Architectural

Design 5
Architectural Programming
Introduction to
Development
Controls
National Building Code of the
Philippines PD 1096

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I. Developmental Controls or
"DC" is defined as "the set of
inter-acting regulations
concerning the physical
utilization of a lot and governing
the planning /design of spaces
and/or the use or occupancy of a
building to be introduced on a
lot".
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A. TOTAL LOT AREA
This is the surface area of
a property on which a
proposed building is to
be constructed.

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B. SETBACK AND YARD
Setback - distance
expressed in meters
Yard - area expressed in
meters

National Building Code contains the minimum

setback for different types of occupancies.
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 C. PERCENTAGE OF SITE
OCCUPANCY
PSO is the maximum
allowable enclosed floor
area of any building in
relation to Total Lot Area
TLA

PSO = AMBF/TLA
NBC prescribes the maximum allowable
PSO for each type of lot.
Refer to Tables VII.1 and VIII.1
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 D. ALLOWABLE MAXIMUM
BUILDING FOOTPRINT
This is the maximum portion
of the lot that may be
occupied by the building at
DETERMINING THE MAXIMUM PSO grade level after satisfying
setback, yard and court
AMBF = PSO X TLA
requirements
APPLYING THE SETBACKS IN ORDER TO DEFINE
THE BOUNDARIES OF THE BUILDING FOOT
PRINT
AMBF = TLA – Yard Areas
Aside from the setbacks, the maximum length
of firewalls shall also be considered especially
for residential developments. 7
E. BUILDING HEIGHT LIMIT
The “maximum height to be
allowed for buildings based on
their proposed use or
occupancy”. The BHL shall be
generally the distance between
the established grade line and the
topmost portion of the building.

Refer to PD 1096 Table VII.2

Building Height Limit
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 F. ALLOWABLE MAXIMUM VOLUME
OF BUILDING
“The limit of the total volume of
space that can be occupied by
building above grade level”.

AMBF square meters

AMVB cubic meters
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G. INCREMENTAL SETBACK

“The horizontal
distance between the
outermost building/
line of lower floor and
that of a higher floor,
wherein the
outermost building
line of a higher floor
is farther from the
property line”.

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H. GROSS FLOOR AREA
“The total floor space within
the perimeter of the
permanent external building
walls (inclusive of main and
auxiliary buildings) such as
office areas, residential areas,
corridors, lobbies, and
mezzanine levels”.

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H. GROSS FLOOR AREA

The GFA shall EXCLUDE the following

areas:
1. Parking areas, driveways, services, and utilities
2. Vertical penetrations
3. Uncovered areas for helipads, air-conditioning cooling
towers, air cooled condensing unit balconies, overhead
water tanks, roof decks, laundry areas and cages,
wading or swimming pools, whirlpools or Jacuzzis,
terraces, gardens, courts or plazas, balconies more than
10 square meters in area, fire escape structures and the
like.
GFA = TLA X FLAR
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 I. FLOOR TO LOT AREA RATIO
(FLAR)
“The ratio between the
Gross Floor Area of a
building and the Total Lot
Area of the lot on which
it stands.”

FLAR = GFA/TLA
Table VI.G.1 of PD 1096 Rule VII prescribes the
maximum FLAR that can be applied for a
particular type of building 14
J. TOTAL GROSS FLOOR AREA
“The total floor space within the main and auxiliary buildings
primarily consisting of the GFA and all other enclosed support area
together with all other usable horizontal areas/ surfaces above and
below established grade level that are physically attached to the
building which shall consists of the following : parking area and
driveways, services and utilities. “
TGFA= GFA +Non – GFA areas – courts and incremental
setbacks on all floors

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J. TOTAL GROSS FLOOR AREA
1. TGFA = BHL X PSO X TLA
2. TGFA = GFA X Multiplier
3. TGFA = BHL X AMBF

There are three ways to

compute for the maximum
Total Gross Floor Area
Refer to Table VII.1 of PD
1096 to get formula

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K. TOTAL OPEN SPACE
WITHIN LOT
“The total open space required
for each type of use /
occupancy for a given lot
expressed as a percentage of
the total lot area.”
TOSL = TLA-PSO
There are two types of open spaces within lot: impervious surface area (ISA)
and unpaved surface area ( USA). The TOSL may also be expressed as the
combination of these two open spaces
TOSL = ISA + USA
The minimum TOSL can be found on Table VIII.G.6 of NBC
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L. IMPERVIOUS SURFACE AREA
“ The percentage of the maximum
allowable floor area of any paved,
tiled, hardscaped surface at the
ground floor/ grade level outside the
building in relation to the Total Lot
Area.”
Table VIII.1 of PD 1096 prescribes the maximum ISA
that may be allowed for a particular building type.

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 M. UNPAVED SURFACE AREA

“The portion of the lot

that shall be reserved for
softscaping/ planting.”

The minimum values for USA are prescribed by the Table VIII.1 of PD 1096. In
case, the actual TOSL becomes larger than what is prescribed in Table VIII.1,
excess open areas should be added to the USA. 19
N. MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE
CONSTRUCTION AREA
“ The combined total of the
Maximum Allowable Percentage of
Site Occupancy and the Maximum
Allowable Impervious Surface Area
expressed as a percentage of the
Total Lot Area.”

MACA = PSO + ISA

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 Maximum TGFA

Determine the zone & Compute for the

type of the lot. Know Use the formula
maximum GFA using TGFA = BHL x AMBF
also whether the the formula
building will have a GFA = TLA x FLAR
firewall or not

Refer to Table VII.1 to Calculate the Deduct /Add the areas

get the formula for maximum TGFA using affected by varying
the maximum TGFA the multiplier to setbacks at upper
convert GFA to TGFA floors, incremental
setbacks and firewall
height limitations

Select the most Steps in calculating the maximum TGFA

stringent 21
 Use max. allowable PSO
found in Table VII.1

Use the formula

AMBF = PSO x TLA
Use max. allowable PSO Select the most
found in Table VIII.1 stringent
AMBF

Apply the minimum required

setbacks to draw the building Get the area of the drawn
footprint building footprint

Steps in calculating AMBF for Building without Firewall

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 Use max. allowable PSO
found in Table VII.1
Use the formula
AMBF = PSO x TLA Choose the
lower AMBF
Use max. allowable PSO
found in Table VIII.1
AMBF
Select the
most stringent
Get the area of the drawn
footprint in 1 side, 1 rear
firewall configuration
Apply the minimum
required setbacks to Choose the
draw the building higher AMBF
Get the area of the drawn
footprint
footprint in 2 sides firewall
configuration

Steps in calculating AMBF for Building with Firewall 23

SUMMARY OF
FORMULAS
PD 1096

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Allowable Maximum Building Footprint (AMBF)
AMBF = PSO x TLA
AMBF = TLA - Yard Areas

Percentage of Site Occupancy ( PSO)

PSO = AMBF
TLA

Allowable Maximum Volume of the Building (AMVB)

Initial AMVB = AMBF x BHL in meters
Final AMVB = Initial AMVB – Volume above
the angular plane

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Maximum Gross Floor Area (GFA)
GFA = TLA x FLAR

Maximum Total Gross Floor Area ( TGFA)

TGFA = BHL in number of floors x PSO x TLA
TGFA = GFA x Multiplier
TGFA = (BHL X AMBF) – areas to be deducted by
incremental setbacks

Total Open Space within Lot (TOSL)

TOSL = TLA – PSO
TOSL = ISA + PSA

Maximum Allowable Construction Area (MACA)

MACA = PSO + ISA 26
Thank You!
AL Gonzales - Diego

HJ Lasquero
DESIGN 5 Instructors