Building Standards

National Building Code of the Philippines

National Building Code of the Philippines

Presidential Decree No. 1096

Signed by

Ferdinand Marcos

Adopting a NBCP

Republic Act No. 6541

Chapter 1

General Provision

Section 102

Declaration of Policy

Section 102

Declared to the policy of the State to SAFEGUARD life, health, property, and public welfare

Section 103

Scope and Application

Section 103 A

The provisions of this Code shall apply to the design, location, siting, construction, alteration, repair, conversion, use, occupancy, maintenance, moving, demolition of

Section 103 B

Buildings and/or structures constructed before the approval of this Code shall not be affected

Section 104

General Building Requirements

Section 104 A

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.

Section 104 B

Buildings or structures intended to be used for the manufacture/product of any kind of article/product shall observe adequate environmental safeguards.

Section 104 C

Buildings or structures and all parts thereof as well as all facilities found therein shall be maintained in safe, sanitary and good working condition.

Chapter 4

Types of Construction

Section 401

Types of Construction

Type 1 Buildings

Shall be of wood construction.

Type 2 Buildings

• Shall be of wood construction with protective fire-resistant materials

• One-hour fire-resistive throughout

• Except, that permanent non-bearing partitions may use fire-retardant treated wood within the framing assembly.

Type 2 Buildings

Type 3 Buildings

• Shall be of masonry and wood construction.

• Shall be one-hour fire-resistive throughout

• Exterior walls shall be of incombustible fire-resistive construction.

Type 3 Buildings

Type 4 Buildings

• Shall be of steel, iron, concrete, or masonry construction.

• Walls, ceilings, and permanent partitions shall be of incombustible fire-resistive construction

• Except, that permanent non-bearing partitions of one-hour fire-resistive construction may use fire-retardant treated wood within the framing assembly.

Type 5 Buildings

• The structural elements shall be of steel, iron, concrete, or masonry construction

• Walls, ceilings, and permanent partitions shall be of incombustible fire-resistive construction.

Shall be fire-resistive

Type 5 Buildings

Chapter 7

Classification and General Requirement of All Buildings by Use or Occupancy

Section 701

Occupancy Classified

Section 701 A

Buildings proposed for construction shall be identified according to their use or the character of its occupancy and shall be classified

Group A

Residential Dwellings

Group B

• Residentials, Hotels and Apartment

Buildings that accommodates more than 10 persons.

Group B

Group C

• Education and Recreation

Buildings used for school or day-care purposes, involving assemblage for instruction, education, or recreation, and not classified in Group I & 2

Group C

Section 701 B

• Other subgroupings or divisions within Groups A to J may be determined by the Secretary.

• Any other occupancy not mentioned specifically in this Section, or about which there is any question, shall be included in the Group which it most nearly resembles based on the existing or proposed life and fire hazard.

Section 704

Location on Property

Section 704 A

• 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.

• Eaves over required windows shall not be less than 750 millimeters from the side and rear property lines

The purpose of this Section, the center line of an adjoining street or alley shall be considered an adjacent property line.

Section 704 A

Section 707

Maximum Height of Buildings

Section 707

• The height measured from the lowest adjoining surface shall not exceed such maximum height by more than 3.00 meters

• Except, that towers, spires, and steeples, erected as part of a building and not used for habitation or storage are limited as to height only by structural design if completely of incombustible materials

• May extend not to exceed 6.00 meters above the height limits for each occupancy group if of combustible materials.

How to measure the height of the buildings

It shall be measured from the highest adjoining sidewalk or ground surface

Section 708

Minimum Requirements for Group a Dwellings

Section 708 A

• Dwelling Location and Lot Occupancy

• The dwelling shall occupy not more than 90% of a corner lot

• 80% of an inside lot

• Easements of Light and View of the Civil Code of Philippines, shall be at least 2 meters from the property line.

Section 708 B

• Light and Ventilation

• Every dwelling shall be so constructed and arranged as to provide adequate light and ventilation as provided under Section 805 to Section 811, of this Code.

Section 708 C

• Sanitation

• Every dwelling shall be provided with at least one sanitary toilet and adequate washing and drainage facilities.

Section 708 D

• Foundation

• Footings shall be of sufficient size and strength to support the load of the dwelling

• Shall be at least 250 millimeters thick and 600 millimeters below the surface of the ground.

Section 708 E

• Post

• The dimensions of wooden posts shall be those found in Table 708- A

• Each post shall be anchored to such footing by straps and bolts of adequate size

Section 708 F

• Floor

• The live load of the first floor shall be at least 200 kilograms per square meter

• Second floor, at least 150 kilograms per square meter.

Section 708 G

• Roof

• The wind load for roofs shall be at least 120 kilograms per square meter for vertical projection.

Section 708 H

• Stairs

• Stairs shall be at least 750 millimeters in clear width, with a rise of 200 millimeters and a minimum run of 200 millimeters.

Section 708 I

• Entrance and Exit

• There shall be at least one entrance and another one for exit.

Section 708 J

• Electrical Requirements

• All electrical installation shall conform to the requirements of the Philippine Electrical Code.

Section 708 K

• Mechanical Requirements

• Mechanical systems and/or equipment installation shall be subject to the requirement of the Philippine Mechanical Engineering Code

Chapter 8

Light and Ventilation

Section 801

General Requirements of light and Ventilation

Section 801 B

All buildings shall face a street or public alley or a private street which has been duly approved.

Section 801 D

No building shall be enlarged so that the dimensions of the required court or yard would be less than that prescribed for such building.

Section 801 C

No building shall be altered nor arranged so as to reduce the size of any room or the relative area of windows to less than that provided for buildings under this Code

Section 802

Measurement of site occupancy

Section 802 A

The measurement of site occupancy or lot occupancy shall be taken at the ground level and shall be exclusive of courts, yards, and light wells.

Section 802 B

Courts, yards, and light wells shall be measured clear of all projections from the walls enclosing

Section 805

Ceiling Heights

Such wells or yards with the exception of roof leaders, wall copings, sills, or steel fire escapes should not exceed?

1.20 meters in width

Habitable rooms provided with artificial ventilation shall have ceiling heights not less than

2.40 meters measured from the floor to the ceiling

Provided that for buildings of more than one-storey, the minimum ceiling height of the first storey shall be

2.70 meters

Provided that for buildings of more than one-storey, the minimum ceiling height of the second storey shall be

2.40 meters

Provided that for buildings of more than one-storey, the succeeding storeys shall have an unobstructed typical head-room clearance of not less than

2.10 meters above the finished floor

Provided that for buildings of more than one-storey, the above stated rooms with a natural ventilation shall have ceiling heights not less than

2.70 meters

Section 805 B

Mezzanine floors shall have a clear ceiling height not less than 1.80 meters above and below it.

Section 806

Size and dimension of rooms

Minimum size of rooms and the least horizontal dimensions for Rooms for Human Habitations

6.00 square meters with a least dimension of 2.00 meters

Minimum size of rooms and the least horizontal dimensions for Kitchens

3.0 square meters with a least dimension of 1.50 meters

Minimum size of rooms and the least horizontal dimensions for Bath and toilet

1.20 square meters with a least dimension of 0.90 meter

Chapter 9

Sanitation

Section 902

Water supply system

Section 902 A

Whenever available, the potable water requirements for a building used for human habitation shall be supplied from existing municipal or city waterworks system.

The quality of drinking water from meteoric, surface or underground sources shall conform to the criteria set in the latest approved

National Standards for Drinking Water.

The design, construction and operation of deepwells for the abstraction of groundwater shall be subject to the provisions of

The Water Code of the Philippines.

Section 902 D

The design, construction and operation of independent waterworks systems private housing subdivisions or industrial estates shall be governed by existing laws relating to local waterworks system

The water piping installations inside buildings and premises shall conform to the provisions of

The National Plumbing Code of the Philippines.

Section 903

Wastewater disposal system

Sanitary sewage from buildings and neutralized or pre-treated industrial wastewater shall be discharged directly into the nearest street sanitary sewer main of existing municipal or city sanitary sewerage system in accordance with the criteria set by

The Code on Sanitation and the National Pollution Control Commission.

Section 903 B

All buildings located in areas where there are no available sanitary sewerage system shall dispose their sewage “Imhoff” or septic tank and subsurface absorption field.

Sanitary and industrial plumbing installations inside buildings and premises shall conform to the provisions of

The National Plumbing Code.

Section 904

Storm drainage system

Section 904 A

Rainwater drainage shall not discharge to the sanitary sewer system.

Section 904 B

Adequate provisions shall be made to drain low areas in buildings and their premises.

Chapter 10

Building projection over public streets

Section 1001

General requirements

No part of any building or structure or any of its appendages shall project beyond

The property line of the building site, except as provided in this Code.

The projection of any structure or appendage over a public property shall be

The distance measured horizontally from the property line to the uttermost point of the projection.

Section 1003

Projection of balconies and appendages over streets

Section 1003 A

The extent of any projection over an alley or street shall be uniform within a block and shall conform to the limitations set forth in Table 1003-A; Projection of Balconies and Appendages (Annex B-2).

The clearance between the established grade of the street and/or sidewalk and the lowest under surface of any part of the balcony shall not be less than

3.00 meters

Section 1005

Canopies (Marquees)

A canopy/marquee

A permanent roofed structure above a door attached to and supported by the building and projecting over a wall or sidewalk. This includes any object or decoration attached thereto.

The horizontal clearance between the outermost edge of the marquee and the curb line shall be not less than

300 millimeters.

The vertical clearance between the pavement or ground line and the undersurface of any part the marquee shall not be less than

3.00 meters.

A marquee shall be constructed of incombustible material or materials of not less than

• 2-hours fire-resistive construction.

• Shall be provided with necessary drainage facility.

Section 1005 D

Every marquee shall be so located as not to interfere with the operation of any exterior standpipe connection or to obstruct the clear passage from stairway exits from the building or the installation or maintenance of electroliers.

Section 1007

Doors, windows, and the like

Section 1007

Doors, windows, and the like less than 2.40 meters above the pavement or groundline shall not, when fully opened or upon opening, project beyond the property line except fire exit doors.

Chapter 12

GSection 1202eneral design and construction requirements