PRIMER ON The Green Building Code of ➢ RA 9729 - “Climate Change Act of 2009”

AN ACT MAINSTREAMING CLIMATE

The Philippines CHANGE INTO GOVERNMENT POLICY
FORMULATIONS, ESTABLISHING THE
FRAMEWORK STRATEGY AND
PROGRAM ON CLIMATE CHANGE,
CREATING FOR THIS PURPOSE THE
CLIMATE CHANGE COMMISSION, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

➢ Section 2 As a party to the United Nations

• The buildings sector emission increase is due to a Framework Convention on Climate Change,
continued use of coal, oil and natural gas for the State adopts the ultimate objective of the
heating and cooking combined with higher activity Convention which is the stabilization of
levels in regions where electricity remains carbon- greenhouse gas concentrations
intensive
• Electricity consumption in building operations ➢ Section 2 the State has adopted the
represents nearly 55% of global electricity Philippine Agenda 21 framework which
consumption espouses sustainable development, to fulfil
• Buildings account for 36% of the national energy human needs while maintaining the quality of
consumption. the natural environment for current and
• High annual growth rate of 8% - 9% in the past future generations
years due to growing urbanization and high demand
for space. GREEN BUILDING The product of sustainable design

• 53%- 70% • practice of increasing efficiency with which

of a buildings use resources such as energy, water and
building's materials while also reducing the buildings’ impact on
energy human health and the environment
consumption • A green/sustainable design is a design that
is due to minimizes the negative human impacts on the
cooling natural surroundings, materials, resources and
processes that prevail in nature
• Promote resource management efficiency and site
sustainability while minimizing negative impact of
buildings on health and environment
BENEFITS

• Lower business costs

• Increase value of property
• Conserve resources
• Improve air quality
• Improve occupant health and productivity
• Save the planet

PHILIPPINE GREEN BUILDING CODE

1.Improve efficiency of building performance through set of

standards
2.Counter harmful gases responsible for effects of climate
change
3.Efficient use of resources, site, design, construction,
maintenance

Green building is the low-hanging fruit for GHG mitigation

actions. In the Philippines, green building practice is emerging.
Voluntary groups such as the US Green Building Council
• CO2 emission in prevalent in fossil-fuel burning, like
(USGBC), the Philippine Green Building Initiative (PGBI),
in fossil-fuel fired power plants.
and the Philippine Green Building Council (PGBC)
• Coal fired, natural gas and oil-fired powerplants
are predominantly used to supply energy to the grid
• One reason for the slow uptake of green building is
for the electricity demands of the buildings.
the perceived high cost of getting assessments and
• Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb much certifications, as well as the complicated requirements
of the long-wave energy emitted from the Earth's that only big developers can comply with.
surface, preventing it from immediately escaping from
• This gave rise to the general perception that green
the Earth's system. The greenhouse gases then
buildings are expensive and cater only to big
reemit this energy in all directions, warming the
developments
Earth's surface and lower atmosphere.
• Thus, in the hope of catalyzing market transformation,
• A root cause of global warming that brings climate
government took the “mandatory” track with minimum
change is the growing amount of greenhouse gas in
and simple measures
the atmosphere which traps the heat from the sun.
• The Philippine Green Building Code (“GB Code”) was
CO2 emissions is one of the major contributors
signed by DPWH Secretary Rogelio L. Singson on
• According to the World Meteorological
June 22, 2015.
Organization (WMO), there was a 32% warming of
• The GB Code focuses on six aspects:
the world’s climate mainly due to carbon dioxide.
Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Material
• Carbon dioxide emission, which is 80% cause of
Sustainability, Solid Waste Management, Site
the warming, is largely due to fossil fuel emissions.
Sustainability, Indoor Environmental Quality
CHAPTER 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS electronics in theory and practice, and its application
THE PHILIPPINE GREEN BUILDING CODE A Referral Code to allied fields of engineering and to human needs
of the National Building Code of the Philippines (PD 1096) • Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the
Philippines (IIEE) - the accredited organization of
Section 1: Title This document shall be known as the Electrical Engineers that aims to instill excellence to
“Philippine Green Building Code” hereinafter referred Electrical Engineers and to give contribution to the
to as the “GB Code” development of the Philippines
Section 2: Policy The state shall protect and • Philippine Association of Building Administrators
advance the right of the people to a balanced and (PABA) – a non-profit organization for Building
healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and Administrators and Property Managers
harmony of nature against harmful effects of climate • Philippine Association of Building Officials
change. (PABO) – association of Building Officials in the
➢ It shall safeguard the environment, property, Philippines
public health, in the interest of the common • Building Owners and Managers Association of the
good and general welfare consistent with the Philippines (BOMAP) – helps members ensure
principles of sound environmental tenants’ satisfaction
management and control • Philippine Society of Ventilating AirConditioning
➢ and for this purpose, prescribe acceptable and Refrigerating Engineers (PSVARE) - is a duly
set of standards and requirements for registered non-stock, non-profit organization, the
relevant buildings to regulate their location, members of which are consultants, contractors,
site, planning, design, quality of material, manufacturers, suppliers who are all involved in the
construction, use, occupancy, operation and practice of air conditioning, ventilation, and
maintenance. refrigeration systems
Section 3: Objectives improve the efficiency of • American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and
building performance through a framework of Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) - global
acceptable set of standards that will enhance sound society founded in 1894, advancing human well-being
environmental and resource management. through sustainable technology for the built
➢ This GB Code is a set of regulations setting environment with focus on building systems, energy
minimum standards for compliance and not efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and
intended to rate buildings. sustainability within the industry
Section 4: Principles help government address the • Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration
adverse effects of climate change by ensuring that Institute (AHRI) - trade association representing
buildings are planned, designed, constructed, manufacturers of HVACR and water heating
operated and maintained to the required efficiency equipment within the global industry
level. • Addition - increases the height and / or floor area of
➢ Resources must be used efficiently to existing buildings / structures
equitably meet the developmental and • Alteration - changes in the materials used,
environmental needs of the present and partitioning, location / size of openings, structural
future generations. parts, existing utilities and equipment
➢ Occupants of green buildings will benefit • Conversion - change in the use or occupancy of
from improved indoor environmental quality, buildings / structures or any portion/s thereof, which
which promotes higher productivity and has different requirements
better comfort. • Demolition - systematic dismantling or destruction of
a building/structure, in whole or in part
DEFINITION OF TERMS • Renovation - any physical change made on
• Accredited Professional Organizations (APO) buildings/structures to increase the value, quality,
professional organizations accredited by the and/or to improve the aesthetic
Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) • Repair - remedial work done on any damaged or
• United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) - the deteriorated portion/s of building /structure to restore
Integrated and Accredited Professional Organization to its original condition
of Architects in the Philippines responsible in the • Air Conditioning - the process of treating air to
improvement and sustainability of the quality of built control simultaneously its temperature, humidity,
environmen cleanliness,
• Philippine Association of Landscape Architects • Applicable Provision – any requirement that relates
(PALA) - responsible for the advancement of the to a given condition
profession as an instrument of service in improving • British thermal unit (Btu) - amount of heat energy
the quality of life within a better natural and built needed to raise the temperature of one pound of
environment water by 1‫ﹾ‬F
• Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) - a • Building Official (BO) - the Executive Officer of the
merging two separate organizations of civil engineers: Office of the Building Official (OBO) appointed by the
one group working from government sector and the Secretary
second group working in the private sector
• Building Permit - document issued by the Building
• Philippine Institute of Environmental Planners Official (BO) to an owner / applicant to proceed with
(PIEP) - trained planners who will make an the construction
advancement in the studies of environmental planning
• Building Related Illness (BRI) - diagnosable illness
• Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID) – whose cause and symptoms can be directly attributed
adhering to international standards while preserving to a specific pollutant source within a building
the Filipino heritage
• Clerestory - high windows above eye level
• Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Climate Change - refers to any significant change in
(PSME) –mechanical engineers in the pursuit of
measures of climate, such as temperature,
further professional growth and to uplift the profession
precipitation, or wind, lasting for an extended period
• Philippine Society of Sanitary Engineers (PSSE) -
• Coefficient of Performance (COP) - ratio of heating
the only professional organization of Sanitary
or cooling provided to electrical energy
Engineers in the Philippines accredited by PRC and
• Common Area - part of the building premises is used
soon to be renamed to Philippine Society of
by the occupants, owners, tenants or other building
Environmental and Sanitary Engineers, Inc.
users of which the landlord retains control (lobby,
(PSEnSE)
corridor, hallway, toilet)
• Geodetic Engineers of the Philippines (GEP) -
• Compostable waste - eventually turns into a nutrient
technically competent engineers with a high degree of
rich material, used for fertilizing soil
integrity, moral standards and professionalism and at
pace with modern geodetic engineering technologies
• Construction - all on-site work done in the site
• Institute of Electronics Engineers of the
• Daylight - the natural light of day
Philippines (IECEP) - study the advancement of
• Daylight Zone - consistently receiving significant • Light Scoop - south-facing skylight, that uses tilted
quantities of daylight during the day (ASHRAE/IES panels of transparent glass to strategically bring
90.1-2010 energy standard) daylight into an interior space.
• Government Agency - department, bureau, office, • Light Shelf - a horizontal surface that reflects daylight
instrumentality, or government owned or controlled deep into a building, placed above eyelevel with high-
corporation reflectance upper surfaces, which reflect daylight onto
• Climate Change Commission (COC) - tasked to the ceiling and deeper into the space
coordinate, monitor and evaluate programs and action • Material Recovery Facility (MRF) - a facility
plans on climate change designed to receive, sort, process, and store
• Department of Energy (DOE) - responsible for compostable and recyclable materials efficiently and
preparing, integrating, coordinating, supervising and in an environmentally sound manner
controlling all plans, programs, projects and activities • Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) - data providing
of the Government relative to energy exploration, procedures for handling or working with a material or
development, utilization, distribution and conservation product in a safe manner
• Department of Environment and Natural • Mixed Occupancy - enclosed structure with two or
Resources (DENR) - different programs and more primary usages and where at least two of these
implementing rules governing the use and primary usages fall into different classification of use
development of the country's natural resources • Moving Ramp / Walkway – a type of horizontal
• Department of Interior and Local Government passenger-carrying device on which passengers
(DILG) - promoting peace and order, ensuring public stand or walk, with its surface remaining parallel to its
safety and strengthening local government capability direction of motion is uninterrupted
aimed towards the effective delivery of basic services • National Building Code (NBC) – P.D. 1096 is a
to the citizenry uniform building code in the Philippines which
• Department of Public Works and Highways embodies up-to-date and modern technical
(DPWH) - continuously develop its technology for the knowledge on building design, construction, use,
purpose of ensuring the safety of all infrastructure occupancy and maintenance
facilities and securing for all public works and • National Building Code Development Office
highways the highest efficiency and quality in (NBCDO) - created through DPWH Department
construction Order, assist the Secretary in the administration and
• Department of Science and Technology (DOST) - enforcement of the provisions of the GB Code and its
science and technology related projects in the IRR
Philippines and to formulate policies and projects in • Non-recyclable Waste - not able to be processed or
the fields of science and technology in support of treated for reuse in some form »
national development • Office of the Building Official (OBO) - the office
• Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - authorized to enforce the provisions of NBC and its
Government tasked to expand Philippine trade, IRR in the field as well as the enforcement of orders
industries and investments as the means to generate and decisions made pursuant thereto
jobs and raise incomes for Filipinos • Operable Window - a window unit with one or more
• Door assembly - unit composed of a group of parts sections that can be opened for ventilation
or components which make up a closure for an • Overall Thermal Transfer Value - (OTTV) measure
opening to control passageway through a wall which of the energy consumption of a building envelope
consists of the following parts: door; hinges; locking • Outside Supply Air (OSA) - air containing at least
device or devices; operation contacts (such as the minimum volume of outside air filtered and
handles, knobs, push plates); miscellaneous conditioned to the required temperature and humidity
hardware and closures; the frame, including the head, • Parking, Covered - parking under roof that does not
threshold and jambs plus the anchorage devices contribute to the heat island effect
• Elevator - a hoisting and lowering mechanism other • Parking, Open - with wall openings open to the
than a dumbwaiter or freight elevator which is atmosphere, distributed over 40 percent of the
designed to carry passenger or authorized personnel building perimeter or uniformly over two opposing
• Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) - energy efficiency sides to provide ventilation
rating for room air conditioners that lists how many • Photoelectric Sensor - a device used to detect the
Btu per hour are used for each watt of power it draws distance, absence, or presence of an object by using
• Enthalpy Recovery Wheel – an energy recovery a light transmitter, often infrared and a photoelectric
device that transfers outgoing temperature and receiver
humidity to the incoming outdoor air • Recyclable Waste - an item or material capable of
• Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) - being used again
secondhand smoke consisting of airborne particles • Referral Codes – the applicable provisions of the
emitted from the burning end of cigarettes, pipes, and various agency and technical professional codes
cigars, exhaled by smokers containing about 4,000 supplementary to the NBC and GB Code
compounds, up to 50 of which are known to cause • Regularly Occupied Space - areas where one or
cancer more individuals normally spend time
• Escalator – a power driven, inclined, continuous • Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) - remove biological
stairway for raising or lowering passengers or chemical waste products from water
• Harmonics - increased heating in equipment and • Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) - Building whose
conductors, the reduction of which is desirable occupants experience acute health and/or comfort
• Hazardous – anything that involves risk or danger to effects that appear
the safety and welfare of the public • Smoking Area - a designated area in which smoking
• Heat Island Effect (HIE) - describes built up areas is permitted
that are hotter than nearby rural areas • Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) - fraction of
• Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) - solar gain admitted through a window, expressed as a
system that helps maintain good indoor air quality number between 0 and 1
through adequate ventilation with filtration and provide • Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) - a measure of a
thermal comfort material’s ability to reflect heat with white or light
• Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) - conditions colors having high reflectance
inside the building that includes air quality, access to • Special Waste - a class of waste that has unique
daylight and views, pleasant acoustic conditions, and regulatory requirements
occupant control over lighting and thermal comfort • Storey – portion of a building/structure included
• Light Monitor - raised structure running along the between the uppermost surface
ridge of a double-pitched roof, with its own roof • Sun breaker - feature of a building commonly used
running parallel with the main roof as external shading devices
• Total Gross Floor Area (TGFA) - the total floor
space within the main auxiliary buildings primarily
 consisting of the GFA and all other enclosed support CHAPTER 2: GREEN BUILDING
areas together with all other usable horizontal
REQUIREMENTS
areas/surfaces above and below established grade
level that are all physically attached to the building/s
• Section 9. Performance Standards: Energy
which shall consists of the following: Covered areas
Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Material Sustainability,
used for parking and driveways, services and utilities..
Solid Waste Management, Site Sustainability, Indoor
• Toxic Materials - substances that may cause harm to
Environmental Quality
an individual if it enters the body through inhalation,
• Section 10. Energy Efficiency
skin contactor ingestion
➢ Building Envelope: Air Tightness and
• U-Value - describes how well a building element
Moisture Protection, Glass Properties,
conducts heat, measuring the rate of heat transfer
Natural Ventilation, Building Envelope Color,
through a building element over a given area, under
Roof Insulation
standardized conditions
• R-Value - resistance value or the capacity to resist
A. AIR TIGHTNESS AND MOISTURE PROTECTION
heat loss or its thermal resistance
Buildings must be planned and designed with specific details to
• Unpaved Surface Area (USA) - the portion of the lot
ensure that air tightness is maximized.
that shall remain unpaved and reserved for
softscaping / planting; expressed as a percentage (%)
of the Total Lot Area or TLA and may be combined
with the Impervious Surface Area (ISA) to satisfy the
Total Open Space within Lot (TOSL), i.e., the total
open space requirement for each type of use or
occupancy
• Ventilation – process of supplying or removing air by
natural or mechanical means to or from any space.
Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) - organic
chemicals with have a high vapor pressure at ordinary 1. WEATHER STRIPPING - process of sealing openings
room temperature that are dangerous to human such as doors, windows, and trunks from the waters
health or cause harm to the environment above.
• Weather-Stripping - narrow piece of material, such 2. GASKETS - a mechanical seal which fills the space
as plastic, rubber, felt, or metal, installed around between two or more mating surfaces, generally to
doors and windows to protect an interior from external prevent leakage from or into the joined objects while
extremes in temperature. under compression.
• Window assembly - a unit, which includes a window 3. DOOR BOTTOM SWEEPS - to seal the gap at the
and the anchorage between the window and the wall bottom of your door to prevent infiltration of sound,
• Window to Wall Ratio (WWR) - ratio of the total area light, drafts, insects, moisture, smoke or fire
of a building facade, which is occupied by windows 4. MOISTURE BARRIER – PE FILM
(glass area and frame)
B. GLASS PROPERTIES
glazing transfers more heat and hence, it is ideal to reduce the
Section 6: Green Building Concept Green building amount of glazing with respect to the wall in order to reduce
is the practice of adopting measures that promote internal heat gains.
resource management efficiency and site 1. WINDOW TO WALL RATIO (WWR) - needs to be
sustainability while minimizing the negative impact of balanced with the amount of daylight coming through
buildings on human health and the environment. This the glazed area
practice complements the conventional building 2. SOLAR HEAT GAIN COEFFICIENT (SHGC) - is
design concerns of economy, durability, serviceability used to determine the amount of solar heat admitted
and comfort. through the glass divided by the total solar radiation
Section 7: Approach The GB Code adopts a incident on the glass
staggered or incremental approach and is subject to 3. VISIBLE LIGHT TRANSMITTANCE (VLT) is used to
periodic review by the Secretary of the Department of determine the amount of light transmitted through the
Public Works and Highways (DPWH), through the glass
National Building Code Development Office Glass Products:
(NBCDO), to modify or include new aspects and • LOW-E GLASS Thin metallic surface coating.
emerging efficient technologies and expand the Reflects thermal radiation.
coverage to other building use / occupancy or replace • COATED GLASS Two panes of glass with a space in
outmoded measures the middle to insulate the unit. Surface coating can be
Section 8: Building Use / Occupancy Coverage applied which alters the appearance and makes the
and Application The provisions of the GB Code shall surface more scratch resistant.
apply to all new construction and/or with alteration of • TINTED GLASS Color is added to the glass
buildings in the following classification with the composition to create a tint
required minimum Total
Gross Floor Areas (TGFA) as indicated in Table 1 C. NATURAL VENTILATION Give building occupants the
below flexibility and opportunity to use natural ventilation. The size of
➢ GB Code does not apply to existing buildings the opening shall be equal to at least ten percent (10%) of
of the above use / occupancy classification the floor area of regularly occupied spaces. All operable
constructed before the effectivity of the GB windows shall be provided with safety features for protection
Code. against strong winds
➢ When alterations, additions, conversions and
renovations of existing buildings constructed
after the effectivity of the GB code, which
reached the TGFA as indicated in Table 1
are to be made, the whole building shall be
subject to the applicable provisions of the GB
Code.
➢ A building of mixed occupancy with
combination of classification as indicated in
Table 1, shall use appropriate measures
applicable to each classification
D. BUILDING ENVELOPE COLOR Light-colored building • CASSETTE TYPE AIR CONDITIONER type of split
envelope, especially the roof areas which are the most system, because it consists of two units; one inside
vulnerable, can reduce heat transfer from the outside to the and the other one installed outdoors. installed in the
inside of the building by having surfaces with high Solar ceiling
Reflectance Index (SRI) • CENTRALIZED AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM air is
cooled at a central location and distributed to and
from rooms by one or more fans and ductwork

WATER HEATING SYSTEM The use of energy-efficient water

heating systems in buildings, by observing minimum power
performance requirements, will help reduce energy
consumption due to heating of water. Buildings with no water
heating systems and buildings with using solar water heating
and/or heat pump for water heating are exempt.

Types of Water Heating System:

• ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS Electric hot water
E. ROOF INSULATION Buildings shall be provided with roof systems heat the water with an element inside the
insulation so that the average thermal resistance value (R- storage tank. These tanks come in various sizes and
Value) of the roof is at least R-8 are amongst the most affordable
• SINGLE POINT WATER HEATER (Electric) - A
single point heater serves only one location, i.e, a
sink, a basin etc

Roof Insulation Materials: • MULTI POINT WATER HEATER to supply hot water
to multiple sources consistently and conveniently.
• SPRAY FOAM INSULATION polyurethane spray
This means that you can connect to multiple
foam. sealing any cracks as well as resisting wind and
bathrooms, showers, or mixers
heat. Seals off all gaps
• RIGID INSULATION BOARDS made from dense
sheets of closed-cell foam, which include
polyurethane, polystyrene, or polyiso.
• BATT INSULATION most common type of roof and
attic insulation is fiberglass batt blanket insulation.
Least expensive and easy to install
• LOOSE-FILL OR BLOWN-IN INSULATION often
blown into hard-to-reach places. The small fibers of
glass in the insulation can irritate your skin and can • GAS WATER HEATER generally smaller than electric
cause lung cancer over time if inhaled. tanks because they heat the water much faster.
• REFLECTIVE INSULATION Aluminum is an excellent Another gas option is the continuous flow or
insulator because it reflects light and heat instantaneous hot water system.
• SOLAR WATER HEATER This is also one of the
Section 10.2 Energy Efficiency most common hot water systems installed in new
➢ Air Conditioning Systems, Water Heating homes as they use free energy from the sun to heat
Systems, Variable Speed Drives & High your shower rather than electricity or gas
Efficiency Motors, Enthalpy Recovery of
Exhaust Air VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES AND HIGH EFFICIENCY
MOTORS describes the equipment used to control the speed
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS Air conditioning typically of machinery by changing the frequency of the motor that is
accounts for more than fifty percent (50%) of total electricity being operated. Kitchen ventilation fans are exempt from this
costs in a centrally air-conditioned building requirement. Noncentralized airconditioning systems in
buildings are not required to employ variable speed controllers.

ENTHALPY RECOVERY OF EXHAUST AIR

using heat exchangers can use the air extracted from the
building areas to pre - condition the incoming outdoor air.
Buildings without centralized cooling systems are exempt. All
buildings with centralized air supply system shall use enthalpy
recovery wheels with efficiency of at least sixty percent (60%)
of ninety percent (90%) exhaust air

Types of Air Condition:

• WINDOW TYPE AIR CONDITIONING UNITS
(WACU) A very common choice for controlling the
temperature in a small room
• SPLIT-TYPE AIR CONDITIONING UNITS
contemporary homes or buildings, highly efficient in
terms of energy consumption
• FLOOR MOUNTED AIR CONDITIONING UNITS
mini-split ductless air conditioner system. they're
useful choices when your space doesn’t allow for
enough wall space