The Level of Awareness of Marikeños to the New Building Code

SY: 2017 – 2018

A Thesis Paper

Presented to Mrs. Julita Perlas

Faculty of Roosevelt College Inc. Marikina

Marikina City

In Partial Fulfilment

Of the Requirements for Practical Research II

Submitted By:

Beltran, Jasper Jane C.

Panerio, Caila M.

Serapion, Danielle Jhoanne DC.

Escabarte, Glyn Mark John C.

Guerrero, Van Irian R.

Santos, Rhoden Ivhan S.

Chapter 1
 THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

A building code can be define as the law or regulations

that was implemented by the Government to assure that the
constructor are following the specific standards for any
constructed materials such as building. This code is
implemented in order to assure the safeness of the people
living or working in that particular structure. Specially
the Philippines wherein it is under the pacific ring of
fire, plate boundaries and the Pacific Ocean. Wherein it is
prone for any calamities such as earthquake, typhoon and
volcanic eruption. In that kind of situation it is important
to give emphasize to any constructed materials in order to
maintain its quality.

Engineers and architects are responsible for several

aspects of construction, such as gas, mechanics,
electricity, fire-alarm systems, and plumbing. They are also
responsible for planning such as the structural design of a
building, environmental control, fire prevention,
conservation measures and materials that are going to use
for the buildings. Nowadays we can construct a building or
any structural materials which is calamity proof. The place
where one structure will be built is one of the regulations
to meet by the constructor. If you are going to construct a
certain structures in a place wherein it under the fault
line, then that structure is not following the regulations
for the building code.
 Implementing a new building code is not only to promote
safeness but to promote modernization and to cope with the
new structural design used mostly around the world.

Theoretical Framework

The study entitled “The Level of Awareness of Marikeños

to the New Building Code.”

According to the Building System Theory, any type of

construction will inevitably involve contributions from
across the spectrum of the physical and life sciences.
Developing a complete “built environment” that caters to the
needs of the people inside it means understanding human
nature at a deep level and applying hose lessons within the
confines of available resources and engineering principles.

Building system theorist take it as given that the

early history of modern construction was based on trial and
error. Building system theory seeks to synthesize the grand
spectrum of lessons learned into a single toolkit for
resolving building challenges that can be applied
scientifically.

The researchers conclude that this theory help the

Marikeños to know the new building code very well. Aside
from that it will help them to become more aware about the
new changes regarding the rules and regulations in
constructing different infrastructure.
 Statement of the Problem

1. What is the profile of the respondents when grouped

according to:

1.1 Homeowners

1.2 Temporary Residents

1.3 Constructors

2. What is the new building code in Marikina?

3. What is the level of awareness of Marikeños to the

new building code?

4. Is there a significant difference on the level of

awareness of Marikeños with the new building code

when grouped according to:

1.1 Homeowners

1.2 Temporary Residents

1.3 Constructors

5. Is there a significant relationship between the level

of awareness with the new building code and the

aforementioned variables?

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this quantitative study is to find out

the awareness of the Marikeños to the new building code.
 Significance of the Study

The researchers believe that the findings will serve as

a useful baseline which may eventually gradually benefit the
Constructors, Homeowners, Temporary Residents, and the
Future Researchers.

Constructors. This will help the constructors to be

highly aware about the new building code.

Homeowners. The result of this will help them to know

the requirements or standards if they want to make a new
building/house.

Temporary Residents. This can help them know the

building/house they were going to rent is safe or under the
new building code.

Future Researchers. This can serve as basis for the

researcher to be undertaken in the new future.

Scope and Delimitation

This study is conducted on getting the response from

the Marikeños. This study focuses on the awareness of
Marikeños to the new builing code. This study does not
include getting responses from other people in Marikina.
This study delimits its coverage outside Marikina.
 Research Paradigm

The research gathers information on the level of

awareness of Marikeños based on the following people
variables: Homeowners, Temporary Residents, and
Constructors. The awareness of the respondents in the
implementation of the new building code may vary depending
on the said variables.

Marikeños

 Marikeños Level of Awareness

 Temporary Residents regarding to the new
building code
 Constructors

Figure 1

Figure 1

Conceptual Framework

Figure 1 shows the intentions of the researcher to

determine the level of awareness of Marikeños to the new

building code.

The level of awareness was evaluated based on the

profile of Marikeños such as homeowners, temporary residents

and constructors. Further the researchers want to find out

the relationship between the level of awareness and the

profile of the respondents.

Hypotheses

There is no significant relationship between the

profile variable of the Marikeños and the level of awareness

towards the new building code.

There is no significant difference on the level of

awareness of Marikeños with the new building code when

grouped according to Homeowners, Temporary residents,

Constructors.

Definition of terms

This part will give definition to the key terms as they

are used in this study for further comprehension.

Marikeños – People who lives in Marikina

Building code – Set of rules that specify the standards for

constructed objects.

Awareness – Knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.

Homeowners – People who owns their homes.

Temporary residents – People who pays rent their homes.

Constructors – People who build homes and other building

structures.
 Chapter 2

RELATED LITERATURE

Foreign Literature

According to B4UBUILD (2008), building codes are

developed by well intentioned people who are actively
involved in the construction industry. Their original
purpose, as stated in the CABO One and Two Family Dwelling
Code, is "to provide minimum standards for the protection of
life, limb, property, environment and for the safety and
welfare of the consumer, general public and the owners and
occupants of residential buildings regulated by this code."
However, it is important to keep in mind that building codes
are adopted, modified and enforced by local politicians and
government officials. Something else to remember about
building codes is the fact that they "are not intended to
limit the appropriate use of materials, appliances,
equipment or methods of design or construction not
specifically prescribed by the code, provided the building
official determines that the proposed alternate materials,
appliances, equipment or methods of design or construction
are at least equivalent of that prescribed in this code..."
In other words, you might be able to use alternate
construction methods or materials, provided you can prove -
to the satisfaction of the building official — that your way
is as good or better than what the code book prescribes.
Building codes are constantly changing and they can vary by
state, county, city, town, and/or borough. While some
states, like California, Florida, Michigan, New York and a
few others, have their own set of building codes (typically
based upon some version of the ICC with changes to
accommodate local laws and regulations), most states have
adopted the International Code Council series, which are
much more national than international at the present time —
but it sounds impressive and it is good to be optimistic
about the future. The ICC codes are typically updated with a
new printing every 3 years. However, you should be aware
that the wheels of government tend to turn more slowly and
less... (I'll stop there;-) than private business. So, the
most current printing of any set of building codes may not
be the specific set of codes that will apply to any given
construction project.

Mann (2009) discussed in his article, “The Architects

Perspective”, on the Architectural digest that the job
architect as artist is to sense the right dimension and
forms, the right dimensions , forms, the right materials,
the right arguments and proportions of space which will
produce a structure that its livable no matter what the
style , that will do what it is supposed to do, and that
will be a joy to the beholder and the experiencer alike
throughout its life.

Client need to understand the services of the architect

in order for each member of this team to function to full
potential. It is worthwhile remembering that architecture is
a fulfiller of needs and aspirations, that it reflects the
mode of life and the thoughts of the people it serves.
Architecture does not lead. It follows.
 In (2009), stated that building codes are not only
written by officials, engineers and architects, but also the
development industry through market pressures related to
keeping cost of development low. Due to the demands of
special interests, building codes should be recognized as a
compromise between numerous parties and are at best minimum
standards designed to protect life, not guarantee the
performance of a building under unusual pressure and
loading. The mass public, however, thinks of codes as the
absolute for safety. Prior to 1950, the City of New Orleans
had very loose building code regulations. It was not until
after Hurricane Katrina that Louisiana adopted a state wide
building code. The first form of building codes for the
city, requiring slab foundations to be 12 inches (1 foot)
above and pier risers to be 24 inches (2 feet) above
the natural ground level, was updated during the 1950’s to
require foundations to be “18 inches above the highest point
of the curb adjacent to the property and the lowest support
beams for houses raised above ground level on piers to be 24
inches (2 feet) above the curb”. After repeated inundations
caused a flood of insurance claims, FEMA filed a law suit
against Jefferson Parish in 1981 arguing that the parish was
not enforcing proper mitigation measures for the area. As a
result, Jefferson Parish adopted new structurally oriented
solutions, changing building codes to require “slab
foundations to be 18 inches above the crown of the road in
front of new homes and first floors of elevated homes to be
at least 18 inches above the crown. Any new homes built in
repetitive loss areas must be raised above the 100-year
flood level. Despite these new codes, it was not until the
1980’s that inspectors received training in floodplain
management policies and began to enforce code requirements
yet, even prior to the Hurricane Katrina event, development
was underway immediately next to neighborhoods that had
experienced serious flooding in the past. Disaster-resistant
construction of buildings and infrastructure is an essential
component of local resiliency and investigations after
disasters have revealed shortcomings in construction
techniques and code enforcement around the country.

According to Environmental and Energy Study Institute

(2013), Building codes address many of a society’s most
important concerns, including public health and safety, and
environmental protection. Because they are developed by a
democratic and deliberative process that applies
improvements incrementally, the building codes also address
cost efficiency and investment value. In large part,
building codes establish a building’s quality, safety and
energy performance for years to come, because initial design
and construction decisions determine operational and
maintenance costs for the life of the building. Building
equipment and other components may be replaceable and
upgradeable, but many aspects of building performance are
"designed in" at the beginning, and are too expensive and
difficult to change. Foundations and other parts of the
building envelope are typically in place for 50 years or
more. Building codes and design and construction decisions
affect us every day. Some requirements such as fire safety
codes and structural and seismic standards affect us in
obvious ways. Others, such as lighting quality, acoustics
and the air we breathe also have major effects on our health
and productivity. We spend nearly 90 percent of our lives
inside buildings, according to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, which is why the EPA is concerned about
the impact of indoor air quality on public health.

Model codes, a set of minimum requirements for building

design, construction and operation to protect public health,
safety and the natural resources that sustain us, help us
"build it right" at the beginning when it matters most.
Building codes can now offer enhanced protection against the
threats of natural disasters and terrorism to make our
communities more resilient, sustainable and livable for
generations to come, which lowers the price of mitigation
for building owners. Model codes provide guidance on how to
design, build and operate buildings to achieve these goals.
They also provide an insurance industry grappling with the
effects of climate change and extreme weather with a
baseline for estimating and managing risk. This helps to
control or lower the cost of insurance premiums. But model
codes are effective only if they are enacted into law and
enforced by state and local governments.

The U.S code development process is unique in the way

it brings together all interested parties to participate and
decide what is needed and feasible for the construction of
new buildings. This cost-conscious, triennial look at what a
safe building can be and how it should perform provides
savvy builders and building suppliers with critical
information on what consumers want and where the market is
headed. Model codes allow building suppliers to target a
national market. Since markets for building materials and
technologies are becoming increasingly international, U.S.
manufacturers require a strong domestic base in which to
develop the new products they need to compete. Regularly
upgraded building codes ensure new products and practices
make their way into buildings when the time is right and are
no longer experimental. The code development process
assesses the technology landscape and consumer demand, and
creates a model code that can apply innovations gradually
across the building sector, reducing the risk for individual
builders and contractors. The process of updating model
codes every three years is optimal to ensure new
technologies, materials and methods, as well as better
approaches to health and safety, can be incorporated into
the next generation of buildings with sufficient time for
proof of performance. Regular, incremental improvements help
us continue to build better, and smarter, buildings as cost
effectively as possible. Waiting longer between code updates
means many buildings are not current when built, and
innovative American building suppliers are without a
domestic base to sustain their innovations.

Charles (2008), featured on the magazine the Kogan

Builders’ business practice is centered on Design-Build
model. This provides clients with exceptional service;
beginning with the conception of their new home all the way
through to completion. Designers coordinate all
architectural services that include a building site
analysis, floor plans, hand rendered elevations, and
complete construction documents (blueprints). They also have
a full time design coordinator who works hand in hand with
the client prior to and throughout the building process to
select interior and exterior finishes that fit their design
preferences as well as their budget.

Being involved in the process from start to finish

allows Kogan Builders to offer many benefits to you as a
homeowner. Their whole systems approach results in a home
designed for needs, designed for quality, and designed for
value.

Local Literature

Pachero (2011), More than 35 percent of low-rise

residential buildings in Metro Manila and perhaps in other
regions may not be complying with current government
standards for construction either because these are
nonengineered structures or because these were built
according to much older standards that are now inadequate.
Building construction standards are periodically updated,
incorporating lessons learned from recent earthquakes in the
country and overseas. Our national structural code was
upgraded significantly in 2001 and recently in 2010. More
than 25 percent of mid-rise buildings may be noncompliant to
current standards, mostly due to their use of the older
construction code(s) and standards. More than 10 percent of
very high-rise buildings (above 30 stories), which are
relatively new, may be noncompliant. Anecdotal reports
indicate that some engineers are inclined or persuaded to
"optimize" or "minimize" their structural design to reduce
the initial construction cost. The cost of the structure of
high-rise buildings may be about half of the building cost,
the remainder being architectural, electromechanical and
other factors. Some engineers literally aim for minimum
compliance with the standard and code, rather than provide
judicious allowance for "surprises of nature". In contrast,
it is notable that many old buildings were designed and
built above the minimum standards that were applicable
during their construction. Such buildings, even if old, may
be audited and possibly proven adequate even by current
standards and code.

Palafox Jr. (2013), said that the building code must

now take into consideration the structure’s capability to
withstand disasters. In a seminar of the United Architects
of the Philippines in Quezon City, the well-known architect
stressed the importance of revising the country’s building
and structural codes in the aftermath of Yolanda and the
Bohol quake. “I have met and talked to (Department of Public
Works and Highways) Secretary (Rogelio) Singson about
reviewing the laws and he is open to it,” Palafox said. The
country has laws covering the design and construction of
buildings and other structures. These are the National
Building Code and National Structural Code.In particular,
Palafox wanted the two laws to take into consideration
certain factors in disasters such as wind speed of weather
disturbances. He said some buildings in Tacloban City were
built to withstand only up to 200-kph strong winds. “On the
Pacific Ocean side, I think buildings are required to
withstand up to 250 kph. So what happens if you have 320-kph
winds?” he asked. He said that the depth of the most severe
flooding in any area should also be considered in amending
building regulations.
 Macauatay (2014), featured a residence of prestige in
uptown Bonifacio in Metro Manila. From the article, several
criteria on house construction were mentioned by the owner.
According to the owner, "Nothing beats the convenience of
having an address in the middle of the bustling township, an
address where everything is just a door away from one
another but without encroaching on one’s personal place and
privacy.” Uptown parksuites was designed with privacy and
security in mind and the views of Metro Manila. Prestige is
not about the location; it is also about the size.

Diaz Jr. (2014), featured the iconic structure

beguiling historic charms that evoke images of a rich past
near Manila Bay. The structure is a residential project
situated at premiere adds which was a hub of Philippine
elite during the pre-war era. Magnus Soder, the client,
shared that he considered it as his best real estate
investment in the Philippines with its best location and it
will never go out of style because of its distinctive design
and being fully equipped for a reasonable price.

According to dotproperty (2016), With the first month

of 2016 at its prime, it’s also the best time to start
planning on home renovations because the demand for real
estate won’t be subsiding anytime soon this year. In fact,
there will be more people who are going to look for
apartments and condos to rent or buy! If you own an
apartment or a condo, then it is definitely the right time
for renovations! With that in mind, always remember to keep
track of the costs and the materials needed for such an
endeavor. And finally, don’t forget to check the National
Building Code regarding renovations and secure the permits
that might be needed for the renovations. That surprised
you, right? Unfortunately, there are only few people who
know about the National Building Code of the Philippines.
For those who are not familiar with it, the National
Building Code is a set of rules and regulations pertaining
to the construction of all real estate projects and
buildings here in the Philippines. In short, if you’re going
to build something, you better make sure that the materials
and the actual process of constructing the house or building
should be in line with all the provisions stated in the
National Building Code.

RELATED STUDIES

Foreign Studies

Forcado and Macarulla (2012), Clients are preferable of

standard of finish or aesthetic appearance of the
constructed building/facility. It is through using good
quality of materials in construction and which conforms to
approved standards and technical specifications. It denotes
to proper and systematic handing over of the completed
project to the customers after explaining the building
systems/features and maintenance-related aspects to
customer.

Cambridge Architectural Research entitled "Reconciling

the architectural preferences of architects and the public:

the ordered preference model" (2011), was conducted at UK.

The research was stimulated by the differences of opinion

that arise in the multi-disciplinary development teams for

speculative buildings including residential structure. The

survey covered many aspects of the design and specification

of a residential building in the UK. These building have

become a familiar part of the everyday environment, as

hundreds have been developed over the last twenty-five

years. Other aspects of the survey were reported elsewhere

(Fawcett). The data collected for one part of the survey,

concerning visual preferences, has recently been re-

analyzed.

Synthesis

The related studies and literatures presented in this

chapter were selected according to their relevance in this

study. These related studies and literature also became the

basics for analyzing the new building code established by

our government.These articles are related and relevant in

acquiring the information regarding the awareness to the new

building code. Through this, every Marikenos especially the

home owners and constructors will be aware about the new

policy and standard set by our government.