General Beuilding Requirements

Again, safety. The focus and the concern for the environment. Principle and policy on safety as well as
good working conditions Not only the design yst as well as the maintenance.

In the ecivil code dangerous and ruinous buildings. This is a Code

Dangerous and Ruinous buildings or Structures

All of these are lifted from 96.

How do we declare that it is unsafe? Not safe egress? The structural safety is not explicitly stated. It has
to be clarified further how we say it’s unsafe. The law is incomplete. IRR and reference standards.There
are procedures if structures are unsafe. If abuilding is a fire hazard, it could be declared a dang/ruin
building/ and it could be ordered for repair, vacation, or demolition. Articles 482, 694 to 707.

One instance, an old building beside where UPIS has moved. Narra was a dorm there. A wooden dorm.
Ceilings have leaks. It’s dangerous. Asbestos. Fire hazard, health hazard.

Director of the office architect. He declared the building to be dangerous/unsafe. That’s the reason why
the dorm was vacated and demolished. Then eventually it was aflamed. A lot questioned why it was
demolished. In charge of them

Permits and Inspection

1. Building Permit. Erecy construct alter repair move convert or demolish. All these need a building
permit. Before any action, a permit is required. Local building official in charge who has
juridistiction over the location. But for roads, these are not covered. Even bridges. In charge of
them Is the public works. City engineer/municipal engineer. Dams aren’t under it, too. But these
need to be clarified.
2. Certificate of Occupancy. Occupation as well as the occupation classification. No change in the
purpose unless you have this certificate. This provision should be in the IRR. General law, but
the details are in the IRR. Importance? Before you occumpy, you need this. Sometimes it’s not
that strict, especially for private buildings. But why is it strict for public buildings. It has to be
inspected, to check if constructed according to approved plans and specifications. To check if
there are safety provisions. But for change of occupancy? Why? Example. A residential house
will be used for fully commercial purposes. There’ll be higher occupancy load. Accessibility,
ingress and egress. Occupancy load. Structural safety and fire safety. These always comes in.
Requirement on sanitation. You would need more toilets. One huge problem nowadays is
parking.

Classification of Buildings by Use or Occupancy.

Groups A to G.

A. Residential dwellings
 B. Residentials hohtels apartments
C. Education and recreation
D. Institutional
E. Business mercantile
F. Industrial
G. Storage and Hazardous
H. Assembly other than group I
I. Assembly Occupant Load 1000 or more
J. Accessory

How do you think are churches classified? These are classified as residential. Because it’s the house of
God. Because of the people who drafted the IRR. Who are mostly architects.

Difference between A and B are not clarified as for the residentials.

Inspection and Supervision of Work

The owner is issued a permit. An architect or civil engineer will be engaged to make full time inspection
and supervision of the construction work. Could be a different architect or engineer. There’s no
distinction from 1096.

Types of Construction

I. Wood construction
II. Wood cons with protective fir resistant material and one hour fire resistive throughout
III. Masonry and wood
IV. Steel iron concrete masonry
V. Fire resistive

This is tied up with the zonings. These are not used much. But ideally, the zoning is harmonized with the
building regulations. Not done masyado by 1096. We don’t have comprehensive land use plans, the
zoning ordinance. But that’s a requirement. Then classification according to occupancy must be
consistent with the zoning. Local governments need to talk. As well as the building officials.

Occupancy Separation

One/two/three/four Hr fire resistive occupany separation. Fire won’t transfer for that certain hour
specification. Fire resistive rating, this is obtained by testing. Right now there are no fire testing facilities
in the country. Fire resistive time period rating, length of time a material can withstand burning. We
don’t have strict guidelines. Doors must have fire ratings, but we can’t test these. What we could rely on
are the established manufacturers of doors, they have certification from other testing agencies. Some
doors are imported doors which could have certification from abroad. UL/FM listed, if listed under this,
they were tested by a company and they comply to

General Design and Construction Requirements

Some provisions in the law are particularly referring to residential buildings. But other than those, there
are no details. National Structural Code of Buildings, everything shall be referred to this. But even some
provisions are problematic.

Electrical and Mechanical Regulations

In the law, there are no specific provisions. Everything is in the Philippine Electrical Code, Philippine
Mechanical Engineering Code.

Rules and Regulations

Sanitation

Adequate and potable water supply.

Watter supplys system, piping installations. National Plumbing Code of the Philippines. Wastewater
Disposal System. Storm Drainage System. Supposedly there;s a sanitary water system, but up to now we
don’t have those. But here in UP we have that, discharging to the sewage treatment plant at Technohub.
All discharges go to rivers, creeks, Manila Bay, because we don’t have this. During American period we
have some. But not maintained.

Technical details are referred to design codes. All the details. But there’s no architectural code. Lahat ng
nasa law, nasa Building Code. But when we say architecture, two components. Aesthetics is not covered.
Technical details affecting, life, property, etc. We’ll find time to discuss those details in the Building
Code. Provisions worth knowing and discussing.

Rules and Regulations

There’s no explicit designation. There is supposed to be implementing rules and regulations specifically
on these: allowable construction, height, area; location on property, exit facilities, light, ventilation,
sanitation, enclosures of vertical openings, fire extinguishing system, special hazards.

Light and Ventilation

Where the architectural aspect comes in. As well as space, fire, exit, occupant load. People per room.
These are architectural. These should be compiled in an Architectural Code.