Arch 325

Professional Practice 1
(Laws Affecting the Practice of
Architecture)
THE
NATIONAL BUILDING
CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES
RECAP
Chapter I – General Provisions
Chapter II – Administration and Enforcement
Chapter III – Permits and Inspection
Chapter IV – Types of Construction
Chapter VI – Fire- Resistive Requirements in
Construction
Chapter VII – Classification and General
Requirement of All Buildings by use of Occupancy
Chapter VIII – Light and Ventilation
Chapter IX – Sanitation
Chapter X – Building Projection over Public
Streets
Chapter XI – Protection of Pedestrians during
construction or demolition
Chapter XII – General Design and Construction
Lot Type and Location
Lot Type and Location
Lot Type and Location
 Lot Type and Location

Annotation: The last 2 lot types are recommended for low density
residential (R-1) developments.
 Lot Type and Location

Annotation: The last 2 lot configurations may be better suited for

non-residential developments.
 SECTION 804. Sizes and Dimensions of Courts
Minimum sizes of courts and yards and their least dimensions shall be governed by the
use, type of construction, and height of the building as provided hereunder, provided that
the minimum horizontal dimension of said courts and yards shall be not less than 2.00 meters.
All inner courts shall be connected to a street or yard, either by a passageway with a minimum
width of 1.20 meters or by a door through a room or rooms.

SET BACK – the Horizontal distance measured ninety degrees (90’) from the outermost face
of the building/ structure to the property lines.

INCREMENTAL SETBACK – the Horizontal distance between the outermost building/

structure line of a lower floor and that of a higher floor, wherein the outermost building line of a
higher floor is farther from the property line.
SECTION 804. Sizes and Dimensions of Courts
 SECTION 804. Sizes and Dimensions of Courts
YARD - the required open space left between the outermost face of the building/structure and the property
lines, e.g., front, rear, right and left side yards. The width of the yard is the setback. Yards prescribed for
Commercial, Industrial, Institutional and Recreational Buildings are shown in Table VIII.3. hereafter.
 SECTION 804. Sizes and Dimensions of Courts
FRONT YARD – The part of the required Total Open Space Within Lots (TOSL) created by setbacks along
RROW.
FRONT OF LOT – the side of a lot on which the main pedestrian and vehicular access into the property shall
be situated. In the case of all classes of corner lots, both sides shall be treated as fronts of lot.
COURT – An occupied space between the faces of the building lines and a yard or another court , free, open
and unobstructed from the ground upward.
• INNER COURT – a court bounded on all sides or around its periphery by building lines.
• OPEN COURT- a court bound on three sides by building lines with one (1) side bounded by another
open space whether public or private.
• THROUGH LOT – A court bounded on two (2) opposite sides by building lines with other opposites
sides bounded by another open spaces whether public or private.
COURT YARD – A portion of the yard for which the permitted limit of paving /hardscaping shall not exceed fifty
percent (50%) of the area of the yard.

Minimum horizontal dimension of said courts and yards shall be not less than 2.00 meters. All inner courts.
 SECTION 804. Sizes and Dimensions of Courts

Every court shall have a width of not less than 2.00 meters for one (1) or two (2) storey
buildings. However, if the court is treated as a yard or vice versa, this may be reduced to
not less than 1.50 meters in cluster living units such as quadruplexes, rowhouses and the
like, with adjacent courts with an area of not less than 3.00 sq. meters. Provided further,
that the separation walls or fences, if any, shall not be higher than 2.00 meters. Irregularly–
shaped lots such as triangular lots and the like, whose courts may be also triangular in
shape may be exempted from having a minimum width of not less than what is required
OPEN COURT / YARD
OPEN COURT / YARD
 OPEN COURT / YARD

Annotation: The separation walls are actually firewalls (particularly if these are above 3.0 m in height or above the roof lines of the
buildings). A better option is to set back the firewall by up to 0.60 m to create a drainage channel as well as a firewall maintenance
space i.e. for painting and general repair work. When the said solution is adopted, endwalls are created instead.
 ABUTMENTS (FIREWALLS) ON THE SIDE & REAR PROPERTY LINES

Annotation: The 0.40 m height of the

firewall above the roof lines of the
buildings is an absolute minimum. Only
the flashing may be allowed to cross
over to the other side of the firewall for
anchorage purposes.

Note:
0.40m – Diagonal
0.60m – Vertical
0.30m – Horizontal
 SECTION 805. Ceiling Heights

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
(1) storey, the minimum ceiling height of the first storey shall be 2.70 meters and that for the
second story 2.40 meters and the succeeding stories shall have an unobstructed typical
head-room clearance of not less than 2.10 meters above the finished floor. Above stated
rooms with natural ventilation shall have ceiling heights of not less than 2.70 meters.

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

SECTION 805. Ceiling Heights

Floor to Ceiling Heights: Artificial and Natural Ventilation, Mezzanine.
SECTION 806. Sizes and Dimensions of Rooms
Sizes and Dimensions of Rooms
SECTION 807. Air Space Requirements in Determining the Size of Rooms
Required Air Space
 SECTION 808. Window Openings

Rooms intended for any use, not provided with artificial ventilation system, shall be provided with
a window or windows with a total free area of openings equal to at least 10% of the floor area
of the room, provided that such opening shall be not less than 1.00 sq. meter.

However, toilet and bath rooms, laundry rooms and similar rooms shall be provided with window
or windows with an area not less than 1/20 of the floor area of such rooms, provided that
such opening shall not be less than 240 sq. millimeters. Such window or windows shall open
directly to a court, yard, public street or alley, or open watercourse.

Eaves, canopies, awnings (or media agua) over required windows shall not be less than 750
millimeters from the side and rear property lines.
 SECTION 808. Window Openings

There shall absolutely

be no openings
on/at/within/through
all types of abutments
(such as firewalls)
erected along property
lines except for
permitted vent wells.
This Rule strictly
applies to all new and
existing
developments.
 Road Right-of-Way (RROW), Air Rights and Easements

Easement – Is a kind of public open spaced defined under the Water Code and other laws that
must be absolutely free of all forms of physical obstructions that can negatively affect the natural
light and ventilation within such space or that can impede access to or the full recreational used
of such space by the general.

the easement is public land, i.e., public domain, that should be equally enjoyed by all members
of the community. The easement is not to be used for any form of building/structure that may go
against its public recreational character
 Road Right-of-Way (RROW), Air Rights and Easements

DOMINANT ESTATE
-Enjoys the benefits of the imposed easement
LOT 1
-shoulders all expenses

R
SERVANT ESTATE
R -Carries the burden pf the imposed easement
LOT 2
O -Properly compensated
W

*Magbibigay ang pinakamalapit sa Street.

Table VIII.G.1. Easement* Along Water Bodies/Way by Location
Table VIII.G.1. Easement* Along Water Bodies/Way by Location
Table VIII.G.1. Easement* Along Water Bodies/Way by Location
 Read and study the following topic.

Table VIII.G.2. Suggested Median and Lane Widths Within

Alleys/Roadways/Carriageways by Minimum RROW Width and by Suggested
Vehicle Speeds

Table VIII.G.3. Minimum Road Right-of-Way (RROW) Provisions for

Developments with Multiple Dwelling Units
NBC ILLUSTRATIONS
NBC ILLUSTRATIONS
NBC ILLUSTRATIONS
 NBC ILLUSTRATIONS

ARCADE
STRUCTURE
Any semi-enclosed
or enclosed and
usable or habitable
building projection
constructed in the
airspace above the
arcade and therefore
utilizing the air right
above the RROW.
 SIDEWALKS

Subject to existing laws and regulations, the local planning authority shall determine
which street shall have an open sidewalk or an arcaded (covered) sidewalk, or a
combination of both.

The minimum width of the sidewalk for a RROW width of 9.00 meters or more shall be
1.20 meters on each side of the RROW or a total of 2.40 meters on both sides of the
RROW (Fig. VIII.G.14.). For the minimum width of sidewalk for RROW of less than 9.00
meters wide, refer to Table VIII.G.3.
SIDEWALKS & PLANTING STRIPS
SIDEWALKS & PLANTING STRIPS
SIDEWALKS & PLANTING STRIPS
Chapter IX – Sanitation
WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM
a. Whenever possible, source from municipal or city waterworks system;
b. If form meteoric, surface or underground source, must conform to
National Standard for Drinking Water.
c. Piping in accordance with the National Plumbing Code of the
Philippines.

WASTEWATER DISPOSAL AND STORM DRAINAGE SYSTEM

a. Shall discharge to municipal or city sewer system in accordance with
Code on Sanitation and the National Pollution Control Commission; or
b. shall discharge to “imoff” or septic tank
c. rainwater shall not discharge to the sanitary sewer system.
PEST AND VERMIN CONTROL
a. RAT proofing – for hollow building or wood construction
b. means for cleaning garbage bins and receptacles
c. screening of public dining rooms

PIPE MATERIALS
conform to the standard specifications of the Bureau of Product (BPS) of
the Department of Trade and Industry.
Read and study the following chapters:

Chapter X – Building Projection over Public

Streets
Chapter XI – Protection of
Pedestrians during construction or
demolition
COVERAGE:

a. General Requirements
b. Storage in Public Property
c. Mixing Mortar over Public Property
d. Protection of Utilities
e. Walkway
f. Pedestrian Protection
g. Maintenance/Removal of Protective Devices
h. Demolition
a. Mixing of concrete on public streets not allowed
b. Materials or equipment must not obstruct pedestrian travel, utilities,
fire hydrants
c. Must Provide 1.20m wide temporary walkway
d. Walkways must have railings of at least 1 meter height and fence
and canopy of at least 2.40m meters height.
Chapter XII – General Design and
Construction
Attics

Access

Area Separation

Draft Stops

Exits

Stairways
End of Week 10 module