall be made
ceilings, and permanent partitions shall be in the character of occupancy or use of any
of incombustible fire-resistive construction building which would place the building in a
different division of the same group of occupancy
Changes in the Type of Construction or in a different group of occupancies, unless
such building is made to comply with the
• The National Building Code of the Philippines
requirements of this code for such division or
strictly mandates that no change shall be made in
group of occupancy.
the type of construction of any building which
would place the building in a different sub-type or Section 703. Mixed Occupancy
type of construction unless such building is made
to comply with the requirements for such sub-type 1. When a building is of mixed occupancy or used for
of construction. An exception is provided by the more than one occupancy, the whole building shall be
code when such changes in the type of subject to the most restrictive requirement
construction has been approved by the Building pertaining to any of the type of occupancy found in the
Official upon showing that the new or proposed building except in the following:
construction is less hazardous, based on life and • When a one-storey building houses more than
fire risk, than the existing or current type of one occupancy, each portion of the building shall
construction. conform to the requirement of the particular
occupancy.
1.7. Fire Provisions • Where minor accessory uses do not occupy more
• The Fire Code of the Philippines, as enacted by than ten percent of the area of any floor or a
RA9514, is implemented to ensure that buildings building, nor more than ten percent of the basic
are equipped with fire safety features which area permitted in the occupancy requirements, in
enables the building and its occupants to be safe which case, the major use of the building
in case of fire. determines the occupancy classification.
2. Forms of Occupancy Separation. Occupancy
• Fire zones are areas within which only certain
separation shall be vertical or horizontal or both, or
types of buildings are permitted to be constructed
when necessary, of such other forms as may be
based on their use or occupancy, type of
required to afford a complete separation between the
construction, and resistance to fire. Fire-Resistive
various occupancy divisions in the building.
Requirements in Construction
3. Types of Occupancy Separation. Occupancy
• Fire-resistive rating means the degree to which a
separation shall be classified as "One-Hour Fire-
material can withstand fire as determined by
Resistive", "Two-Hour Fire-Resistive, "Three-Hour
generally recognized and accepted testing
Fire-Resistive" and "Four-Hour Fire-Resistive."
methods.
• Fire-resistive time period rating is a much more Part 3. Building the Site Development Plan
measurable than the previous one which defines
the length of time a material can withstand being SECTION 704. Location on Property
burned which may be one-hour, two-hours, three- 1. General
hours, four-hours, etc. a. No building shall be constructed unless it adjoins
1.8. Occupancy Requirements (see Section 701 of or has direct access to a public space, yard or
street on at least one of its sides.
Building Code & Table VII.1) b. For the purpose of this Section, the centerline of
an adjoining street or alley shall be considered an
RULE VII. Classification and General Requirements of all
adjacent property line.
Buildings by Use or Occupancy
c. Eaves over required windows shall not be less
Section 701. Occupancy Classified than 750 millimeters from the side and rear
property lines.
• Group A: Residential Dwellings
• Group B: Residentials, Hotels, and Apartments SECTION 705. Allowable Floor Areas
• Group C: Education and Recreation
• Allowable Maximum Total Gross Floor Area
• Group D: Institutional (TGFA) (Table 7.1)
• Group E: Business and Mercantile • Floor-Lot Area Ratio (FLAR) (Table 7.G.1, Table
• Group F: Industrial 7.G.2, Table 7.G.3)
• Group G: Storage and Hazardous • Total Lot Area (TLA)
• Group H: Assembly other than Group I
SECTION 706. Allowable Floor Area Increases
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The floor areas hereinabove provided may be increased the parking requirements are complied with and
in certain specific instances and under appropriate integrated in the building design.
conditions, based on the existence of public space streets ii. Special Provision on the Handicapped: For
or yards extending along and adjoining two or more sides buildings/structures to be provided with features
of the building or structure subject to the approval of the intended for the use or occupancy of the
Building Official. handicapped, the minimum provisions of Batas
Pambansa (BP) Bilang 344 and its Implementing
Rules and Regulations (IRR} with respect to
SECTION 707. Maximum Height of Buildings parking shall be strictly observed.

Building Height Limit (BHL) (Table 7.2) Off-street parking refers to parking facilities that are
located away from public roads or streets
BUILDING HEIGHT LIMIT (BHL) - the maximum height
to be allowed for buildings/structures based on their 4. Allowed Off-RROW/Off Street cum Off-Site Parking
proposed use or occupancy; the BHL is generally Provision:
determined after the application of other development
i. In addition to on-site cum off-RROW (off-street}
controls (DC) and certain other parameters, i.e.
parking provisions mandated under this Rule. off-
considerations of site conditions. view, etc. (Table VII.2 of
site cum off-street parking facilities may be.
this Rule). The BHL shall be generally measured from the
allowed and considered part of a project provided
established grade line to the topmost portion of the that such facilities specifically consist of reserved
proposed building structure. or leased parking slots within a permanent
1. Establishing Grade parking building/structure and not in a vacant
parking lot or parking structure/space for
commercial development and provided further
that such parking slots are located no more than
100.00 meters away from a residential building
project or are located no more than 200.00
meters away from an office or commercial
building project.
ii. Direct access of parking/loading/utility slots. and
terminals to the RROW shall be generally
disallowed to prevent the usage of the RROW as
a maneuvering area.
2. Parking Slot, Parking Area and Loading/Unloading iii. Traffic-generating buildings such as shopping
Space Requirements (Road Right-of-Way (RROW) malls or similar facilities that have very high
(Table 7.4)) volumes of pedestrian and vehicular traffic may
The size of an average automobile (car) parking slot be located at major intersections or within 100.00
must be computed at 2.50 meters by 5.00 meters for meters of such intersections, provided that the
perpendicular or diagonal parking and at 2.15 meters distance between the street curb of the
by 6.00 meters for parallel parking. A standard truck ingress/egress of such a commercial lot/property
or bus parking/loading slot must be computed at a (nearest the intersection} and the straight curb of
minimum of 3.60 meters by 12.00 meters. An the intersection shall not be less than 50 meters.
articulated truck slot must be computed at a minimum {Fig. VIL9.)
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 completed at a minimum of 3.00 meters by
9.00 meters. The parking slots shaft be drawn to scale
and the total number of which shall be indicated on
the plans and specified whether or not parking
accommodations are attendant managed. Table Vll.4.
Minimum Required Off-Street (Off-RROW) cum On-
Site Parking Slot, Parking-Area and
Loading/Unloading Space Requirements by Allowed
Use or Occupancy
3. In computing for parking slots, a fraction of 50% and
above shall be considered as one (1) car parking slot
to be provided. In all cases, however, a minimum of SECTION 708. Minimum Requirements for Group A
one (I) car parking slot shall be provided unless Dwellings
otherwise allowed under this Rule.
i. Multi-floor parking garages may serve the 20% SECTION 709. Requirements for Other Group
parking requirements of the building/structure Occupancies
within 200-meter radius, provided at least 80% of
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Subject to the provisions of the Code, the Secretary shall or steel fire escapes not exceeding 1.2 meters in
promulgate rules and regulations & for each of the other width.
Group Occupancies covering allowable construction,
FOR MARIONNE MAGANDAA ONLYY <3
height, and area, location on property, exit facilities, light
and ventilation, sanitation, enclosures of vertical
openings, fire extinguishing systems, and special
hazards.

Part 4. Building the Floor Plan

RULE VIII. Requirements for Light and Ventilation

Section 801. General Requirements of Light and

Ventilation

• all buildings shall face a street or public alley or a

private street which serves as its access to and
from the building.
• no building should be enlarged so that the
dimensions of a required court or yard would be
less than the prescribed for the building.

Section 802. Measurement of Site Occupancy

Projection into Alleys or Streets

• footings located at least 2.4meters below grade

along national roads or public highways may
project not more than 300millimeters beyond the
property line.
• As such, foundations may be permitted to
encroach into public sidewalk areas to a width not
exceeding 500millimeters; provided that the top
of the said foundation is not less than
600millimeters below the established grade. This
provision is under a condition that the projection
does not obstruct any existing utility i.e. power,
communication, water or sewer lines unless the
owner concerned shall pay the corresponding
entities for the rerouting of the parts of the
affected utilities.

Projection of Balconies and Appendages over Streets

As stated in the National Building Code of the Philippines,

the extent of any projection over an alley or street shall be
in uniform within a block, in conformance with the
limitations set in the Table 1003-A: Projection of Balconies
and Appendages (Annex B-2) of the code. The table has
been provided below for reference. The clearance
between the established grade of the street and/or
sidewalk shall not be less than 3 meters.

Section 803. Percentage of Site Occupancy, see Table

VIII.1

Section 804. Sizes and Dimensions of Courts

Court, or courtyard

• the minimum horizontal dimension of the court

shall be not less than 2 meters.
• All inner courts should be connected to a street or
yard by a passageway with a minimum width of
1.2meters or by a door through a room or rooms.
• Courts, yards, and light wells shall be measured
clear of all projections or protrusions of any kind
from the walls enclosing such wells or yards with
the exception of roof leaders, wall copings, sills,