BUILLDING CODE FOR

HOUSING
2. MEANS OF EXIT
This part of the code defines the requirement
for various components which forms the part of
the exit system of the building. Exits shall be
defined as a continuous and unobstructed
means of egress to a public way. The means of
exit includes the following
A. Doors and openings
B. Passageways and corridors
C. Stairways and ramps
 Occupant Load
Maximum Floor Area Allowances per Occupant
Building Max. area per Minimum
Type occupant [Sq.m] - A Occupants per
100sq.m
[example]
Residential 18 6
Apartments

Occupant Load of the building or area = Net or

gross area /Area per occupant
 General Exit requirement
 The maximum travel distance to exits or stairways from any
point within the single floor level shall not be more than 30m
for all types of building except when external corridor of
15m or more is part of the route, in which this distance may
be increased to 40m.
 No exit door, inclusive of frame, shall be less than 1m in
width and 2.1m in height except in case of residences where
the minimum size of exit door shall be 0.9m in width by 2m
height. The width of doors of rooms which do not form a part
of general human habitation or exit medium such as toilets
and verandah is permitted to width of 0.75m..
Minimum Occupant per No of occupants when exit
Width (m) unit 500mm medium width exceeds
width - the min. limit
Apartments/ 1 75 150
Dormitories
Exit Doors
A. No exit door, inclusive of frame, shall be less than 1m in
width and 2.1m in height except in case of residences where
the minimum size of exit door shall be 0.9m in width by 2m
height. The width of doors of rooms which do not form a part
of general human habitation or exit medium such as toilets
and verandah is permitted to width of 0.75m.

•The doors shall not obstruct the passages and staircase

landings when open.

𝑅𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑚 =𝑂𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑋 0.5

𝑂𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑑 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡
Width of the Corridors, passageways, Staircase and ramps

Occupancy Minimum Occupant per 500mm No of occupants when

type Width(m) width(for ramp add 10 stairway width exceeds
occupants) the min. limit

Apartment/ 1.2 25 60
Dormitories
General Staircase Requirements
For all buildings above 500sq.m in plinth area there shall be at least two staircases.
Additional exit route shall be provided for every 500sq.m of plinth area there on.

Minimum Tread
Residences = 250mm [10”]
Maximum Riser
Residences =190mm [7.4”]
Maximum no of risers per
flight=15 Minimum Head room
under the staircase =2m [6’-6”]
Height of the Handrail from center
of the tread = 900mm [3’]
3. COMPONENTS OF THE BUILDINGS
Plinth
Minimum plinth height shall be 450mm from the
existing road level for all buildings. The road level
can be difficult entity to define as road and site
may be in gradient. However, it should be
understood that, the main goal of this rule is to
ensure that the entry to the building remains above
the road level as there is a tendency of road level
increasing when they are maintained overtime.
Parking and Garage may have no plinth .
Minimum Room Dimensions
Height
For Residential building
 The height of all rooms for human habitation shall
not be less than 2.4m measured from the surface
of the floor to the lowest point of the ceiling
[bottom of slab] .
 In the case of pitched roof, the average height of
rooms shall not be less than 2.4m.
 The minimum clear head room under a beamor
any such structure including after installation of
false ceiling shall be 2.1m.
 The height of the bathroom or water closet shall
not be less than 2m.
Size
The minimum size of the room shall not be less than the following
A. Minimum habitable room Size
Min Dimension 2.0m
Minimum Area 6sq.m
B. Kitchen Min Dimension 1.8m
Minimum Area 5 sq.m
C. Toilet cubicle / water closet
Minimum dimension: 0.9 sq.m
Minimum Area: 1.2 sq.m
Bath Room
Minimum dimension: 1.2 sq.m
Minimum Area: 1.8 sq.m
Combined water closet with bath room
Minimum dimension: 1.2 sq.m
Minimum Area: 2.8 sq.m
Light &Ventilations
All habitable rooms shall have the provision to admit natural
light and ventilation.
General Openings Recommended Reference Opening
Requirements size required for
4mX4m room

A. Min. area of 1/10th of the room area for hilly 1.0 X 1.5
openings for natural regions 1.32 X 1.5
light 1/8thof the room area for other
regions
B. Kitchen 25% more than minimum permitted 1.32 X 1.5
1/8th of the room area for hilly 1.75 X 1.5
regions
1/6th of the room area normally
C. Min. area of 0.6 X 1.5
opening for natural 1/16th of the room area
ventilation
General requirement
 No portion of the room shall be considered naturally lighted if
it is more than 7.5mm from the opening assumed for lighting .
 Minimum size of internal courtyard from which admission of
light is permitted for a habitable room shall be 3m X 3m for
normal rise building.
Basements
 Basements are the lower story or storey of a building that are
either completely below the average ground level or extending
up to 1.2m above the average ground level. Any floor above
1.2m level shall be considered as Semi-basement floor.
A. Basic Requirements
 Basement floor shall not be used for residential purpose.
 The minimum height of the basement floor shall be 2.4m.
 Adequate arrangement shall be made such that surface drainage
doesn’t enter the basement. The walls and floors of the
basement shall be water tight.
 Ventilation Requirements
 Each basement shall be separately ventilated. Vents with
cross sectional areas not less 2.5% of the floor area spread
preferably around the perimeter of the basement shall be
provided through stall boards, pavement light or through
shafts [in case of double basements]
 Each basement above 200sq.m shall have minimum of one
each system of air inlets and smoke outlet served through
mechanical system. Additional vent system shall be provided
for every 200sq.m of plinth area there on.
Safety Requirements
 The staircase of the basement shall have fire resistance value
of not less than 2hours.
 As specified under section 2.2 maximum travel distances to
the stairway or exit shall not be more than 30m beyond which
another means of exit shall be provided. Ramps can be
considered as one of the means of access.
 Parking
 These basic parking requirements shall be applicable to
areas where vehicular transport is available and is
associated with off street parking .
 The minimum height clearance for indoor parking space
shall not be less than 2.2m.
 For common parking, area allocated for each car shall not
be less than 2.5m X 4.5m.
 Minimum area for common parking

A 2500 mm
B 4500 mm
 Parking area allocated for each bike and scooter shall not be
less than 1.25 sq.m while the same for the cycle shall not be
less than 1 sq.m .
 The gradient of ramp leading to parking space for occupancy
type other than A1 and A2 shall not be more than 1:5.

ACCESSIBILITY FOR DISABLED

The average size of the Standard manualwheel chair is
640mm-700mm X 900-1100mm. To measure door clearance,
we add 50mm to each side to leave room for hands. Which
means doorways designed for use by disabled people shall
have at least800 mm clear opening while the recommended
size is 900mm.
In general to rotate 1 wheel chair full 180º minimum space
required is 1800mm in diameter.
Planning
Shape
 Buildings which are symmetrical in plan and regular in
elevation are safer than theasymmetrical ones. Thus, it is
preferable that buildings be symmetrical and regular.
Proportion.
 The length to breadth ratio of a building shall not exceed
3:1.
 The length to breadth ratio for any room or area enclosed by
load -bearing walls inside the building shall also notexceed
3:1.
 The building height shall not be more than three times the
width of the building.
Storey Height
 The floor to floor height of building shall not be less than 2 m
and not greater than3 m.
 In case of the attic floor, maximum height from floor level
to ridge level shallbe1.8m and maximum height from floor
level to eave level shall be1m.
Number of Storey
 The buildings may have up to two stories and an additional
attic floor.
 The maximum height (floor to floor) of a building shall not
exceed 12 times the wall thickness at the superstructure.
Plinth Level
 The height of plinth level shall be at least 300mm from
existing ground level. The height of plinth level can be
changed as per site condition.
Wall Thickness
 Theminimum thickness of walls for different storey
heights shall not be less than those stated in Table.

MASONRY No of storey
TYPE
one Two Two +

Stone 350-450 450 450

Brick 230 350 350

Cement 300 300 300

solid block
Stabilized 300 300 300
soil block
Height of Walls
The thickness to height ratio of a wall shall not
be more than that stated in Table.

Masonry Type Ratio

Stone 1:8
Brick 1:12
Cement solid block 1:12
Stabilized solid block 1:12
 Openings in Walls
Openings in a wall generally describe those for doors and
windows. However, the partial puncture of a wall such as that for
a wardrobe, for a built-in closet, or for a Dalan covered
verandah with walls on three sides, shall also be considered as
openings in this guideline.
 Unbalanced openings contribute to the increased vulnerability
of buildings during an earthquake.
Position of Openings
 Openings are to be located away from inside corners by a clear
distance equal to at least
 1/4th of the height of the opening, but not less than 600mm.
 The horizontal distance (pier width) between two openings is to
be not less than one half of the height of the shorter opening but
not less than 600mm.
 The vertical distance between two openings shall not be less than
600 mm or half the width of the smaller opening, whichever is
the greater.
Sanitary Requirements
Water Supply Requirements for Buildings :
Type of Buildings Minimum requirement per
head per day
1 Apartment Buildings 100 lit

Overhead Storage.
In areas of chronic shortage or intermittent supply,
overhead storage is also required for domestic use
and flushing purposes and to ensure constant
supply.
Type of Building Unit Unit storage
1. Apartments wc 360 lit
(Domestic use)
Residence
2.For residential other than 270 lit
premises wc

Distribution System and Pipe Work

The service pipe shall pass into or beneath the
buildings at a depth of not less that 75 cm below
the outside ground level.
The underground water service pipes and building
sewer or drain shall be kept at a sufficient distances
apart so as to prevent contamination of water.
Water service pipes shall not be run or laid in the
same trench as the drainage pipe.
Where this is unavoidable, the following conditions
shall be fulfilled;
a) the bottom of water service pipe at all points, shall
be at least 30cm above the top of the sewer line at
the highest point.
b) the number of joints in the water pipe shall be
kept to a minimum.
Fire Fighting Provision.
Shortage of water and intermittent public water supply has led
to the need to have captive water storage tanks exclusively for
fire fighting operation.
For water supply for wet riser system a storage tank should be
available with arrangement for replenishment of water supply
through public supply mains or by an alternate source of
supply at the rate of about 1000 ltr/minute.
Where this is not possible the capacity of the static tank will
have to be increased.
The storage should last for 90-120 minutes at a nominal
pumping rate of 2400ltr/minute.
Storage available from swimming pools, ornamental pools are
considered as supplementary and are not acceptable as
replacement for fire storage tank.
Underground tank of 90000 ltr should be built for the
buildilding upto 15m height.
 a) A minimum of two hydrants shall be provided in the
courtyard.
 b) A wet riser cum down comer is an arrangement for fire
fighting with in a building by means of vertical riser mains
not less than 100 mm. Dai ( Internal dia) with hydrant outlet
on each floor and landing connected to overhead tank with
proper non return valve.
 c) The terrace tank & pump need not be provided if automatic
pump at ground level can be maintained satisfactorily.
 d) The size of riser shall be as under i) Apartment buildings
upto 45 m. height---100 mm. with single two hydrant outlets
and hose reel on each floor.
Waste Water Disposal :

All fixtures should be provided with a

water seal trap to prevent foul gases,
insects and vermin of the main sewer from
entering the building.
The depth of water seal traps for different
fixtures shall be as follows :
Water closet -50mm.
Floor trap - 50mm
 All pipes are to be adequately sized and sloped for
effective disposal of waste.
Branches and stacks which receive discharge from WC
pan should not be less than 100mm except where the
outlet from siphonic WC is 80mm in which case a
branch pipe of 80mm may be used; for outlet of the
floor trap 75mm dia may be used.
 Dwellings without individual conviniences shall have
the following fitments.
a) One water tap with drainage arrangement in each
tenement;
b) One water closet and one bath for every two tenements;
c) Water taps in common bathrooms and common water
closets.
C) Rain Water Disposal.
 Rainwater falling on roofs, paved areas and other open area must be
collected and disposed off efficiently and quickly. Provision should
be made for a separate and independent storm water disposal system
leading to the public storm-water drain or natural watercourse for
individual buildings.
 Provision should be made for the drainage of wastes/rain water
from balconies and terrace in an efficient manner.
 Suggested slopes for flat roofs for different surface.

1. Smooth surfaces 0.5-0.75%

(Polished stone, cement/terrazzo floor etc.)
2. Normal surfaces 0.75-1.0%
(Brick, rough stone/concrete blocks, tiles etc)
3. Rough surfaces 1.5-2%
 (Gravel, cobbled etc)
Rainwater
pipes shall be
normally sized
on the basis of
roof areas.
The strainer
area shall be
11/2 to 2 times
the area of pipe
to which it
connects.
THANK YOU!