PP AUSAT REVIEWER (TERMS ONLY)

R.A. 9266

An act providing for a more responsive and comprehensive regulation for the registration, licensing and practice of Architecture

Architecture

The art, science, or profession of planning designing and constructing buildings

Architect

A person professionally and academically qualified, registered and licensed under this Act with a Certificate of Registration and Professional Identification Card issued by the Professional Regulatory Board of Architecture and the Professional Regulation Commission, and who is responsible for advocating the fair and sustainable development, welfare and cultural expression of society's habitat in terms of space, forms and historical context

Architect-of-Record

Means the architect registered and licensed under this Act, who is directly and professionally responsible for the total design of the project for the client and who shall assume the civil liability for the plans, specifications and contract documents he/she has signed and sealed

Architect-in-charge of construction

Means an architect registered and licensed under this Act, who is directly and professionally responsible and liable for the construction supervision of the project

Architectural Firm

Means a sole proprietorship, a partnership or a corporation registered with the proper government agencies;

Qualifications of Members of the Professional Regulatory Board

(a) be a citizen and resident of the Philippines;

(b) be a holder of a degree in Bachelor of Science in Architecture conferred by a school, college or university in the Philippines or abroad that is recognized and/or accredited by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED);

(c) be an architect with a valid Certificate of Registration and Professional Identification Card and active practitioner of architecture for at least ten (10) years on the date of his/her appointment;

(d) not be a member of the faculty of any good school, college, university or review institution where a regular course or review course in architecture is taught, nor have pecuniary interest in such institution. No former member of the faculty of any school, institute, university or review center where architecture is taught can become a member of the Board unless he/she had officially resigned from such an institution and has completely stopped teaching, advising or reviewing activities for at least five (5) years prior to the nomination; and

(e) Has never been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude.

Qualifications of Applicant for Examination

(a) He/she is a Filipino citizen or a citizen of a foreign country qualified to take the examination as provided for in this Act;

(b) He/she is of good moral character;

(c) He/she is a holder of a degree of Bachelor of Science in Architecture conferred by a school, college, academy or institute duly recognized and/or accredited by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and in addition has a specific record of at least two (2) years or equivalent of diversified architectural experience duly certified by a registered/licensed architect: Provided, however, That an applicant holding a Master's Degree in Architecture from a school, college, university or institute recognized by the government shall be credited one (1) year in his/her practical experience; and

(d) He/she has not been convicted of any criminal offensive involving moral turpitude.

General Powers and Functions of the Secretary under

PD 1096

(1) Formulate policies, plans, standards and guidelines on

building design, construction, use occupancy and

maintenance, in accordance with this Code.

(2) Issue and promulgate rules and regulations to implement the

provisions of this Code and ensure compliance with

policies, plans, standards and guidelines formulated under

paragraph 1 of this Section.

(3) Evaluate, review, approve and/or take final action on

changes and/or amendments to existing Referral Codes as

well as on the incorporation of other referral codes which

are not yet expressly made part of this Code.

(4) Prescribe and fix the amount of fees and other charges that

the Building Official shall collect in connection with the

performance of regulatory functions.

Accessoria or Row House

A house of not more than two storeys, composed of a row or dwelling units entirely separated from one another by partly wall or walls and with an independent entrance for each dwelling units.

Accessory Building

A building subordinate to the main building on the same lot and used for purposes customarily incidental to those of the main building such as servants quarters, garage, pump house, laundry, etc.

Alley

Any building space or thoroughfare which has been dedicated or deeded to the public or for public use as a passageway with a width of not more than three meters.

Alteration

Any change, addition, or modification in construction of occupancy.

Apartment

A room or suite of two or more rooms, designed and intended for, or occupied by one family for living, sleeping, and cooking purposes.

Arcade

Any portion of a building above the first floor projecting over the sidewalk beyond the first storey wall used as protection for pedestrians against rain or sun.

Assembly Hall

A building or a portion of a building used for the gathering together of fifty or more persons for such purposes as deliberation, workshop, entertainment, amusement, or awaiting transportation or of a hundred or more persons in drinking and dining establishments.

Awning

A movable shelter supported entirely from the exterior wall of a building and of a type which can be retracted, folded, or collapsed against the face of a supporting building.

Balcony

A portion of the seating space of an assembly room, the lowest part of which is raise 1.20 meters or more above the level of the main floor.

Basement

A portion of a building between floor and ceiling which is partly below and partly above grade but so located that the vertical distance from grade to the floor is less than the vertical distance from grade to ceiling.

Buildable Area

The remaining space in a lot after deducting the required minimum open spaces.

Building Height

The vertical distance from the established grade elevation to the highest point of the coping of a flat roof, to the average height of the highest gable or a pitch or hip roof, or to the top of the parapet if the roof is provided with a parapet. In case of sloping ground, the average ground level of the buildable area shall be

considered the established grade elevation.

Court

An occupied space between building lines and lot lines other than a yard; free, open, and unobstructed by appendages from the ground upward.

Dwelling

Any building or any portion thereof which is not an "apartment house", "lodging house", or a "hotel" as defined in this Code which contained one or two "dwelling units" or "guest rooms", used, intended or designed to be built, used, rented, leased, let or hired out to be occupied, or which are occupied for living purposes.

Exit

A continuous and unobstructed means of egress to a public way, and shall include intervening doors, doorways, corridors, exterior exit balconies, ramps, stairways, smokeproof, enclosures, horizontal

exits, exit passageways, exit courts, and yards. An exit shall be deemed to be that point which open directly into a safe dispersal area or public way.

Footing

That portion of the foundation of a structure which spreads and transmits loads directly to the soil or the pile.

Garage

A building or portion thereof in which a motor vehicle containing gasoline, distillate, or other volative, flammable liquid in its tank, is stored, repaired, or kept.

Habitable Room

Any room meeting the requirements of this Code for sleeping, living, cooking, or dining purposes, excluding such enclosed spaces as closets, pantries, bath or toilet room, service rooms, connecting corridors, laundries, unfinished attics, storage, space cellars, utility rooms, and similar spaces.

Dead Load

The weight of the permanent portions of a building or structure; it includes the weight of the walls permanent partitions, framing floors, roofs, and all other permanent and stationary fixtures mechanism, and other construction entering into and becoming a part of a building or structure.

Live Load

The weight of the contents of a building or structure; it includes all loads except dead and lateral, and weight of temporary partitions, cases, counters, and similar equipment, and all loads imposed due to the occupancy of the building or structure.

Occupant Load

The total number of persons that may occupy a building or portion thereof at any one time.

Lot

A parcel of land on which a principal building and its accessories are placed or may be placed together with the required open spaces. A lot may or may not be the land designated as lot or recorded plot.

Masonry

A form of construction composed of stone, brick, concrete, gypsum, hollow clay tile, concrete block or tile, or other similar building units of material or combination of these material laid up unit and set in mortar.

Non-Conforming Building

A building which does not conform with the regulations of the district where it is situated as to height, yard requirement, lot area, and percentage of occupancy.

Occupancy

The purpose for which a building is used or intended to be used. The term shall also include the building or room housing such use.

Pier

An insolated mass of masonry forming support for arches, columns,

girders, lintels, trusses, and similar structural parts.

Enclosed Platform

A partially enclosed portion of an assembly room the ceiling of which is not more than 1.50 meters above the prossenium opening and which is designed or used for the presentation of plays, demonstrations, or other entertainment wherein scenery, drops, decorations, of the effects may be installed or used.

Public Way

A parcel of land unobstructed from the ground to the sky, more than 3.00 meters in width, appropriated to the free passage of the general public.

Repair

The construction or renewal of any part of an existing building for the purpose of its maintenance. The word "repair" shall not apply to any change of construction.

Shaft

A vertical opening through a building for elevators, dumbwaiters, mechanical equipment, or similar purposes.

Stage

A partially enclosed portion of an assembly building which is designed or used for the representation of plays, demonstrations, or other entertainment wherein scenery, drops or other effects may be installed or used, and where the distance between the top of the prosecenium openings and the ceiling above the stage is more than 1.50 meters.

Stairway

Two or more risers.

Storey

That portion of a building included between the upper surface of any floor and the upper surface of the floor next above, except that the topmost storey shall be that portion of a building included between the upper surface of the topmost floor and the ceiling or roof above. If the finished floor level directly above a basement, cellar or unused underfloor space is more than 3.60 meters above grade as defined herein at any point.

Street

Any thoroughfare of public space which has been dedicated or deeded to the public for public use.

Structure

That which is built or constructed, an edifice or building of any kind or any piece of work artificially built up or composed of parts joined together in some definite manner.

Wall Bearing

A wall which supports any load other than its own weight.

Curtain Wall

The enclosing wall of an iron or steel framework or the nonbearing portion of an enclosing wall between pier.

Dead Wall

A wall without openings.

Fire Wall

Any wall which subdivided a building so as to resist the spread of fire, by starting at the foundation and extending continuously through all storeys to, or above the roof. Extension above the roof is 1.00 meters.

Window

An opening through a wall of a building to the outsider for the purpose of admitting natural light andr.

Yard

The vacant space left in a lot between the building and the property line.

Parapet Wall

That part of any entirely above the roof line.

B.P. 344

Accessibility Law

R.A. 9514

Fire Code of the Philippines

Abatement

Any act that would remove or neutralize a fire hazard.

Curtain Board

A vertical panel of non-combustible or fire resistive materials attached to and extending below the bottom chord of the roof trusses, to divide the underside of the roof into separate compartments so that heat and smoke will be directed upwards to a roof vent.

Damper

A normally open device installed inside an air duct system which automatically closes to restrict the passage of smoke or fire.

Duct System

A continuous passageway for the transmission of air.

Dust

A finely powdered substance which, when mixed with air in the proper proportion and ignited will cause an explosion.

Ember

A hot piece or lump that remains after a material has partially burned, and is still oxidizing without the manifestation of flames.

Fire

The active principle of burning, characterized by the heat and light of combustion.

Finishes

Materials used as final coating of a surface for ornamental or protective purposes.

Fire Trap

A building unsafe in case of fire because it will burn easily or because it lacks adequate exits or fire escapes.

Fire Alarm

Any visual or audible signal produced by a device or system to warm the occupants of the building or fire fighting elements of the presence or danger of fire to enable them to undertake immediate action to save life and property and to suppress the fire.

Fire Door

A fire resistive door prescribed for openings in fire separation walls or partitions.

Fire Hazard

Any condition or act which increases or may cause an increase in the probability of the occurrence of fire, or which may obstruct, delay, hinder or interfere with fire fighting operations and the safeguarding of life and property.

Fire Lane

The portion of a roadway or public way that should be kept opened and unobstructed at all times for the expedient operation of fire fighting units.

Overloading

The use of one or more electrical appliances or devices which draw or consume electrical current beyond the designed capacity of the existing electrical system.

Public Assembly Building

Any building or structure where fifty (50) or more people congregate, gather, or assemble for any purpose.

Refining

A process where impurities and/or deleterious materials are removed from a mixture in order to produce a pure element of compound. It shall also refer to partial distillation and electrolysis.

Sprinkler System

An integrated network of hydraulically designed piping installed in a building, structure or area with outlets arranged in a systematic pattern which automatically discharges water when activated by heat or combustion products from a fire.

Standpipe System

A system of vertical pipes in a building to which fire hoses can be attached on each floor, including a system by which water is made available to the outlets as needed.

Vestibule

A passage hall or antechamber between the outer doors and the interior parts of a house or building.

Vertical Shaft

An enclosed vertical space of passage that extends from floor to floor, as well as from the base to the top of the building.

Mezzanine

A partial intermediate floor in any storey or room of a building having an area not more than one-half of the area of the room or space in which it is constructed.

Lot Line

The line of demarcation between either public and private property.

Floor Area

The area included within the surrounding exterior walls of a building or portion thereof, exclusive of vent shafts and courts. The floor area of a building or portion thereof not provided with surrounding exterior walls shall be the usable area under the horizontal projection of the roof or floor above.

Foundation

All the portions of the building or structure below the footing, the earth upon which the structure rests.

Common Hall

A corridor or passageway used in common by all the occupants within a building.

Building Line

The line formed by the intersection of the outer surface of the enclosing wall of the building and the surface of the ground.

Lintel

The beam or girder placed over an opening in a wall, which supports the wall construction above.