CONTENTS 2

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 CONTENTS 3

1. Contents
1. FLOOR AREA RATIO _____________________________________________________ 5
1.1. INTRODUCTION _____________________________________________________ 5
1.2. FLOOR AREA RATIO (FAR) ___________________________________________ 6
1.3. MAXIMUM GROUND COVERAGE (MGC) _______________________________ 7
1.4. TYPES OF BUILDING _________________________________________________ 8

Figure 1.1: CONCEPT OF FAR ...................................................................................................... 5

Figure 1.2 : TOTAL FLOOR AREA ............................................................................................... 6
Figure 1.3 GROUND COVERAGE WITH BUILDING ................................................................. 7

Table 1.1: A. RESIDENTIAL BUILDING TYPE ____________________________________ 8

Table 1.2: B. EDUCATIONAL BUILDING TYPE ___________________________________ 8
Table 1.3 C. INSTITUTIONAL BUILDING TYPE ___________________________________ 9
Table 1.4: D. HEALTH CARE BUILDING TYPE____________________________________ 9
Table 1.5: E. GATHERING BUILDING TYPE _____________________________________ 10
Table 1.6: F. COMMERCIAL BUILDING TYPE ___________________________________ 11
Table 1.7: G. IDUSTRIAL BUILDING TYPE ______________________________________ 11
Table 1.8: H. WAREHOUSE & J. HAZARDOUS BUILDING _________________________ 12
Table 1.9: K. OTHERS ________________________________________________________ 12

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1. FLOOR AREA RATIO

1.1. INTRODUCTION
1.2. FLOOR AREA RATIO (FAR)
1.3. MAXIMUM GROUND COVERAGE (MGC)
1.4. TYPES OF BUILDINGS
1.5. FAR & MGC FOR BUILDINGS ACCORDING TO REGULAR ROAD
WIDTH
1.6. FAR ACCORDING TO DIFFERENT ROAD WIDTH
1.7. APPLICATION OF FAR
1.8. HEIGHT LIMITATIONS ACCORDING TO ROAD WIDTH AND
FRONT OPEN SPACE
 FLOOR AREA RATIO: FLOOR AREA RATIO (FAR) 5

1. FLOOR AREA RATIO

1.1. INTRODUCTION

The floor area ratio (FAR) can be used in zoning to limit urban density. While it directly limits building
density, indirectly it also limits the number of people that a building can hold, without controlling a
building's external shape.

For example, if lot must adhere to a 0.1 FAR, then the total area of all floors in all buildings on the lot must
be no more than one-tenth the area of the parcel itself. In other words, if the lot was 10,000 sq. ft, then the
total floor area of all floors in all buildings mustn't exceed 1,000 sq. ft.

An architect can plan for either a single-story building consuming the entire allowable area in one floor, or
a multi-story building that rises higher above the plane of the land, but which must consequently result in a
smaller footprint than would a single-story building of the same total floor area. By combining the
horizontal and vertical limits into a single figure, some flexibility is permitted in building design, while
achieving a hard limit on at least one measure of overall size.1

Figure 1.1: CONCEPT OF FAR

1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floor_area_ratio

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 FLOOR AREA RATIO: FLOOR AREA RATIO (FAR) 6

1.2. FLOOR AREA RATIO (FAR)

The floor area ratio (FAR) is the principal bulk regulation of controlling the size of the buildings.

FAR is the ratio of total building floor area to the area of the plot.2

TOTAL FLOOR AREA

𝐹𝐿𝑂𝑂𝑅 𝐴𝑅𝐸𝐴 𝑅𝐴𝑇𝐼𝑂 =
AREA OF PLOT

Example: Calculation of total floor area a designer can build on this size of plot below. (FAR = 4.25)

Figure 1.2 : TOTAL FLOOR AREA

TOTAL FLOOR AREA

𝐹𝐿𝑂𝑂𝑅 𝐴𝑅𝐸𝐴 𝑅𝐴𝑇𝐼𝑂 =
AREA OF PLOT

TOTAL FLOOR AREA

4.25 =
670 sqm

TOTAL FLOOR AREA = 4.25 X 670 = 2847.5 sqm

2
IMARAT NIRMAN BIDHIMALA-2008

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 FLOOR AREA RATIO: MAXIMUM GROUND COVERAGE (MGC) 7

1.3. MAXIMUM GROUND COVERAGE (MGC)

Ground coverage means the area covered by the building which is represented in percentage. 3

GROUND COVERAGE WITH BUILDING X 100

𝐺𝑅𝑂𝑈𝑁𝐷 𝐶𝑂𝑉𝐸𝑅𝐴𝐺𝐸 =
AREA OF PLOT

Example: Calculation of ground coverage with building a designer can build on this size of plot below.
(FAR = 4.25; MGC = 57.5%)

Figure 1.3 GROUND COVERAGE WITH BUILDING

GROUND COVERAGE WITH BUILDING X 100

𝐺𝑅𝑂𝑈𝑁𝐷 𝐶𝑂𝑉𝐸𝑅𝐴𝐺𝐸 =
AREA OF PLOT

GROUND COVERAGE WITH BUILDING = 57.5% X 670 sqm / 100 = 385.25 sqm

3
IMARAT NIRMAN BIDHIMALA-2008

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 FLOOR AREA RATIO: TYPES OF BUILDINGS 8

1.4. TYPES OF BUILDING

According to Imarat Nirman Bidhimala 2008, different types of buildings have been categorized by their
type of usage and scale. The Floor Area Ratio and Maximum Ground Coverage of a building vary by their
usage and typology.

BUILDING TYPE SUB CATEGORY TYPE OF USAGE

A. RESIDENTIAL A-1 SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE

A-2 APARTMENT & FLAT

A-3 MESS, HOSTEL, ETC

A-4 LOW INCOME HOUSE

A-5 RESIDENTIAL HOTEL

Table 1.1: A. RESIDENTIAL BUILDING TYPE

B .EDUCATIONAL B-1 SCHOOL, COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY

B-2 PRIMARY SCHOOL,

KINDERGARTEN

Table 1.2: B. EDUCATIONAL BUILDING TYPE

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 FLOOR AREA RATIO: TYPES OF BUILDINGS 9

BUILDING TYPE SUB CATEGORY TYPE OF USAGE

C. INSTITUTIONAL C-1 DAY CARE, RETIREMENT HOME

C-2 PRISON & SIMILAR CORRECTION

CENTER

C-3 PROFESSIONAL, RESEARCH, CO-

OPERATIVES & OTHERS

C-4 MENTAL HEALTH & OTHER

CORRECTION CENTER

Table 1.3 C. INSTITUTIONAL BUILDING TYPE

D. HEALTH CARE D-1 HOSPITAL, CLINIC, NURSING

HOME, DIAGNOSTIC CENTER,
LABOROTORY

D-2 EMERGENCY MEDICAL CENTER

Table 1.4: D. HEALTH CARE BUILDING TYPE

TYPE – D2

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BUILDING TYPE SUB CATEGORY TYPE OF USAGE

E. GATHERING E-1 LARGE AUDITORIUM

(SEAT NON RPLACEABLE)

E-2 SMALL AUDITORIUM

(SEAT NON RPLACEABLE)

E-3 LARGE AUDITORIUM

(SEAT RPLACEABLE)

E-4 LARGE AUDITORIUM

(SEAT RPLACEABLE)

E-5 SPORTS & CULTURE

RELATED

(STADIUM, MUSEUM, ARTS

GALLERY)

E-6 RELIGIOUS BUILDING

Table 1.5: E. GATHERING BUILDING TYPE

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 FLOOR AREA RATIO: TYPES OF BUILDINGS 11

BUILDING TYPE SUB CATEGORY TYPE OF USAGE

F. COMMERCIAL F-1 OFFICE

F-2 SMALL SHOP & BAZAR

F-3 LARGE SHOP & BAZAR

F-4 GARAGE, PETROL OR GAS

STATION, TERMINAL, HANGER

F-5 DAILY NECESSITY CARES

Table 1.6: F. COMMERCIAL BUILDING TYPE

G. INDUSTRIAL G-1 LESS HAZARDOUS

INDUSTRY

G-2 GENERAL HAZARDOUS

INDUSTRY

Table 1.7: G. IDUSTRIAL BUILDING TYPE

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 FLOOR AREA RATIO: TYPES OF BUILDINGS 12

BUILDING TYPE SUB CATEGORY TYPE OF USAGE

H. WAREHOUSE H-1 LESS FLAMABLE

H-2 GENERAL FLAMABLE

J-1 EXPLOSION PRONE

ENVIRONMENT
J. HAZARDOUS BUILDING

J-2 CHEMICAL, RADIATION, BIO

HAZARDOUS

Table 1.8: H. WAREHOUSE & J. HAZARDOUS BUILDING

K. OTHERS K-1 PRIVATE GARAGE &

SPECIAL STRUCTURE

K-2 BOUNDERY WALL, TANK,

TOWER

Table 1.9: K. OTHERS

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 FLOOR AREA RATIO: TYPES OF BUILDINGS 13

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