The National Building Code (NPC) is a set of standardized rules that officials and construction companies must follow to provide a healthy and secure living experience for all residents.
The
National Building Code (NBC) is a document that provides guidelines for the
construction of structures - residential, commercial, institutional,
educational, commercial, assembly, storage or hazardous buildings. It is
important to follow these guidelines to protect the overall health of the
construction and to ensure the health and safety of the public and residents.
In this article, we are going to talk about NBC guidelines for residential
buildings. These standardized codes were first published in 1970 and later
revised in 1983. The latest amendment was in 2005.
What are residential buildings
according to NBC?
The NBC defines residential
buildings as ‘sleeping accommodation for normal residential purposes with or
without cooking or dining, or without both facilities, except for any building
classified under Group C buildings.
·
An exit must be
provided In every building, so as to permit safe escape of residents in times
of fire or earthquakes, etc.
·
The main staircase
and fire escape staircase must be continuous from ground floor to the terrace
level
·
According to the NBC,
a dedicated refuge area should be at every seventh floor or after the first 24
meters in a high rise
NBC Guidelines
Related To Kitchens
·
Every kitchen should
have an arrangement for washing dishes, with proper connection to the drain.
·
The kitchen should
be furnished with an unobtrusive floor.
·
The kitchen should
be open to an interior or exterior and should not be less than one square
meter.
·
The kitchen should
not open into a trunk.
·
Chutes should not be
used in buildings above 15 meters.
NBC Guidelines Related
To Bathrooms
·
One of the walls
should have an opening to the open space. Minimum ventilation or window space
should be measured up to 0.37 square meters.
·
A bathroom should
always be another bathroom or laundry space or terrace, not more than another room.
Irrigation sites may be exceptions to this rule.
·
The seat should be
made of non-absorbent materials.
·
Bathrooms should be
covered with partitions/walls and provided with a recommended surface with a
height of not less than one meter.
·
The floor covering
should also be permeable, but sloping towards the drain, not towards any other
room or balcony space.
·
A room with a water
closet should only be used as a toilet. Flush forts should be provided for
these rooms.
·
If there is a toilet
on the terrace with a height of 2.2 meters, it should be calculated on the
floor area ratio (FAR).
·
In the absence of a
sewage sales station, a septic tank should be provided.
NBC Guidelines
Regarding Lofts
· Apart
from shops, lofts are only allowed in residential buildings.
· 25%
of the floor area should be controlled in the covered area.
· The
height between the floor and the ceiling should not be less than 1.75 meters.
NBC Guidelines
Regarding Basement
· The
minimum height of the Basement should be 2.5 m and the
maximum height 4.5 m.
· The
ceiling height should be a minimum of 0.9 meters and a maximum of 1.2 meters
from the road surface.
· Ventilation
to the basement is essential and maybe in the form of the blower, exhaust fans,
air conditioning etc.
· Surface
drainage should not enter the basement.
· The
walls and floors of the Basement should be water-proof.
· The basement should not be directly accessible from the road. This should only be
accessed from the main entrance or from the alternative staircase that provides
access to the building.
· Only
when a projecting foundation is stripped from the ground or permitted by
authority can the foundation be allowed to touch nearby property.
NBC Guidelines
Regarding Garages
·
The foundation of
the garage at ground level should not be less than 15 cm.
·
Garages should not
block access to the building in any way. It should be behind the building line
of the street or road. If it does not, the authority may suspend its use as a
garage or recommend other changes.
Guidelines for
building sites
·
For wet floors, the
floor surface and the space between the walls should be declared as a water
proof for authority
·
Building sites
should be kept away from electrical connections.
|
Type
of electric line |
Horizontal
distance |
Vertical
distance |
|
Low
and medium voltage lines and service lines |
1.20
metres |
2.50
metres |
|
High
voltage lines up to and including 11,000 volts |
1.20
metres |
3.70
metres |
|
High
voltage lines above 11,000 volts and up to and including 33,000 volts |
2.00
metres |
3.70
metres |
|
Extra high voltage lines additional 33,000 volts |
Plus 0.3 metres for every additional 33,000 V or part
thereof. |
Plus 0.3 metres for every additional 33,000 V or part
thereof. |
Guidelines for
building evacuations
NBC has guidelines for entry and exit
points in buildings.
·
An evacuation must
be provided in each building to allow residents to escape safely in the event
of a fire or earthquake.
·
Exit is mandatory,
these are clearly visible to everyone and they should light up. These cannot be
reduced in number, width or any other means. The required number depends on the
occupation load, capacity, travel distance, etc.
·
Alarms are necessary
to ensure the immediate evacuation of those at risk.
·
The exit should be
continuous, leading to the exterior of the building.
·
The exit can be
horizontal or vertical.
·
The elevator and
revolving doors did not exit.
NBC Guidelines
Regarding Fire Safety
In
large-scale buildings where accidents due to fire are not easily noticed,
automatic fire detection and warning facilities should be provided and
provided. Not only this, such buildings should be provided and protected by
fire extinguishers, wet risers, automatic sprinkler installations etc.
Capacity of exits in
different types of buildings
|
S No |
Group of occupancy |
Number of occupants |
||
|
Stairways |
Ramps |
Doors |
||
|
1 |
Residential |
25 |
50 |
75 |
|
2 |
Educational |
25 |
50 |
75 |
|
3 |
Institutional |
25 |
50 |
75 |
|
4 |
Assembly |
40 |
50 |
60 |
|
5 |
Business |
50 |
60 |
75 |
|
6 |
Mercantile |
50 |
60 |
75 |
|
7 |
Industrial |
50 |
60 |
75 |
|
8 |
Storage |
50 |
60 |
75 |
|
9 |
Hazardous |
25 |
30 |
40 |
Source:
NBC, occupants per unit exit width
Guidelines For Stairs
In Residential Buildings
·
For group housing,
the floor area should not exceed 300 square meters, the height of the building
should not exceed 24 meters, a staircase can be accepted. By-law No. 1.13 In
buildings identified from VI (a) to (m), at least two stairs are mandatory.
·
In a residential the low-rise building, the minimum width of the stairs is 0.9 meters.
·
It is 1.25 meters
for apartments, hotels, group houses and guest houses.
Guidelines For Stairs
In Residential Structures
·
Interior stairs
should only be constructed of non-combustible materials.
·
It should have one
side attached to an exterior wall and they should be fully attached.
·
Only the Chief Fire
Officer must approve the location of the stairs.
·
The minimum height
of handrails should be 100 cm.
·
The minimum width of
the treads, the staircase, its arrangement, the headroom, should follow the
standards recommended by NBC.
·
Living spaces and
shops cannot be opened upstairs.
·
The main staircase
and fire escape staircase should continue from the ground floor to the terrace
level.
·
Electric rods or AC
pipes and gas pipes cannot run through the stairs.
·
Anything flammable
cannot be used for stair decoration or paneling.
·
Beams and columns
should not reduce the width of the headroom or staircase.
Guidelines For Open
Areas In Residential Structures
·
Each room should be
open to the living space, outdoor or indoor open space or veranda.
·
According to the
primary plan, open spaces should be calculated in FAR.
·
These areas should
be no more than 0.75 m wide with no rigidity other than cornice, sajja or
weather shade.
·
Each interior or
exterior or airspace must be maintained exclusively for the benefit of such
building and shall be wholly within the owner’s own premises.
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