ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS

compiled & edited by Arch. Jenaro A. Villamor, uap

Definitions of ACOUSTICS:
1. branch of physics concerned with sound
2. deals with the production, control, transmission, reception, and effects of sound
Almost all acoustical situations are described in 3 parts (elements):
1. Sound Source ( e.g. human speech, HVAC equipment)
2. Transmission Path (e.g. air, earth, building materials)
3. Receiver (e.g. humans, animals, sensitive medical equipment)
ARCHITECTURAL ACOUSTICS
1. technology of designing spaces, structures and mechanical systems to meet hearing needs
2. effect of building design on the control of sound in buildings
3 Aspects of Acoustical Design in Buildings
1. Planning to keep noise sources as far as possible from quiet area
2. Internal acoustics of rooms
3. Structural precautions to reduce noise penetrations
Essential Elements of Architectural Acoustics:
1. Room Acoustics – the qualities or characteristics of a room, auditorium, or concert hall that
determine the audibility of speech or fidelity of musical sound in it
• Cubic volume (and coupled spaces)
• Shape and proportion (length-to-width, height-to-width)
• Finishes (selection and placement)
• Audience layout ( floor slope, speaker-to-listener distances)
• Special treatment ( suspended reflectors, resonant absorbers, quadratic-residue diffusers)
2. Sound Isolation – the use of building materials and construction assemblies designed to reduce
the transmission of airborne and structure-borne sound from one room to another or from the
exterior to the interior of a building (Sound Insulation)
• Site noise characteristics (sound level, character, duration)
• Outdoor barriers, nearby buildings, vegetation, and earth berms
• Location of activities within buildings (zoning, buffer spaces)
• Background noise criteria (HVAC system, electronic)
3. Mechanical system noise and vibrations
• Equipment noise characteristics
• Location of mechanical equipment
• Vibration isolation ( springs, pads)
• Air duct and pipe treatment ( linings, mufflers, laggings)
• Background noise from air outlets (coordination with sound isolation)
4. Electronic sound systems
• System compatibility with room acoustics
• Loudspeaker selection, placement and orientation
• System components and controls
• Background masking (loudspeaker layout, sound spectra)
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Definitions of SOUND 2
1. physical wave in an elastic medium, usually air
2. the sensation stimulated in the organs of hearing by mechanical radiant energy transmitted as
longitudinal pressure waves through the air or other medium
3. a vibration in an elastic medium such as air, water, most building materials, and the earth
4. physically, sound is a rapid fluctuation of air pressure
Types of Sound
1. Wanted Sound (speech, music) – heard properly
o considered desirable
o heard properly
2. Unwanted Sound (noise) – annoyance
o annoyance
o not desired or objectionable
Characteristics of Sound
1. Audible
2. Inaudible
Basic Principles of Sound - understanding the characteristics of sound is essential in designing for
good acoustics)
1. Generation
o sound is generated when an object vibrates, causing the adjacent air to move, resulting in a
series of pressure waves radiating out from the moving object
o Wave – a disturbance or oscillation that transfers energy progressively from point to point in a
medium or space without advance by the points themselves, as in the transmission of sound or
light
o Sound Wave – a longitudinal pressure wave in air or an elastic medium esp. one producing an
audible sensation
2. Frequency
o the no. of times the cycle of compression and rarefaction of air occurs in a given unit of time
(e.g. 1000 cycles in the period of 1 second = 1000 cps = 1000 Hertz)
o the no. of cycles per unit time of a wave or oscillation
o the no. of complete cycles per second (frequency of vibration)
o the rate of oscillation of molecules by sound (frequency of vibration) measured in cycles per
second (Hertz)
o Pitch – frequency of sound vibration; the predominant frequency of a sound as perceived by the
human ear
o Vibration – the back and forth motion of a complete cycle
o Cycle – full circuit by a displaced particle
o Period – the time required for one complete cycle
o 20 – 20,000 Hz – approx. audio frequency range of human hearing;
o 600 – 40,000 Hz – critical frequency for speech communication
o Tone – composed of a fundamental frequency with multiples of the fundamental, called
Harmonics
o Pure Tone – sound composed only of 1 frequency
o Musical sounds are combination of many pure tones
o Frequency bands – used to express division of sounds into sections (Octave bands are the most
common)
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o 9 Octave Bands – 31.5, 63, 125, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000 Hz
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3. Velocity
o varies according to the medium of transmission; approx. 1100 fps in air at normal temperature
and pressure
4. Wavelength
o Distance between similar points on successive waves; the distance the sound travels in one
cycle
o Relationship between wavelength, frequency, and velocity:
Λ = c/f
Λ = wavelength, ft.2
c = velocity of sound, fps
f = frequency of sound, Hz (cps)
o Low frequency sounds: characterized by long wavelengths
o High frequency sounds: characterized by short wavelengths
o Sounds with wavelengths ranging from ½” – 50’ can be heard by humans
5. Magnitude
o Sound power (watts) – amount of energy produced by a source
o Intensity – describes the energy level; unit is watts/cm2
o Loudness (what is perceived) – related to the Intensity Level (IL) or Sound Pressure Level (SPL)
o The Sound Pressure Level (SPL) is equivalent to the Sound Intensity Level (IL)
o Intensity Level is expressed in decibels
o Decibel – dimensionless unit used to express the ratio of two numerical values of a logarithmic
scale
Comparison of decimal, exponential, and logarithmic statements of various acoustic intensities
Intensity (watts/cm2) Intensity Level
Decimal Notation Exponential Notation Logarithmic Notation Examples
0.001 10-3 130 dB Painful
0.0001 10-4 120 dB
0.00001 10-5 110 dB 75-piece orchestra
0.000001 10-6 100 dB
0.0000001 10-7 90 dB Shouting at 5 ft.
0.000000001 10-9 70 dB Speech at 3ft.
0.00000000001 10-11 50 dB Average office
0.0000000000001 10-13 30 dB Quiet unoccupied office
0.00000000000001 10-14 20 dB Rural ambient
0.000000000000001 10-15 10 dB
0.0000000000000001 10-16 0 dB Threshold of hearing

o The fundamental relationship that determines the decibel level is ten times the logarithm to the
base 10 of the numerical ratio of the two intensities. For example:
IL = 10 log I
I0
IL = intensity level
I = intensity, watts/cm2
I0 = reference intensity, 10-16 watts/cm2
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6. Time Characteristics of Sound
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o Some sounds remain constant with time (e.g. fan may produce a sound with constant frequency
and intensity characteristics – a steady state sound)
o Sounds (traffic, voices, musical instruments) vary as a function of time
o Vehicular traffic sounds: maximum levels/levels exceeded for 90% of the time
o Speech sounds: 1% peaks
o Orchestra’s sound: long-term average levels
Behavior of Sound in a Free Field
• Sound intensity is reduced to one-quarter each time the distance doubles:

I1 and I2 are the intensities at distances d1 and d2 from the source

• The intensity of a sound at a distance from the source is expressed as the power (P) of the
source divided by the area over which it has spread (A)
I = P/A
• If the sound radiates freely in all directions from a source the area is a sphere. The intensity is
represented as:
I=P
4π r2
P = power in watts
r = distance from source in cm
In English units, the conversion factor is 930 cm2/ft4π r2Using this, the equation for spherical
direction is:
I = P/930 x 4π r2
As the intensity is reduced to one-quarter with each doubling of distance, the sound pressure level
(IL) is reduced by 6 dB. Quartering the intensity reduced the intensity level by 6 dB
• Sound attenuation is due to distance, absorption, or barriers
• Barriers, to be effective must be solid, quite large as compared to the wavelength of sound and
near to the source or receiver
• Shrubs, hedges, small groves: visual barriers only; no value acoustically
• Sound Combining. Sounds from separate sources may combine. Two violins produce a louder
sound than 1 instrument; 3 violins are louder still. Decibels are not added directly to make the
perceived level twice as loud for 2 sources or 3 times as loud for 3. The level for combined
sources is determined by adding powers, intensities or pressures; and subsequently converting to
decibels. Doubling of intensities results in a 3 dB increase (e.g. 50 dB plus 50 dB is 53 dB, not 100
dB)
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ROOM ACOUSTICS
Sound Indoors – Acoustics of Room
• Sound in an enclosure radiates out from the source until it hits a surface that reflects or absorbs
it
• If the source is continuous, a state of equilibrium will be reached
• Levels are constant throughout most spaces except at points very near the source (for a given
source, the built-up or reverberant levels will be highest in a space with a few absorptive surfaces
– lobby with marble walls/floors; in a space with large areas of sound absorbing materials, the
levels will be lowest
1. Sound Absorption
• Materials varying sound absorption characteristics
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 Some absorb low frequency energy

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 Some absorb high frequency energy

 Others absorb energy equally over a broad spectrum
• Mechanism of Absorption: 3 families of devices for sound absorption; all types absorb sound by
changing sound energy to heat energy
 Fibrous materials (Porous materials): absorption provided by a specific material depends on
thickness, density, porosity, resistance to air flow (e.g. materials must be thick to absorb low
frequency sounds effectively; suspending an acoustical ceiling tile a foot below the structure
results in better broad band absorption than cementing the tile directly to the structure; “acoustic”
paints with sand or walnut shells are useless as sound absorbers
 Panel resonators: built with a membrane (thin plywood, linoleum in front of a sealed airspace);
panel is set in motion by the alternating pressure of the impinging sound wave; sound energy is
converted into heat through internal viscous damping; used where efficient low frequency
absorption is required/ mid and high frequency absorption is unwanted; used in recording studios
 Volume resonators
• Coefficient of Absorption (α): Knowing the amount of absorption at different frequencies for each
material in a room is essential in designing the room acoustics
 The absorption coefficient is the fraction of incident energy that is absorbed by a surface
expressed as
α = Ia
Ii
Ii = incident energy, watts/cm2
Ia= absorbed energy, watts/cm2
α = absorption coefficient (no units)
 Total absorption (A) provided by a surface (S) is expressed in sabins
A = Sα
A = Total absorption, sabins
S = Surface area, sq ft
α = Coefficient of absorption

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Coefficients of General Building Materials and Furnishings
Coefficients for absorption in auditorium is shown for both empty and occupied seating conditions

• Many products are prefabricated for sound absorbing treatment (suspended ceilings/wall
mounted treatments
• 3 kinds of custom-designed treatments that are often used in auditoriums/churches (the deep air
space insures adequate low frequency performance

2. Noise Reduction by Absorption

• Noise levels in a room are highest for a given source if the room’s surfaces are primarily sound
reflecting; lowest if there are large areas of sound absorbing materials (e.g. sound absorbing
ceilings
3. Reflections
4. Reverberation
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REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6541

AN ACT TO ORDAIN AND INSTITUTE

A NATIONAL BUILDING CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6541

AN ACT TO ORDAIN AND INSTITUTE

A NATIONAL BUILDING CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

TITLE 1 - ADMINISTRATIVE
Chapter 1.01 - GENERAL PROVISIONS
SECTION 1.01.01: Title

(a) This Act shall be known as the "National Building Code of the Philippines" and shall hereinafter
be referred to as the "Code".

SECTION 1.01.02: Declaration of Policy

(a) It is hereby declared to be the policy of the State to safeguard life, health, property, and public
welfare, consistent with the principles of environmental management and control; and to this end,
make it the purpose of this Code to provide for all buildings and structured, a framework of
minimum standards and requirements by guiding, regulating, and controlling their location, siting,
design, quality of materials, construction, use, occupancy, and maintenance, including their
environment, utilities, fixtures, equipment, and mechanical electrical, and other systems and
installations.

SECTION 1.01.03: Scope

(a) The provisions of this Code shall apply to the design, location, siting, construction, alteration,
repair, conversion, use, occupancy, maintenance, moving, and demolition of, and addition to,
public and private buildings and structures.

(b) Additions, alterations, repairs, and changes of use or occupancy in all buildings and structures
shall comply with requirements for new buildings and structures except as otherwise herein
provided. Only such portion or portions of the existing building or structure which have to be
altered to effect the addition, alteration, or repair shall be made to conform to the requirements for
new buildings or structures. Alterations should preserve the aesthetic value of the building to be
altered.

(c) Where, in any specific case, different section of this Code specify different materials, methods
of construction, or other requirements, the most restrictive shall govern.

SECTION 1.01.04: Application

(a) This Code shall apply to all buildings and structures constructed and any change or repair
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made thereon after the approval of said Code. Buildings or structures constructed before the
approval of this Code shall not be affected thereby; Except, where their continued use or
occupancy is dangerous to life or limb; or where alterations, additions, conversions, or repairs are
to be made thereon, this Code shall apply only to such portions of the buildings or structure which
have to be altered in order to effect such damages or repairs.

(b) This Code shall apply to chartered cities, poblaciones of municipalities and municipal districts
with a population of at least two thousand (2,000) inhabitants, and to barrios of urban areas with a
population of at least two thousand (2,000) inhabitants. This Code shall also apply to any area
where there are fifty (50) or more families per hectare.

(c) This Code shall likewise apply to any area proposed for or being developed into a new town
site, residential subdivision, commercial or residential site, school site, housing project, and similar
construction projects where five or more buildings not covered by paragraph (d) of this Section will
be constructed even if the poblacion or barrio population is less than two thousand (2,000) or the
density of population is less than fifty (50) families per hectare.

(d) The design and construction requirements of this Code shall not apply to any traditional
indigenous family dwelling costing not more than five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) and intended
for use and occupancy of the family of the owner only. The traditional type of family dwellings are
those that are constructed of native materials such as bamboo, nipa, logs, or lumber, wherein the
distance between vertical supports or suportales does not exceed 3.00 meters (10 feet); and if
masonry walls or socalos are used, such shall not be more than 1.00 meter (3 feet, 3 inches) from
the ground: Provided, however, That such traditional indigenous family dwelling will not constitute
a danger to life or limb of its occupants or of the public; will not be fire hazard or an eyesore to the
community; and does not contravene any fire zoning regulation of the city or municipality in which
it is located.

(e) Notwithstanding paragraph (d) of this Section, this Code shall apply to Group A dwellings
produced on a commercial scale and intended for use by the general public.

SECTION 1.01.05 Building Use Affecting Public Health and Safety

(a) Any building or structure, or any ancillary or accessory facility thereto, and any alteration or
addition to any building or structure already existing, shall conform in all respects to the principles
of safe construction, shall be suited to the purpose for which the building is designed, and shall, in
no case contribute to making the community in which it is located at eyesore, a slum, or a blighted
area.

(b) Adequate environmental safeguards shall be observed in the design, construction, and use of
any building or structure for the manufacture and production of any kind of article or product which
constitutes a hazard or nuisance affecting public health and safety, such as explosives, gas,
noxious chemicals, inflammable compounds, or the like.

SECTION 1.01.06: Maintenance

(a) All buildings or structures, both existing and new, and all parts thereof shall be maintained in a
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safe and sanitary condition. All devices or safeguards, which are required by this Code in a
building or structure when constructed, altered, or repaired, shall be maintained on good working
order.

SECTION 1.01.07: Insanitary, Unsafe, Hazardous, or Dangerous Sites

(a) The land or site upon which will be constructed any building or structure, or any ancillary or
auxillary facility thereto, shall be sanitary , hygienic or safe. Where the land or site is polluted,
insanitary, unhygienic, unsafe, or hazardous, conditions contributing to or causing its being
polluted, insanitary, unhygienic, unsafe, or hazardous shall be reasonably improved or corrected,
or proper remedial measures shall be prescribed or incorporated in the design or construction of
the building or structure in accordance with the provisions of this Code.

(b) The land or site upon which be constructed a building of structure or any ancillary or accessory
facility thereto, for use of human habitation or abode, shall be at a safe distance from streamers or
bodies of water and/source of air considered to be polluted, volcano or volcanic site, and building
or structure considered to be a potential source of fire or explosion, such as ammunitions factory
or dump and storage place for highly inflammable material.

SECTION 1.01.08: Dangerous and Ruinous Buildings or Structures

(a) General. - The provisions of this Code shall apply to all dangerous buildings, as herein defined,
which are now in existence or which may hereafter be constructed, as well as to ruinous buildings
as defined in Article 482 of the Civil Code of the Philippines.

(b) Dangerous Buildings Defined. - Dangerous buildings are those which are structurally unsafe or
not provided with safe egrees, or which constitute a fire hazard, or are otherwise dangerous to
human life, or which in relation to existing use constitute a hazard to safety or health or public
welfare, by reason of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, obsolescence, fire hazard, or
abandonment; or which otherwise contribute to the pollution of the site or the community to an
intolerable degree. Any building or structure which has any or all of the conditions or defects
hereinafter described, or conditions or defects similar thereto, shall be deemed to be dangerous
building: Provided, That such conditions or defect exists to the extent that the life, health, property,
or safety of the public or its occupant are endangered:

(1) Whenever any door, aisle, passageway, stairway, or other means of exist is not of sufficient
width or size, or is not so arranged as to provide safe and adequate means of exit in case of fire or
panic;

(2) Whenever the stress in any materials member or portion thereof, due to all dead and live loads
is more than one and one-half times the working stresses or stresses allowed in this Code for new
building of similar structure, purpose, or location: Provided, That in determining working stress, the
working stress method of analysis shall be used, and in the case of engineering "overstress", the
ultimate strength method;

(3) Whenever any portion thereof has been damaged by fire, earthquake, wind, flood, or by any
other cause, to such an extent that the structural strength or the stability thereof is materially less
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than it was before such catastrophe and is less than the minimum requirements of this Code for
new buildings of similar structures, purpose, or location;

(4) Whenever any portion or member or appurtenance thereof is likely to fall, or to become
detached or dislodged, or to collapse and thereby injure persons or damage property;

(5) Whenever any portion or member or any appurtenance or ornamentation of the exterior thereof
is not of such sufficient strength or stability, or is not so anchored, attached, or fastened - place so
as to be capable of resisting a wind pressure of one-half of that specified in this Code for new
buildings of similar structure; purpose, or location without exceeding the working stresses
permitted for such buildings;

(6) Whenever any portion thereon has wracked, warped, buckled, or settled to such an extent that
walls or other structural portions have materially less resistance to winds or earthquake than is
required in the case similar new construction;

(7) Whenever the building or structure, or any portion thereof, because of: (i) dilapidation,
deterioration, or delay; (ii) faulty construction; (iii) the removal, movement, or instability of any
portion of the ground necessary for the purpose of supporting such building; (iv) the deterioration,
decay, or inadequacy of its foundation; or (v) any other cause, is likely to partially or completely
collapse;

(8) Whenever, for any reason, the building or structure, or any portion thereof, is manifestly unsafe
for the purpose for which it is being used;

(9) Whenever the exterior walls or other vertica structural members list, lean, or buckle to such an
extent that the structure falls within the condition described in the preceding subparagraph (2),
above, or whenever any portion thereof suffers a material reduction of the fire and weather
resistance qualities of characteristics required by this Code for newly constructed buildings of like
area, height, and occupancy in the same location;

(10) Whenever a building or structure, used or intended to be used for dwelling purposes, because
of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, decay, damage, faulty construction or arrangement,
inadequate light, air, or sanitation facilities, or otherwise, is found to be unsanitary, unfit for human
habitation, or in such a condition that is likely to cause sickness or disease;

(11) Whenever any building or structure, because of obsolescence, dilapidated, condition,

deterioration, damage, inadequate exists, lack of sufficient fire-resistive construction, or other
cause, is found to be a fire hazard;

(12) Whenever any portion of a building or structure remains on a site after demolition or
destruction of the building or structure is abandoned for a period in excess of six months, so as to
constitute a nuisance or hazard to the public;

(13) Whenever any building or structure is in such a condition as to constitute a public nuisance
defined in Article 694 and 695 of the Civil Code of the Philippines.
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(c) Abatement of Dangerous Buildings. In all cases of dangerous buildings, except those covered
by Article 482 and 694 to 707 of the Civil Code of the Philippines, the Building Official shall order
their repair, vacation, or demolition in accordance with the following procedure:

(1) Where the dangerous building can reasonably be repaired such that it will no longer be
dangerous, it shall be ordered repaired;

(2) Where the dangerous building is such that to repair it would cost more than 50 per cent of the
current to replacement cost of the building, it shall be repaired or demolished at the opinion of the
owner;

(3) Where the dangerous building poses an immediate threat to life, limb, or property, it shall be
vacated immediately, then repaired or demolished in accordance with subparagraphs (1) or (2)
herein.

SECTION 1.01.09. Alternate or new Design, Material, Method of Construction, or Workmanship;

Tests

(a) Any design, material, method of construction, or workmanship not specifically included in this
Code may be used: Provided, That such alternate or new design, material, method of construction,
or workmanship is at least the equivalent of those prescribed in this Code in effectiveness.

(b) Tests for design, materials, method of construction, or workmanship shall be prescribed by the
Secretary of Public Works and Communication in appropriate rules and regulations therefor.

SECTION 1.01.10: Municipal and Provincial Ordinances and Regulations

(a) Local ordinances should conform to the Code and suppletory requirements hereto shall in no
case diminish minimum requirements embodied in this Code. The Secretary of Public Works and
Communications or, in the proper case, the Secretary of Justice shall take any and all appropriate
steps in cases where local ordinances conflict with the Code.

SECTION 1.01.11: Definitions and Tables

(a) The definitions in Annex A and the Tables in Annex B of this Code are hereby adopted as part
thereof.

SECTION 1.01.12: Separability Clause

(a) If, for any reason, any section or provision of this Code shall be declared unconstitutional or
invalid, no other section or provision of this Code shall be affected thereby.

SECTION 1.01.13: Repealing Clause

(a) Any and all statutes, orders, ordinances, rules and regulations or parts thereof, inconsistent
with the provisions of this Code, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
SECTION 1.01.14: Effectivity
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(a) This Code shall take effect upon its approval within the Greater Manila Metropolitan Area and
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in other areas where there are already existing local building codes, and four (4) years thereafter,
in all other areas in the Philippines: Provided, however, That this provision shall not prevent any
city or municipal council or board from adopting this Code immediately upon its approval.

Chapter 1.02 - ENFORCEMENT

SECTION 1.02.01: Joint Building and Environmental Planning Research and Standards
Commission

(a) Membership. There is hereby created a Joint Building and Environmental Planning Research
and Standards Commission composed of two Senators, two Congressmen, and five other
members to be appointed by the President of the Philippines. The members shall elect a
Chairman from among themselves.

(1) The President of the Senate shall designate the chairman of the Committee on Housing, Urban
Development and Resettlement and one Senator from the minority party as members of the
Commission.

(2) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate the Chairman of the Committee
on Housing and one Congressman from the minority party as members of the Commission.

(3) The President of the Philippines shall appoint two architects, two engineers, and one building
contractor chosen from those officially recommended by their respective national professional
organizations, to serve for four years or until their successors shall have been duly appointed and
qualified.

(4) The members thereof shall serve without compensation: except, That the members from the
professional organizations may receive a per diem of one hundred pesos (P100.00) each per
meeting actually attended: Provided, That the total per diem the members may receive shall not
exceed six hundred pesos (P600.00) per month. A monthly transportation allowance of two
hundred fifty pesos (P250.00) shall be granted each of the members from the professional
organizations.

(b) Duties and Responsibilities. The Commission shall have the following duties and
responsibilities:

(1) Conduct or cause to be conducted continuing research and studies on building, housing, and
environmental planning standards and requirements to safeguard life or limb, health, property, and
public welfare;

(2) Prepare a draft of a uniform code of criteria, standards, and detailed specifications covering
design, construction, and other related matters suited to local needs and indigenous conditions for
adoption by local governments to supplement the minimum standards provided in this Code;

(3) Pre pare drafts of environmental planning, management and control codes, subdivision policies
and standards, zoning regulations and other codes for legislative enactment; and recommend,
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from time to time, changes in this Building Code for submission to Congress; and
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(4) Transmit appropriate recommendation to the Secretary of Public Works and Communications
as a basis for the promulgation by the Secretary of the necessary rules and regulations to carry
out the provisions of this Code.

(c) Technical Staff. The Commission shall be assisted by a Technical Staff which shall be headed
by an Executive Director and an Assistant Executive Director. All personnel shall be appointed by
the Chairman subject to civil service laws, rules, and regulations.

(d) Appropriations. The amount of two hundred and fifty thousand pesos (P250,000) or such
amount thereof as may be necessary for the operation of the Commission is hereby authorized to
be appropriated out of any funds not otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30,
1973. Such sums may be necessary for the operating expenses of the Commission in succeeding
fiscal years shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 1.02.02: Secretary of Public Works and Communications and Building Officials

(a) The Secretary of Public Works and Communications, hereinafter referred to as the "Secretary",
shall promulgate such rules and regulations necessary to enable the Building Official to enforce
the provisions of this Code.

(b) In municipalities, the Municipal Engineer shall be the Building Official; Provided, That when
there is no such Municipal Engineer, or a duly licensed engineer performing the duties of a
Municipal Engineer, or a Land and Building Official, the Provincial Engineer, or in the absence
thereof, the Public Works Engineer within whose jurisdiction the municipality falls shall be the
Building Official. In case of cities, the City Public Works Supervisor shall be the Building Official:
Provided, That when there is no such City Public Works Supervisor, the City Engineer shall be the
Building Official. For the purpose of the enforcement of the provisions of this Code, the Building
Official shall be under the supervision of the Secretary of Public Works and Communications, any
provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding.

(c) Subject to the approval of the Municipal Mayor, City Mayor, or Provincial Governor in the
proper case, and other civil service laws and rules, the Building Official may appoint such number
of officers, inspectors, assistants, or other employees possessing the necessary qualifications and
competency as may be authorized by the Municipal Council, City Council, or Provincial Board, as
the case may be. He may deputize such technically qualified employees as may be necessary to
carry out the provisions of this Code. For purposes of this Subsection, the terms "necessary
qualifications and competency" and "technically qualified" shall mean that the person to be
deputized shall have passed the highest grade of examination called for in the applicable law
regulating the practice of the branch of engineering or architecture related to or associated with
the duties and powers which the person to be deputized shall assume.

SECTION 1.02.03: Building permits

(a) Any person, firm, or corporation, including any department, office, bureau, agency of
instrumentality of the government intending to construct, alter, repair, move, convert or demolish
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any building or structure, or cause the same to be done, shall obtain a building permit from the
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Building Official for whichever of such work is proposed to be undertaken for the building or
structure, before any such work is started.
(b) Appropriate rules and regulations shall be set by the Secretary concerning:

(1) Forms for application for building permits;

(2) Procedures to be observed in securing such permits;
(3) Procedures to be observed in the issuance, suspension, and revocation of such building
permits; and
(4) Type, nature, and scope of plans and specifications, and other requisite documents, which
shall be prepared and designed by a licensed architect or engineer.

(c) When authorized by the Building Official in accordance with the provisions of this Code, plans
and specifications need not be submitted for the following:

(1) Group A traditional indigenous type of dwelling construction costing not more than three
thousand pesos (P3,000.00); and
(2) Group J Division 1 Occupancy of Type 1 conventional wood frame construction or of the
traditional indigenous type of construction costing not more than three thousand pesos
(P3,000.00).

(d) The applicant for a building permit for private buildings or structures after having complied with
all the requirements prescribed therefor in accordance with the provisions of this Code, shall be
issued a building permit within fifteen (15) days from the date of payment of the permit fee for
Groups A and J Occupancies and within thirty (30) days from the date of payment of the permit fee
for other Group Occupancies, unless the Building Official or his Deputy authorized to issue the
permit shall inform the applicant in writing why the permit should not be issued, and shall indicate
thereon the particular provisions of the Code violated by the applicant or the particular
requirements not complied with. Within fifteen (15) days from the date of receipt by the applicant of
advice from the Building Official or his Deputy authorized to issue the permit why the building
permit should not be issued, or why the building permit is suspended or revoked, the applicant
may appeal the non-issuance, suspension, or revocation thereof, to the Mayor of the chartered city
or municipality, or the Governor of the province where the building or structure for which the permit
is being applied for is located. Said appeal shall be decided within fifteen (15) days from receipt
thereof, otherwise, the applicant may bring the matter to the proper Court of Justice for final
disposition.

(e) All public buildings shall conform to the provisions of this Code and the Building Official of the
city or province where the public building is located shall issue the building permit therefor, stating
in writing that such public building conforms to the requirements of the Code. For national public
buildings, the Secretary of Public Works and Communications shall issue a certification that such
a building conforms to the Code. Public buildings shall be exempt from payment of building permit,
inspection, another fees.
SECTION 1.02.04: Fees

(a) Regulations on building permit, inspection and other fees, and for compliance with the same
shall be covered by city and municipal ordinances: Provided, That Traditional indigenous family
13

dwellings under Section 1.01.04 (d) shall be exempt from payment of building permit fees.
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SECTION 1.02.05: Inspection ad Certificates of Occupancy

(a) Inspection. The duly licensed architect or engineer engaged by the owner to undertake
inspection and detailed supervision of the construction shall periodically certify that the
construction conforms to the plans and specifications submitted in the application for a building
permit. Upon submission of such periodic certifications during the progress of construction, the
Building Official shall periodically issue the required authority to continue with the subsequent
phases of construction, without prejudice to his right to conduct on his own initiative any inspection
of the said construction. Upon completion of the construction, the said duly licensed architect or
engineer shall submit to the Building Official the final certification that the building conforms to the
provisions of the Code and with the detailed plans and specifications submitted.

(b) Certificates of Occupancy. The proper Certificate of Occupancy shall be issued to the applicant
within seven (7) days from completion of the requirements for inspection and occupancy and
payment of any and all fees therefor, unless the building Official or his Deputy issuing the
Certificate shall show cause in writing why the Certificate should not be issued and shall indicate
thereon the particular provisions of the Code violated or the particular requirements not complied
with. Within fifteen (15) days from receipt by the applicant of the advice from Building Official or his
Deputy authorized to issue the certificate why the certificate should not be issued, or why the
certificate is suspended or revoked, the applicant may appeal the non-issuance, suspension, or
revocation thereof, to the Mayor of the chartered city or municipality, or the Governor of the
province where the building for which the certificate is being applied for is located. Said appeal
shall be decided within fifteen (15) days from receipts thereof, otherwise, the applicant may bring
the matter to the proper Court of Justice for final disposition. The building may be occupied only
upon issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy.

SECTION 1.02.06: Violations of This Code Covering Designs, Materials, Methods of Construction,
and Workmanship

(a) In all cases of violation of this Code covering design, materials, methods of construction, and
workmanship, the Building Official shall observe the following procedure in ordering the alteration
to conform to this Code or demolition of the building or portion thereof:

(1) Where the building is in the process of construction, the construction of the portion or portions
in violation of this Code shall be stopped until the same shall have been altered to conform to this
Code, unless such partial violation will impair the stability and safety of the whole or part of the
structure, in which case, the whole construction shall be stopped.

(2) Where a building or portion thereof has been constructed, the following procedure shall be
observed:
(2.1) In case it can be reasonably altered to conform to the requirements of this Code, it shall be
altered accordingly;

(2.2) In case the lateration will cost more than 50 per cent of the current construction cost of the
building, it shall be altered to conform to this Code or demolished at the option of the owner;
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(2.3) In case the building or portion thereof poses an immediate danger to life, limb, or property,
the same shall be vacated immediately, then altered to conform to the requirements of this Code
or demolished in accordance with subparagraphs (1) and (2) herein.
(3) If the owner, after receipts of the order of alteration or demolition fails to comply with such
order within a period of one year, said construction shall be declared a nuisance and be abated in
accordance with the provisions of Article 699 of the Civil Code of the Philippines.

(b) This Code shall not be construed to deprive any person the right to avail himself of any and all
judicial proceedings or remedies available under existing laws.

(c) Nothing in this Chapter is intended to diminish the powers vested in the different Boards of
Examiners of the various architectural and engineering professions as provided for in existence
laws regulating the practice of architecture and engineering, nor to restrict the designing
engineering or architect in the exercise of his professional discretion within the basic minimum
standards and requirements embodied in Section 1.01.02 of this Code.

TITLE 2 - FIRE AND FIRE-RESISTIVE STANDARDS

Chapter 2.01 - REQUIREMENTS FOR FIRE ZONES

SECTION 2.01.01: General

(a) Fire Zones Defined. Fire zones are areas within which only certain types of building are
permitted to be constructed based on their use, occupancy, type of construction, and resistance to
fire.

(b) Building Located in More Than One Fire Zone. If a building or structure is located in more than
one fire zone and more than one-third of its total floor area is in a more restricted fire zone, then
the entire building shall conform to the requirements for the more restricted area.

(c) Moved Building. Any building or structure moved within or into any fire zone shall be made to
comply with all the requirements for buildings of that fire zone.

(d) Temporary Buildings. Temporary buildings or structures conforming to the requirements of this
Code, used for the protection of the public around and in conjunction with construction work may
be erected in any of the fire zones: Provided, that such work is allowed by special permit from the
Building Official and such is used only for a limited period of time.

(e) Center Lines of Streets. For the purpose of this Chapter, the center line of an adjoining street
or alley may be considered an adjacent property line. Distance shall be measured at right angles
to the street or alley.
SECTION 2.01.02. Designation of Fire Zones

(a) The Secretary shall classify each type of fire zone in accordance to use, occupancy, type of
construction, and resistance to fire subject to the provisions of this Code.

(b) Based on the classification of fire zones, City Counsels or Municipal Boards, by resolution,
shall divide cities and municipalities into fire zones. Such division shall be in accordance with the
15

local physical and spatial framework plans or the recommendation of the local city or municipal
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development body.
Chapter 2.02 - FIRE-RESISTIVE REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS FOR FIRE PROTECTION

SECTION 2.02.01: Fire-Resistive Requirements

(a) Exterior bearing and nonbearing walls of Types II and III constructions shall have one-hour fire-
resistive rating; while those of types IV and V shall have four-hour fire-resistive rating.

(b) Interior bearing walls, permanent partitions, floors, and roofs of Types II to IV constructions
shall have one-hour fire-resistive rating; while those of Type V shall have three-hour fire-resistive
rating for walls, one-hour fire-resistive rating for partitions, and two-hour fire-resistive rating for
vertical openings, floors, and roofs.

(c) Structural frames of Types II and III constructions shall have one-hour fire-resistive rating;
those of Type IV shall have two-hour fire-resistive rating; and those of Type V shall have three-
hour fire-resistive rating.

(d) Exterior doors and windows shall have three-fourths-hour fire-resistive rating for all types of
construction.

SECTION 2.02.02: Fire-Resistive Standards

(a) General. Materials and systems of fire-resistive purposes shall be classified according to their
fire-resistive ratings as determined by internationally accepted testing methods, subject to the
provisions of this Section.

(b) One-Hour Fire-Resistive Time Period Rating

(1) The following walls and partitions shall have a one-hour fire-resistive rating: Solid masonry, 10
centimeters (4 inches) thick; hollow unit masonry, 15 centimeters (6 inches) thick; solid concrete,
10 centimeters (4 inches) thick; stud walls covered on each side with 1.9 centimeters (3/4 inch)
lath and plaster, 1.6 centimeters (5/8 inch) of vermiculite gypsum board, or 2.5 centimeters (1
inch) of gypsum board; and 5 centimeters (2 inches) nominal thickness tongue and groove wood,
or two layers of 1.9 centimeters (3/4 inch) tongue and groove wood separated by sheet metal or
asbestos paper and treated on each side with a fire-retardant coating having a flame-spread rating
of 50 or less. Square-edged boards may be used is the layers are laid at right angles with each
other.

(2) The following floors shall have a one-hour fire-resistive rating: masonry or concrete, 10
centimeters (4 inches) thick; wood joists having two layers of flooring above and a plaster or
gypsum board ceiling, 1.9 centimeters (3/4 inch) in thickness - the two layers of flooring shall be
separated by sheet metal or asbestos building paper; 6.3 centimeters (2-1/2 inches) net thickness
tongue and grooved wood floors covered with 1.9 centimeters (3/4 inch) wood flooring laid at right
angles thereto. The supporting beams for such floors shall be not less than 15 centimeters (6
inches) in minimum dimension.
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(3) The following protections for metal structural members shall have one-hour fire-resistive rating:
2.5 centimeters (1 inch) of concrete; 3.8 centimeters (1-1/2 inches) of masonry; and metal lath and
2.5 centimeters (1 inch) of plaster.

(4) The following shall also have a one-hour fire-resistive rating; wood colums, 20 centimeters (8
inches) or more in least dimension; and wood beams, 15 centimeters (6 inches) or more in least
dimension.

(c) Two-Hour Fire-Resistive Time Period Rating

(1) The following partitions, walls, and floors shall have a two-hour fire-resistive rating: solid
masonry, 15 centimeters (6 inches) thick; hollow unit masonry, 20 centimeters (8 inches) thick;
and solid concrete, 127 centimeters (5 inches) thick.

(2) The following protections for metal structural members shall have a two-hour fire-resistive
rating. 3.8 centimeters (1-1/2 inches) of concrete; 5 centimeters (2 inches) of masonry; and two
layers of metal lath and plaster with 1.9 centimeters (3/4 inch) air space between and having a
total thickness of 6.3 centimeters (2-1/2 inches).

(d) Three-Hour Fire-Resistive Time Period Rating

(1) The following partitions, walls, and floors shall have a three-hour fire-resistive rating: solid
masonry, 17.8 centimeters (7 inches) thick; hollow unit masonry, 25.4 centimeters (10 inches)
thick; and solid concrete, 15 centimeters (6 inches) thick.

(2) The following protection for metal structural members shall have a three-hour fire resistive
rating: centimeters (2 inches) of concrete; 7.6 centimeters (3 inches) of masonry.

(e) Four-Hour Fire-Resistive Time Period Rating

(1) The following partitions, walls, and floors shall have a four-hour fire resistive rating: solic
masonry walls, 20 centimeters (8 inches) thick; hollow unit masonry, 30 centimeters (12 inches)
thick; and solid concrete, 17.8 centimeters (7 inches) thick.

(f) Steel Joists. Steel joist floors shall have from one to four-hour fire-resistive rating based on
internationally accepted standards of engineering.

(g) Flame-Proof Materials. Materials required to be flame-proofed shall be treated with a flame-
retardant having flame-spread rating of 50 less as determined by the "Tunnel Test".

SECTION 2.02.03: Interior Wall and Ceiling Finish

(a) General. Finishes for interior walls and ceilings of any building shall be classified according to
their flame-spread characteristics using the internationally accepted "Tunnel Test" or other
equivalent test for fire protection. The class of materials according to flame-spread characteristics
shall be determined for each occupancy group. The smoke density shall not be greater than that
17

obtain from the burning of untreated wood under similar conditions when tested in accordance with
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the "Tunnel Test" in the way intended for use. The products of combustion shall be no more toxic
than the burning of untreated wood under similar conditions.

(b) Interior Finish Materials. Interior walls and ceiling finish shall mean interior wainscoting,
paneling, or other finish applied structurally or for decoration, acoustical correction, surface
insulation or similar purposes. Requirements for finishes shall not apply to trim, doors, and
windows or their frames, nor to materials which are less than one millimeter (0.039 inch) in
thickness cemented to an incombustible backing. Interior finish materials applied to walls and
ceilings shall be tested as specified herein and regulated for purposes of limiting flame-spread.

SECTION 2.02.04: Promulgation of Fire-Resistive Regulations

(a) The Secretary shall promulgate appropriate standards and regulations on the testing of
materials for flame-spread characteristics; application of controlled interior finish; finishes based
on occupancy; materials and tests on fire dampers, fire tests of building construction and
materials, fire tests of door assemblies, tin-clad fire doors, fire test of window assemblies,
installation of fire door and fire windows, and smoke and fire detectors for fire protective signaling
systems; fire-resistive protection of structural members; fire-resistive walls and partitions; fire-
resistive floor-ceilings or roof-ceilings; fire-resistive assemblies for protection of openings; and fire-
retardant roof coverings.
TITLE 3 - REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OCCUPANCY
Chapter 3.01 - CLASSIFICATION OF ALL BUILDINGS BY
USE OR OCCUPANCY AND GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
FOR ALL OCCUPANCIES

SECTION 3.01.01: Occupancy Classified

(a) Building proposed, for construction shall be identified according to its use or the character of its
occupancy and shall be classified as follows:

(1) Group A - Residential: Dwellings. Group A Occupancies shall include dwellings.

(2) Group B - Residential: Hotels and Apartments. - Group B Occupancies shall include boarding
or lodging houses, hotels, apartment houses, convents, and monasteries (each accomodating
more than 10 persons).

(3) Group C - Education and Recreation. Group C Occupancies shall be any building used for
school or day care purposes more than eight hours per week, involving assemblage for instruction,
education, or recreation, and not classed in Group I or in Divisions 1 and 2 of Group H
Occupancies.

(4) Group D - Institutional. Group D Occupancies shall include: Division 1 - Mental hospitals,
mental sanitariums, jails, prisons, reformatories, and buildings where personal liberties of inmates
are similarly restrained; Division 2 - Nurseries for full-time care of children under kindergarten age,
hospitals, sanitariums, nursing homes with non-ambulatory patients, and similar buildings (each
accommodating more than five persons); Division 3 - Nursing homes for ambulatory patients,
18

homes for children of kindergarten age or over (each accommodating more than five persons);
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Provided, That Group D Occupancies shall not include buildings used only for private residential
purposes or for a family group.

(5) Group E - Business and Mercantile. Group E Occupancies shall include: Division 1 - Gasoline
filling and service stations; storage garage and boat storage structures where no work is done
except exchange of parts and maintenance requiring no open flame, welding, or the use of highly
flammable liquids; Division 2 - Wholesale and retail stores, office buildings, drinking and dining
establishments having an occupant load test than 100, printing plants, municipal police and fire
stations, factories and workshops using materials not highly flammable or combustible, storage
and sales room for combustible goods, and paint stores without bulk handling, and Division 3 -
Aircraft hangars where no repair work is done except exchange of parts and maintenance
requiring no open flame, welding, or the use of highly flammable liquids; open parking garages
and heliports.

(6) Group F - Industrial. Group F Occupancies shall include: Ice plants, power plants, pumping
plants, cold storage, and creameries; factories and workshops using incombustible and non-
explosive materials; and storage and sales rooms of incombustible and non-explosive materials.

(7) Group G - Storage and Hazardous. Group G Occupancies shall include: Division 1 - Storage
and handling of hazardous and highly flammable or explosive materials other than flammable
liquids; Division 2 - Storage and handling of flammable liquids; dry cleaning plants using
flammable liquids; paint stores with bulk handling; paint shops and spray painting rooms, and
shops; Division 3 - Wood working establishments, planning mills and box factories, shops factories
where loose, combustible fibers or dust are manufactured, processed or generated; warehouses
where highly combustible material is stored; Division 4 - Repair garages; and Division 5 - Aircraft
repair hangars.

(8) Group H - Assembly Other Than Group I. Group H Occupancies shall include: Division 1 - Any
assembly building with a stage and an occupant load of less than 100 in the building; Division 2 -
Any assembly building without a stage and having an occupant load of 300 or more in the building;
Division 3 - Any assembly building without a stage and having an occupant load of less than 300
in the building, including such buildings used for school purposes less than eight hours per week;
and Division 4 - Stadiums, reviewing stands, amusement park structures not included within Group
I or Divisions 1, 2, and 3, Group H Occupancies.

(9) Group I - Assembly Occupant Load 1000 or More. Group I Occupancies shall be any assembly
building with a stage and an occupant load of 1000 or more in the building.

(10) Group J - Accessory. Group J Occupancies shall include: Division 1 - Private garages,
carports, sheds, and agricultural buildings; Division 2 - Fences over 1.80 meters (6 feet) high,
tanks, and towers.

(b) Other subgroupings or divisions within Groups A to J may be determined by the Secretary. Any
other occupancy not mentioned specifically in this Section, or about which there is any question,
shall be included in the Group which its use most nearly resembles based on the existing or
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proposed life and fire hazard.

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(c) The Building Officials shall identify and indicate in the Certificate of Occupancy the appropriate
classification to which a building or structure to be constructed belongs.

SECTION 3.01.02: Change in Use

(a) No change shall be made in the character of occupancies or use of any building which would
place the building in a different division of the same group of occupancy or in a different group of
occupancies, unless such buildings is made to comply with the requirements for such division or
group of occupancy: Except, That the character of occupancy of existing buildings may be
changed subject to the approval of the Building Official and the building may be occupied for
purposes set forth in other Groups without conforming to all the requirements for those Groups,
provided the new or proposed use is less hazardous, based on life and fire risk, than the existing
use.

SECTION 3.01.03: Mixed Occupancy

(a) General. When a building is used for more than one occupancy purposes, each part of the
building comprising a distinct "Occupancy" shall be separated from any other occupancy. When a
building is used for more than one occupancy purpose, it shall be subject to the most restrictive
requirements for the occupancies concerned: Except, - (1) When a one-story building houses
more than one occupancy, each portion of the building shall conform to the requirements for the
occupancy housed therein, and the area of the building shall be such that the sum of the actual
areas divided by the allowable area for each separate occupancy shall not exceed one; and (2)
Where minor accessory uses do not occupy more than 10 per cent of the area of any floor of a
building, nor more than 10 per cent of the basis are permitted in the occupancy requirements. The
major use of the building shall determine the occupancy classification provided the uses are
separated in accordance with requirements for occupancy separation.

(b) Forms of Occupancy Separation. Occupancy separations shall be vertical or horizontal or both,
or when necessary, of such other form as may be required to afford a complete separation
between the various occupancy divisions in the building.

(c) Types of Occupancy Separation. Occupancy separations shall be classed as "One-Hour Fire-
Resistive" "Two-Hour Fire-Resistive", "Three-Hour Fire-Resistive", and "Four-Hour Fire-Resistive".

(1) A "One-Hour Fire-Resistive Occupancy Separations" shall be of not less than one-hour fire-
resistive construction. All openings in such a separations shall be protected a fire assembly having
a one-hour fire-resistive rating.

(2) A "Two-Hour Fire-Resistive Occupancy Separation" shall be of not less than two-hour fire-
resistive construction. All openings in such separation shall be protected by a fire assembly having
a one and one-half-hour fire-resistive rating.

(3) A "Three-Hour Fire-Resistive Occupancy Separation" shall be of not less than three-hour fire-
resistive construction. All openings in walls forming such separation shall be protected by a fire
20

assembly having a three-hour fire-resistive rating. The total width of all openings in any three-hour
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fire-resistive occupancy separation wall in any one-story shall not exceed 25 per cent of the length
of the wall in that story and no single opening shall have an area greater than 10.00 square meters
(107.1 square feet). All openings in floors forming a "Three-Hour Fire-Resistive Occupancy
Separation" shall be protected by vertical enclosures extending above and below such openings.
The walls of such vertical enclosures shall be of not less than ten-hours fire-resistive construction,
and all openings therein shall be protected by a fire assembly having one and one-half-hour fire-
resistive rating.

(4) A "Four-Hour Fire-Resistive Occupancy Separation" shall have no openings therein and shall
be of not less than four-hour fire-resistive construction.

(d) Fire Ratings for Occupancy Separation. Occupancy separations shall be provided between
various groups, subgroupings, or divisions of occupancies. The Secretary shall promulgate rules
and regulations for appropriate occupancy separations in buildings of mixed occupancy: Provided,
That where any occupancy separation is required, the minimum shall be a "One-Hour Fire-
Resistive Occupancy Separation"; and where the occupancy separation is horizontal, structural
members supporting the separation shall be protected by equivalent fire-resistive construction.

SECTION 3.01.04: Location on Property

(a) General. Buildings shall adjoin or have access to a public space, yard, or street on not less
than one side. Required yards shall be permanently maintained. For the purpose of this Section,
the center line of an adjoining street or alley shall be considered an adjacent property line. Eaves
over required windows shall be not less than 75 centimeters (30 inches) from the side and rear
and rear property lines.

(b) Fire Resistance of Walls. Exterior walls shall have fire resistance and opening protection in
accordance with requirements set by the Secretary. Projections beyond the exterior wall shall not
extend beyond a point one-third the distance to the property line from an exterior wall; or a point
one-third the distance from an assumed vertical plane located where fire-resistive protection of
openings is first required due to location on property, whichever is the least restrictive. Distance
shall be measured at right angles from the property line. When openings in exterior walls are
required to be protected due to distance from property line, the sum of the area of such openings
shall not exceed 50 per cent of the total area of the wall in each story.

(c) Buildings on Same Property and Buildings Containing Courts. For the purpose of determining
the required wall and opening protection, buildings on the same property and court walls shall be
assumed to have a property line between them. When a new building is to be erected on the same
property with an existing building, the assumed property line from the existing building shall be the
distance to the property line for each occupancy as set forth by the Secretary: Provided, That two
or more buildings on the same property may be considered as portions of one building of the
aggregate area of such buildings is within the limits of allowable floor areas for a single building;
and that when the buildings so considered house different occupancies or are of different types of
construction, the area shall be that allowed for the most restricted occupancy or construction.

SECTION 3.01.05: Allowable Floor Areas

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(a) Areas of One-Story Buildings and Building Over One Story. Allowable floor areas for one-story
buildings and buildings over one story shall not exceed the limits determined in accordance with
occupancy groups and types of construction.

(b) Area Separation Walls. Each portion of a building separated by one or more area separation
walls may be considered a separate building provided the area separation wall meet the
requirements of this Code.

SECTION 3.01.06: Allowable Area Increases

(a) The floor area hereinabove provided may be increased in certain specific instances and under
appropriate conditions, based on the existence of public space, streets, or yards extending along
the adjoining two or more sides of the building or structure.

SECTION 3.01.07: Maximum Height of Buildings and Increases

(a) The maximum height and number of stories of every building shall be dependent upon the
character of the occupancy and the type of construction, and shall not exceed the limits
determined by population density, building bulk, widths of streets, and car parking requirements.
The height shall be measured from the highest adjoining sidewalk or ground surface, provided that
the height measured from the lowest adjoining surface shall not exceed such maximum height by
more than 3.00 meters (10 feet): Except, That towers, spires, and steeples, erected as a part of a
building and not used for habitation or storage, are limited as to height only by structural design if
completely of incombustible materials, or may extend not to exceed 6.00 meters (19 feet, 8
inches) above the height limits for each occupancy group if of combustible materials.

SECTION 3.01.08: Maximum Requirements for Group A Dwellings: One Two Stories

(a) Dwelling Location and Lot Occupancy. The dwelling shall occupy not more than 90 per cent of
a corner lot and 80 per cent of an inside lot, and subject to the provisions on easements of light
and view of the Civil Code of the Philippines, shall be at least 2.00 meters (6 feet, inches) from the
property line.

(b) Light and Ventilation. Every dwelling shall be so constructed and arranged as to provide
adequate light and ventilation.

(1) Habitable rooms, bathrooms, toilet rooms and utility rooms shall have a height of not less than
2.40 meters (8 feet), measured from floor to ceiling.

(2) Rooms shall have a minimum size of 6.00 square meters (65 square feet) with a least
horizontal dimension of 2.00 meters (6 feet, 7 inches) for rooms of human habitations; 3.00 square
meters (32 feet) with a least horizontal dimension of 1.50 meters (5 feet) for kitchens; and 1.20
square meters (13 square feet) with a least horizontal dimension of 90 centimeters (3 feet) for
bathrooms.

(3) Windows shall be at least 1/10th of the floor area of the room.
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(c) Sanitation. Every dwelling shall be provided with at least one sanitary toilet and adequate
washing and drainage facilities.

(d) Foundation. Footing shall be of sufficient size and strength to support the load and dwelling
and shall be at least 30 centimeters (1 foot) thick and 60 centimeters (2 feet) below the surface of
the ground. Each post shall be anchored to such footings by straps and bolts of adequate size.

(e) Post or Suportales. The dimensions of wooden post or suportales shall be those found in Table
3.01 - A Dimension of Wooden Posts or Suportales (Annex B).

(f) Floor. The live load of the first floor shall be at least 200 kilograms per square meter (40 pounds
per square foot) and for the second floor, at least 150 kilograms per square meter (30 pounds per
square foot).

(g) Roof. The wind load for roofs shall be at least 150 kilograms per square meter (30 pounds per
square foot).

(h) Stairs. Stairs may be 75 centimeters (30 inches) wide, with a rise of 20 centimeters (8 inches)
and a run of 23 centimeters (9 inches).

(i) Entrance and Exit. There shall be one entrance and one exit.

(j) Electrical Outlets. There shall be at least one convenience outlet per 6.00 meters (20 feet) of
wall measured along the floor and one light outlet for every room.

(k) Mechanical Requirements. Family dwellings not more than two stories shall be exempt from
the requirements of the Mechanical Code.

SECTION 3.01.09: Requirements for Group Occupancies

(a) Subject to the provisions of this Code, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations for each
occupancy group covering: allowable construction, height, and area; location on property, exit
facilities, light, ventilation, and sanitation; enclosure of vertical openings; fire-extinguishing system;
and special hazards.
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THEORY OF DESIGN

• Research of Architecture
- Research contributes to Design Theory
• Nature of Design Theory
- Design Theory states facts
- Design Theory aids design
• Scope of Architecture Theory
- Includes all that is presented in the handbooks of architects
- Includes legislation, norms and standards, rules and methods
- Includes miscellaneous and “unscientific” elements
• Why Design Theory?
- To aid the work of the architect and improve its product
- Proven theory helps designers do work better and more efficiently
- “Skill without knowledge is nothing”
(architect Jean Mignot, 1400 AD)
• Understanding Design Theory
- Theory does NOT necessarily mean PRECCED design
- PARADISM : every new or established theory applied
: STYLE

 THEMATIC THEORIES
• CLASSICAL
- Marcus Vitruvius Pollio
• MIDDLE AGES
- Medieval (read: Dark Age) anonymous tradition of trade guilds
• RENAISSANCE
- Alberti, Vignola, Palladio, etc.
• STRUCTURALIST
- Galileo Galilei, Robert Hooke, etc.
• ART NOUVEAU (Personal Style)
- Eugene Emmanuelle Violett-le-Due, Le Corbusier, etc.
• FUNCTIONALISM
- Walter Gropius, Louis Sullivan, etc.
- modern architecture
• POSTMODERNISM
- Robert Venturi
• SYMBOLIC ARCHITECTURE
• ECOLOGICAL ARCHITECTURE

 CLASSICAL THEORIES
• Marcus Vitruvius Pollio
- Author of the oldest research on architecture
- Wrote an extensive summary of all the theory on construction
- Had a thorough knowledge of earlier Greek and Roman writings
24

• “Ten Books on Architecture”

Page

- De architectura libri decem

- Consists mostly of normative theory of design (based on practice)
- A collection of thematic theories of design with no method of combining them into a synthesis
- Presents a classification of requirements set for buildings:
: DURABILTIY (firmitas)
: PRACTICALITY or “convenience”
(utilitas)
: PLEASANTNESS (venustas)
• Vitruvian Rules of Aesthetic Form
- Based on Greek traditions of architecture
- Teachings of Pythagoras : applying proportions of numbers
- Observations of tuned string of instruments
- Proportions of human body
- PLEASANTNESS : in accordance of good taste
: parts follow proportions
: symmetry of measures

 THEORIES in the MIDDLE AGES

- no documents
- no person can be attributed for theories

• Monastery Institutions
- Most documents retrieved from the Middle Ages
- However, archives contain only few descriptions of buildings
- Described only as “according to the traditional model”
- “There’s no accounting for tastes” was the rule of thumb
• Development of Building Style
- With hardly or no literary research present
- Villard de Hannecourt’s “sketchbook” in 1235
- Rotzer’s Booklet on the right way of making pinnacles
- Only through guidance of old masters
- Tradition binding and precise in close guilds of builders

 RENNAISANCE THEORIES

• 1948 – a copy of Virtue manuscript found at St. Gallen Monastery

• Leon Bautista Alberti (1404-72)
- Person in charge of constructions commanded by Pope
- “On Building” : De re aedifficatoria
: one of the greatest works of the theory of
architecture
: completed in 1452, published in 1485
: more emphasis on decoration of building
exteriors
• Sebastino Serlio
- “Regole generall di architectura”
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• Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola

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- “Regola delle cinque ordini”

- Concise, facts and easily applicable rules of the five column systems
- Based his design instructions on four things:
: idea of Pythagoras
: proportions of small number
: properties and other instruments
: good taste
• Andrea Palladio (1508-80)
- “I Quattro libri dell’architectura”
- The father of modern picture books of architecture
• Philibert de L’orme
- One of French theorist who are critical of italians
- Prove that Pantheon’s Corinthian columns had 3 different proportions
- Rejected the doctrine of absolute beauty of measures

 CONSTRUCTION THEORY

Building Material Architectural Form

Amorphic material:
Soft stone; snow Spherical vaulted construction
Sheets of skin or textile Cone-shaped tent construction
Logs of wood Box-shaped construction

• Before Written Construction Theory

- Architecture created without the help of architects or theory
- Builders used a model instead of mathematical algorithms now used in modern construction
- Inverted “catenary” model
• Semi-Circular Vault : Theory by Virtue
“ When there are arches… the outermost piers must be made broader than the others so that they
may have the strength to resist when the wedges under the pressure of the load of the walls,
begins to thrust to the abutments.”
• During Middle Ages
- No written documents survived about theories or models to describe the magnificent vaults of
medieval cathedrals
• During Renaissance
- From Alberti onwards, architects began specializing
- Mathematical models by Francis Bacon and Galileo Galilei
: considers load and scientific studies
contributed to constructions
- 1675 : Marquis de Vauban founded a building depatment in the French army called “ Corps des
Ingenieurs”
- 1747 : Ecole des Ponts et Chaussees, special school founded in Paris where new profession
specializing in construction was organized.
--- first engineering school
- Other figures of mathematical construction theory
: Robert Hooke
26

: Jakob Bernoulli
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: Leonard Euier
 PERSONAL STYLE

• Copying from Antiquity

- Architecture form antiquity came to a print of perfection
- Eugene Viollet-le-Duc (1863)
: the first theorist who set out to create a totally new system of architectural forms independent of
antiquity

“What we call taste is but an involuntary process of reasoning whose steps elude our observation.
Authority has no value if its grounds are not explained.”
: the foundation of modern
architecture
: did not create a timeless architectural style himself, he showed others the philosophical
foundation and method that they could use to develop even radically new form language
- Owen Jones : used forms inspired from nature, especially plants

 ART NOUVEAU

- The first architectural style independent of the tradition of antiquity after the Gothic style
- The example set by Art Nouveau encourage some of the most skillful architects of the 20th
century to create their private form language

THEORETICAL TREATISES

- Five points of Architecture (1926, Le Corbusier)

a. pilotis
b. free plan
c. free façade
d. the long horizontal sliding window
e. the roof garden
- Architecture as Space (Bruno Zeri)
“The crux of architecture is not the sculptural pattern, but instead the building interiors. These can
be seen as “negative solids”, as voids which the artist divides, combines, repeats and emphasizes
in the same way as the sculptor treats his “positive” lumps of substance.”
- The “personal style” of architects are not necessarily based on laws of nature or on logical
reasoning. More important is that they exhibit a coherent application of an idea which also must be
clear that the public can find it out. An advantage is also if the style includes symbolical
undertones.

 MODERN ARCHITECTURE
• Industrial Revolution (1768)
- Arts and Crafts Movement
a. conservative
b. William Morris
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c. John Rustrin
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- Electicism
a. architecture of borrowing
• Fruits of Industrial Revolution
Joseph Paxton – Crystal Palace, 1851
Elisha Graves Otis – Elevator, 1857
Manufacturing of “Rolled Steel”

1870’s
• The Great Fire of Chicago, 1871
- downtown in Chicago was burned and in needs of construction of new buildings
- place where first tallest building was constructed
• William Le Baron Jenney
- made the first skyscraper
• Daniel Burnham
- “make no little plans, they have no magic to stir man’s blood”
• Louis Sullivan
- “form follows function”

1880’s
- Chicago School became the concentration of architectural development
- introduce Chicago Window

1890’s
• The World Columbian Exposition
- built in 1863
- chief architect: Daniel Burnham and Frederick Law Olmsted

1900’s
- European architecture was notified
- Person to notify:
a. Otto Wagner
b. Adolf Loops “ornament is a crime”
c. H.P. Berlage
d. Frank Llyod Wright
1910’s
- Office of Peter Behrens
a. Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe “less in more”
b. Walter Gropius
c. Le Corbusier
- 2 Art movements that influenced
1. Futurism – simultaneity of movement
2. Cubism – interpretation of space
1920’s
• The Bauhaus
- “Art and Technology, the new unity”
• Established architects
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a. Frank Llyod Wright “organic architecture”

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b. Le Corbusier
c. Mies Van Der Rohe / Gropius
1930’s
• International Style

1950’s
• The period of Reassessment
- Universalism
- Personalism

 POSTMODERNISM
• The center of Postmodernism:
Robert Venturi “less is bore”
• Philip Johnson
- say that a portion of Chippendale building in New York has no function
• Introduce the element of “Discovery”

 SYMBOLIC ARHITECTURE
- “Building as a message”

1. Mathematical Analogy
2. Biological Analogy
- use of plants and ornaments
3. Romantic Architecture
- uses exotic language of form
- vastness; trying to surprise; huge
4. Linguistic Analogies
- grammar; uses words with proper grammar
5. Mechanical Analogies
- Buckminter Fuller
6. Ad Hoc Analogy
- any materials that you can get or available in your environment such as wood in forest
7. Stage Analogy

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PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

COURSE OUTILE:
A. Administering the regular services of architecture
1. Definition of the architect’s role in the building industry
2. Liabilities and responsibilities
3. Methods of selecting the architect
4. The architectural projects
5. The professional fees
6. Inter-professional relationships

B. The spectrum of the architect’s services

1. The pre-design services
2. The regular design services
3. Specialized allied services
4. Construction services
5. Post-construction services
6. Comprehensive architectural services
7. Design-build services

C. Building Laws
1. The laws regulating the practice of architecture
2. The laws affecting housing, real estate, design, general construction, etc.
3. The general conditions of a contract

 ARCHITECT
- legally and technically qualified to practice architecture.

Legally
1. 21 years old
2. Pass the board exam with an average of 70% and with no day falling below 50%
Day 1 30% history of architecture
professional practice
building tech.
Day 2 30% utilities
structural
Day 3 40% architectural design
3. Registered
a. PRC – renewable every 3 years during your birth month
b. BIR
• RC – residence certificate
• PTR – professional tax receipt
• OR – official receipt
c. SEC – security exchange committee
d. LGU – local government unit
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e. DTI – department of trade and industry

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4. Filipino
Technically
1. Graduate of BS Architecture
2. 2 years diversified training experience

architect
1. Concept 5M’s
2. Document Resources in
-reports; pictures; Construction
graphics; draw 1. materials
3. Implement 2. money
4. Post Implementation 3. manpower
4. machines
5. minutes
 CODES OF ETHICS
1. General objectives
2. Ideals
3. Success
4. Remuneration
5. Interest of the clients
6. Professional prerogatives
7. Business venture
8. Behavior
9. Criticism
10. Creative endeavor

 METHODS OF SELECTION OF ARCHITECT

1. Direct Selection
2. Indirect Selection
a. Referral from another architect
b. Recommendation from a satisfied client
c. Comparative Selection
3. Design Competition

 CLASSIFICATION OF ARCHITECTURAL PROJECTS

1. NBC – use and occupancy
(National Building Code)
2. FCP – risk of the occurrence of fire
(Fire Code of the Philippines)
3. UAP – degree of difficulty in design
(United Architect’s of the Philippines)

 LIST OF ARCHITECTURAL PROJECTS

1. Simple projects
2. Moderate structures
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3. Exceptional structures
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4. Residential
5. Monumental structures
6. Repetitive construction
7. Housing projects
8. Extensive detailing
9. Alterations and renovations
10. Consultations and arbitration

Group 1. Simple Projects

- requires no interior partitions
a. Armories
b. Bakery
c. Hangar

Minimum basic fee: 6% of the cost

50M or less: 6%=A
50M to 100M: A+5%=B
100M to 200M: B+4%

example:
55M project
50M – 3M
5M – 0.25M
55M – 3.25M

Group 2. Moderate Structures

- have interior partitions
a. Art galleries
b. City halls
c. Libraries
d. Supermarkets
e. Banks

Minimum basic fee: 7% of the cost

Group 3. Exceptional Structures

- with consultants
a. Atomic facilities (physicist)
b. Aquarium (marine biologist)
c. Mortuary
d. Medical facilities / hospital
(electrical engineer)

Minimum basic fee: 8%

Group 4. Residential
Minimum basic fee: 10%
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Notes:
** Condominium
- Considered as high-rise residential building.
- According to FCP:
a. considered as “exceptional”
b. 15m above is considered a high-rise building that requires consultants for:
- elevator
- sprinklers
- structural engineer

Dominant Use
- Basis for classification of groupings
- Example is Mix-Use building

Group 5. Monumental Structures

- it requires concept
a. expositions
b. mausoleums
c. museums
d. gateways
Minimum basic fee: 12%

Group 6. Repetitive Construction

- using one and the same plan without any minute difference
- used several times
- includes group 1,2,3,&5
1st unit : MBF of Grp. 1,2,3 or 5
2nd unit : 80% of MBF
3rd unit : 60% of MBF
4th to infinity : 40% of MBF

Group 7. Housing Projects

- includes only houses
1st unit : MBF
2nd – 10th unit : (60% of MBF x N) = B
11th – infinity : B+(30% of MBF x N)

where: N = no. of units

Group 8. Extensive Detailing

- includes detailing of furniture, cabinets, landscapes and interior

Minimum basic fee: 15%

Group 9. Alterations and Renovations

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- includes groups 1.2.3.4&5

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Minimum basic fee: MBF + 50% of MBF

Group 10. Consultation and Arbitration

- architect is entitled to receive payment on clients when giving an opinion regarding architectural
terms
- as of 1979: P200.00 per hour rate

 METHODS OF COMPENSATION

1. Percentage of construction cost

- based on minimum basic fee
2. Multiple of Direct Personnel Expense (MDPE)
- none creative “no-construction” projects.
- ex. feasibility studies
Architect: NRTMf
Consultants: NRTMf
Staff: NRTMf
Professional Fee: Direct Cost + MP + RE

where:
T : time spend on the project
N : number of person
R : rate
Mf: multiplying factor (2.0-2.5)
RE: reimbursable expenses
MP: margin of profit
-not more than or equal
to 30%

- reimbursable expenses
a. mutual agreement
b. pertinent to the project
c. occur outside of the 100Km radius from the base of operation or office

3. Lump Sum + Fixed Fee

- convert the cost to the nearest whole number
4. Professional Fee + Costs
5. Combination Method
- combination of 1,2,3&4
6. Per Diem
7. “Turn Key”
- payments received after all the works has been done
34

Note:
** 15 days – receive payment after all the working drawings have been submitted.
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 SCHEDULE OF PAYMENT

Contractor
1. downpayment: 20% - 50%
2. progressive payment: based on partial complition
3. guaranteed bond:
punch listing – inspect the building upon completion
Specialized Allied Services
1. proposal phase: 5%
2. submission and acceptance
of preliminary drawings: 25%
3. submission and acceptance
of final drawings: 50%
4. retention fee: 20%
total 100%

Architect
1. proposal phase 5%
2. schematic design phase 15%
3. submittance of design
development phase 15%
4. contract document phase 50%
5. construction phase or
retention fee 15%
total 100%

Notes:
** To get the proposal phase of the architect

from the lot area, determine the buildable area

buildable area = lot area – open spaces

** rule of thumb: 30% open area

ex. buildable area: 100sqm – 30sqm
: 70sqm
: P20,000 x 70
: P1,400,000.00

AE (architectural/engineering fee): 10%

: 140,000.00

proposal phase of 5% = P7,000.00

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 THE SPECTRUM OF THE ARCHITECT’S SERVICES

UAP Doc. 201

The pre-Design Services
- non-creative projects (MDPE)

Economic feasibility studies

Physical planning services
Architectural programming services
Site selection and analysis
Site utilization and land-use
Space management
Promotional services

UAP Doc. 202

Regular Design Services
- sequential process

Schematic design phase

-integrated regular engineering services
Design development phase
Contract document phase
General conditions
Agreement
Specifications
Special Provisions
Drawings
Construction phase
Milestones of Construction
1. Establishment of References
a. horizontal references
- lot plan, benchmark
b. vertical references
- positioning of elevations
staking plan – positioning of wood as marks for the start of digging and excavation.

2. Excavation
- supervised by the architect and the structural engineer
3. Reinforcements
- check size of bars, spacing, splicing and number of bars.

Support bars for installation of slab reinforcement: “sapatos” or spacer

4. Concreting
36

5. Finishing
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UAP Doc. 203
Specialized Allied Services
- requires consultants, having specified licenses

Physical planning services

Interior design
Landscape architecture
Acoustics, communications and electronics
Comprehensive planning services

Note:
Estimate
** structural: P50.00 – P80.00 per sqm

A. Physical Planning Services

3 types:
1. Site Development Planning
- as of 1979: P5,000.00/has

2. Subdivision Planning in the Urban Area

- as of 1979: P3,000.00/has

Subdivision planning – subdividing or parceling of large lots into smaller lots.

3. Subdivision Planning in the Rural Area

- as of 1979: P2,000.00/has
civil works
- get paid 4% of the cost of the work
- additional 30% if the terrain is rugged
B. Interior Design
2 types:
1. Interior Decoration
- mainly furniture
2. Interior Design/Architecture
- combination or integration of furniture to its location
minimum basic fee:
- 12% - 20% of the cost of the work
- 15% is mostly used

C. Landscape Architecture
Minimum basic fee: 10% - 15%

D. Acoustics, Communications and Electronics

37

Minimum basic fee: 10% - 15%

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E. Comprehensive Planning
1. Physical planning services
2. Economic planning services
3. Socio-cultural planning services
4. Transportation and utilities planning services
- roads and bridges
5. Legal and administrative
- includes form of government

UAP Doc. 204

Construction Services

F full-time supervision: 1% - 1-1/2%

- supervision of the architect on site or its representative from 8am – 5pm
Cm construction management:
1-1/2% - 3%
Pm project management:
2% - 5%

UAP Doc. 205

Post-Construction Services
- making the structure habitable and has occupancy permit

Be Bldg. and equipment maintenance

Bg Bldg. and grounds administration

PAYMENT SCHEMES
1. Salary method
2. 45 to 6% of the gross monthly rentals

UAP Doc. 206

Comprehensive Architectural Services
- inclusion of UAP Doc. 201 - 205
- package services

UAP Doc. 207

Design-Build Services
- guaranteed maximum cost 10%

a. Design-build administration
b. Design-build guaranteed maximum cost

Contractor
- holds the money
38

- purchase the materials

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- payment for laborers

Builder
- compute the payroll
- submit computed payroll to the owner
- canvass and identify suppliers
- no responsibilities in holding the money

 UAP Doc. 301: GENERAL CONDITIONS OF A CONTRACT

It establishes the relationship between: Owner-Architect, Owner-Contractor(s), and Contractor-

Architect. It stipulates the norms by which the contractor shall perform his work in accordance with
the current trends in the practice of Architecture.

Section 1. Definition and Documents

Article 1. Definitions
Article 2. Execution, Correlation and Intent of
Document
Article 3. Drawings and Specifications
b. As-built
c. Detailed Drawings
d. Shop Drawings
e. Working Drawing
Notes:
Construction
** 6” to 8” - distances of nails
** Every 4” - distances of rivet at ridge roll for roofing
5 Sets of Blue Prints
1 – office of the building official
1 – contractor
1 – owner
1 – fire department
1 – site:
• Only the architect can use the copy at the site.
• May cause “termination” of the contractor in case of lost or mishandled.
• Well-kept at the site.
• Protected by electrical tape, binded by wood and screw and supported by acetate cover.

Additional 4 copies of blue prints

1- homeowner association
1- security of homeowner association
ex: town house, condominium, subdivision, etc.
2 – lending institution
a. file
b. appraiser

** 9 copies are free of charge and the succeeding copies are payable.
39

Conflicts on drawings and specifications or text

• specifications or text will prevail
Page
• if not stated on drawings and specification,
the contractor has the right to do it in the most expensive manner, still the materials have to be
approved by the architect.

Section 2
1. Laws
2. Regulations
3. Site Conditions
- the architect should do ocular inspection of the site
4. Permits
- responsibility of the contractor to provide permit on his own expense
5. Taxes
- whoever gains pays tax
6. Insurance
a. life insurance
b. property insurance
7. Survey
- actual verification of size of the lots at the cost of the owner
- re-survey when problem occur but at his own expense

Section 3. Equipment and Materials

o Equipments written on quotation submitted by the contractor must comply with actual usage.
o Materials should follow what is written on specifications.

Section 4. Premises and Temporary Facilities

o Define by property line
o Consideration of safety of adjacent lots and users.
Temporary Facilities
1. warehouse
2. bankhouse or barracks
- for stay-in workers
3. office
- for architect’s negotiations
4. utilities
- water, electrical sources, etc.
5. access
- road, pathways, etc.
6. trial usage
7. enclosures
8. signage
- “falling debris”
- “park at your own risk”
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Section 5. Protection of Work and Property

Section 6
1. Labor
a. Quantity: no. of worker, lesser the worker when construction is almost finish
b. Quality: proper work designation such as painter, carpenter, steel man, etc.
2. Work
- based on specifications and plans

duration – include ‘liquidated damages’ which means delayed construction to be deducted to the
fee.
a. working days – Monday to Friday
b. calendar days – number of days including Saturday, Sunday and holidays
3. Payment
- no payment shall be made without the approval of the architect.
Notes:
** duration starts counting 7 days after the acceptance of NTP ‘notice to proceed’.
** within 7 days: mobilization and materials were prepared.
** immediately means 5 days
** s-curve – allowable deficiency is 10%

Contractor
1. Certificate of completion (partial)
2. Request for Inspection
3. Billing
4. Certificate of Non-Financial

When “accepted”
- the architect furnish certificates to the owner:
1. Certificate of acceptance
2. Certificate of payment

Notes:
** the contractor may not be paid till 90 days before he go to court.
** substantial completion (98%): the contractor may e paid 100%

Section 7. Contractor-Separate;
Contractors-Subcontractors relations

Section 8. Suspension of Work

People who can suspend work: owner and contractor
1. Owner
a. Bankruptcy – declared by BIR
b. Insubordination – not following orders
c. Non payment
41

2. Contractor
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a. Government stoppage of work

b. Non action of request
- drawings
- materials
- inspection
c. Non payment of workers or materials

Notes:
Involving numbers
** 5 days – means immediately
** 7 days – NTP ‘ notice to proceed’
** 10 days – request for materials and drawings
– notice (stop, begin or resume)
** 15 days – money matters (request for inspection, payments, salary and wages)
** 30 days – arbitration
** 90 days – government stoppage
** 120 days – Building Permit (stoppage)
** 365 days – Building Permit (without construction)
– 3 consecutive board examination failures
– guaranteed bond
– reinstatement
** 3 years – renewal of license
** 15 years – liability of architect to his project

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 BUILDING LAWS

Practice of Architecture
1. RA 545 – The Architectural Law
2. PD 49 – Intellectual Property Law
3. PD 223 – The Law that created the PRC
** Hon. Antonieta Fortuna-Ibe (head)
4. LOI 1000 – The letter of Inspection Mandating Government support only to the A.P.O.
5. EO 164 – The Executive order regulating the hiring of foreign consultants
Article 1. Organization
Article 2. Registration and Exam
** Qualifications
a. 21 years old
b. Filipino
c. Graduate of BS Architecture
d. 2 years diversified experience
e. High-School Graduate

Article 3. Sundry Provision

a. Foreigners cannot practice if there is no reciprocity
b. Corporation cannot practice architecture
c. Architect who’s employed by the government cannot practice architecture privately

Termination of License
1. Fraudulent Acts
2. Scandalous Acts
3. Criminal Acts
a. Life
b. Property
4. Unsound mind
5. Violation of Code of Ethics

Note:
Designers
** ADB Building – Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM)
** Bureau of Soil – Japanese architect
** Lung Center and Health Center – George Ramos
** World Trade Center – Minoro Yamasaki
** Only the architect may sign the ‘Architectural Plans’
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 LAWS THAT AFFECTS HOUSING, GEN. CONSTRUCTION, DESIGN, REAL ESTATE, ETC.

1. PD 1096 – The National Building Code

2. PD 957 – The Condominium and Subdivision Buyers Protective Law
3. BP 220 – The Socialized Housing Law
4. BP 344 – The Law Enhancing the Mobility of the Disabled (The Accessibility Law)
5. PD 1185 – The Fire Code of the Philippines

Notes:
** former president Ferdinand Marcos signed most of these laws
** Architect Roberto “Pentong” Gaite – architect to juries
** Building Permit – issued to buildings having a cost of P15,000.00 of indigenous materials
** Hon. Florante Soriquez – secretary of DPWH

 PRIORITY CHAPTERS TO STUDY

NBC:
1. Chapter 1 – General Provision
2. Chapter 2 – Adm. and Enforcement
3. Chapter 3 – Permits and Inspection
4. Chapter 7- Classification and Use
5. Chapter 8 – Light and Ventilation
6. Chapter 12 – Gen. Design and Construction

 OTHER INFO
• Apprentice – Designer – Draftsman
- signed by Filipino architect
- current and valid ITR
- under minimum of 6 months work with architect
- maximum of four architects to sign the logbook
- 3840 hours
- while studying, 4 hours a day may count
- 8 hours a day when working
- overtime, Saturday and Sundays are not included
- submission of logbook is 30 days before the board exam
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MASTER PLANNERS

Tomas Mapua
- his most enduring contribution is the Mapua institute of Technology, which is the oldest
architectural school in the country

- the first registered architect in the Philippines and worked with the Bureau of Public Works

- best works:
1. De La Salle University – classical revivalist influences
2. Nurses’ Home at the Philippine General Hospital compound – Italian renaissance

Andres Luna de San Pedro

- the son of the great Filipino painter Juan Luna

- best works:
1. Legarda Elementary School – French renaissance
2. Rafael Fernandez House – French renaissance and official residence of Corazon Aquino during
her presidency
3. Perez-Samanillo Building – art deco and modern style
4. Crystal Arcade – art deco and modern style, precursor of the modern-day shopping mall
5. Perkin’s House – also known as “El Nido” (The Nest), awarded first prize in Manila’s 1925
House Beautiful Contest

Juan Nakpil
- the first architect to be conferred the National Artist award in 1973 for “… his outstanding talents
and services in creating edifices, both private and public, that are conceptually well designed and
conscientiously executed”

- dictum “ less in more”

- best works:
1. Quezon Institute – superimposed a native touch on the art deco façade through the high-pitch
roof in the central building
2. The Ever Theater – the first to use glass as prominent architectural material

Pablo Antonio
- best works:
1. Philippine National Bank
2. Manila Railroad Company
3. Far Eastern University

Leandro Locsin
- the poet of space, known for his lyrical articulation of space as defined by stark modernity, spatial
45

purity, expansive strength, distinct outlines and straightforward geometry

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- he produced 71 residences, 81 buildings and sultanate palace

- best works:
1. University of the Philippines Catholic Chapel
2. St. Andrew Church in Bel-Air, Makati
3. Cultural Center of the Philippines
4. Philippines International Convention Center
5. Folk Arts Theater
6. National Arts Center on Mt. Makiling
7. Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminal Tower One in Ayala
8. Mandarin Hotel

- most impressive work:

1. Istana Nurul Iman (Palace of Religious Light) – the palace of the Sultan of Brunei, which
reinterprets traditional Islamic Southeast Asian motifs based on a modernist idiom

Francisco Maňosa
- best work:
1. Tahanang Filipino (Coconut Palace) – a luxurious guesthouse at the CCP Complex. It
showcased a double roof reminiscent of the salakot (a wide brimmed hat) and swing-out (naka-
tukod) window borrowed from the bahay kubo

Juan Arellano
- best works:
1. Legislative Building (now the National Museum) on Agrifina Circle – neoclassicism
2. Post Office Building at Liwasang Bonifacio
3. Metropolitan Theater – colorist art deco, considered as the zenith of Art Deco aesthetics in the
Philippines, exterior and interior exhibit locally mediated approaches such as detailing : tropical
fruits and flora motifs, bamboo banister railings, carved banana and mango ceiling relief, and Batik
mosaic patterns

SPANISH ARCHITECTURE

BAHAY NA BATO
- brought about 19th century by the changes in society and economy
- 3 possible origins
1. BAHAY KUBO – pointed roof, concept of space (“space surrounded by space…”) and
ventilation (wide window), “silong”, open plan
2. TRIBAL LEADER’S HOUSE – strong construction; spacious with many furniture and rooms;
elaborate decoration; best materials
3. CONVENTOS – adjacent to the church, permanence spaciousness; may have been the local
models of luxury and prestige
- earthquake proof : resting on wooden posts mortised on stone, buried on the ground to “dance”
with the earthquake
- the PEAK of native Philippine architecture : made the bahay kubo bigger and more extravagant
but retained its character
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- 10 areas
1. GROUND FLOOR – made of coral stones, adobe or rubble; with small windows; area include:
a. zaguan – for caruajes, grains
b. quadra – stables
c. bodega – old carozas, grains
d. entrasuelo – mezzanine where the valuables are kept, may also house offices or additional
dwelling units
e. patio – enclosed courtyard
2. CEREMONIAL STAIRWAY – first three step (descanzo) made of marble tiles; landing with
bastonera; remaining steps are made of narra
3. LIVING SPACES – wide double doors may be opened to connect the spaces and create a large
hall
a. antesala or caida – for acquaintances; spacious hall separated by callado
b. sala – for friends and intimates; divided by movable screens or biombo
c. bedrooms (quarto or silid) – usually three; contains four-posted beds, armories, chests;
SANTOS with ivory heads and hands are placed at the master bedroom
d. comedor – dining area; plateria and long table
4. COCINA – kitchen; contains the paminggalan (food cabinet) and dispensa (rice storage)
5. COMON or LATRINA – toilet, sometimes with two-passenger water closet
6. BAÑO or PALIGUAN – bathroom
7. ALCOVA – additional quartos
8. VOLADA – flying gallery over the zaguan; protects the interior from heat and rain
9. AZOTEA – open terrace of stone and ceramic placed near the kitchen; with a cistern for
gathering rain water
10. BALCON – terrace in the living room, jutting out of the house

- distinctive features
1. PERSIANA – large windows with slats covered with capiz to filter light; unique in Southeast Asia
2. VENTANILLA – small windows usually at lower portion of the wall
3. CALLADO – open woodwork or tracery; fixed over a window or placed as space dividers
4. BARANDILLAS – wrought iron traceries on the wall
5. BANGGERA – where the dishes are kept

- regional differences
Examples:
1. ILOCOS – sober architecture; Vigan houses are entirely made of bricks, pilasters embedded on
sides, dignified without too much decoration
2. CEBU – expansive, ground floor made of huge coral stones
3. SOUTHERN TAGALOG – “airy”. Second flanges over the walls of the ground

MILITARY ARCHITECTURE
- forts and fortresses constructed by Spanish friars as a defense against Moro pirates
1. REAL FUERZA DE SANTIAGO (Fort Santiago) – “shrine of freedom”, designed by Father
Antonio Cedeno, with Diego Jordan as engineer
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2. INTRAMUROS – famous walled city within a city; seven gates; completed 1872; made of bricks
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and hard adobe from the Pasig River quarries; wall are 45 ft thick and rise 25 ft above the moat;
structures inside the city include:
a. Fort Santiago
b. San Agustin Church
c. Convent

LATE SPANISH PERIOD

- architectural development
1. roofs at 45 degrees gradient or less
2. use of bricks, limestone, hardwood, capiz shells (G.I. sheets and clay tiles or “tisa” were
imported)
3. elaborate lace-like grillwork (1870’s)
4. transoms with floral and foliate scroll work (1890’s)
5. 1890’s Art Nouveau brought swirling vines and flowers for staircase balustrades, etched or
colored glass panels replaced capiz
6. emergence of Filipino and foreign architects working in the Philippines
a. FELIX ROXAS – first Filipino architect; served as architect to the Manila government; studied in
England and Spain
b. JUAN HERVAS – a Catalan who was one of the Spanish architects invited to reconstruct Manila
after the earthquake of 1863 and 1880
7. churches
a. Sto. Domingo Church, Intramuros
b. San Ignacio, Intramuros – first church designed by a Filipino architect
c. San Sebastian Church, Manila – only Gothic church in the Philippines
8. brides
a. Fuente de Espana – first bridge to span the Pasig River linking Intramuros and Binondo
b. Colgante Bridge – suspension bridge; only for pedestrians; framework of iron imported from
England

AMERICA PERIOD
- architectural development
1. a “regime” of reinforced concrete and galvanized iron
2. Neo-Classical styles
3. DANIEL BURNHAM – commissioned by Gov. General W.H. Taft to draft the Master Plan for
Manila and government buildings (Agri-Finance Building, Senate Building, among others)
4. MASTER BUILDERS (“maestro de obras”) acquired title either from practical experience or
completed academic training of Master Builder’s course
5. LICEO DE MANILA – first school to open three year course in architecture
6. TOMAS MAPUA – first licensed architect; established the second school (followed by UST and
Adamson)
7. MASONIC TEMPLE, Escolta – first multi-storey reinforced concrete building in the Philippines
8. CHALET – suburban house; simple design with verandah in front or around the house; middle-
class
9. 1930’s – continued urban development; emergence of multi-storey, multi-family dwellings and
commercial structures; distinct simplification of lines, emphasis on verticality; other architects
contradicted the trend by putting horizontal strips of glass window
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POST-WAR ARCHITECTURE
- mediocre design, uncontrolled and hasty rebuilding only resurrected old designs
- commercial building drew inspiration from contemporary architecture in the West
- development of community planning
- BUNGALOW – introduced in 1948; one-storey house with wide picture windows, a lanai and a
carport for up to three cars
- modern architecture with a renewed interest in Filipino motifs
a. use of pointed roofs, lattices, screens, wood carvings
b. architecture of LEANDRO LOCSIN and FRANCISCO MANOSA

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

COURSE OUTLINE
1. Introduction
2. Architectural Design Theory
3. Esquisse
4. Building Economics
5. Building Utilities
6. Approaches and Strategies
7. Simulated Board Exam

 ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
- it is the translation of an abstract solution to a real, tangible and concrete solution
- it is the optimum and better solution which must approximate the pre-set solution of the examiner
- it must involve the judicious use of design tools in developing the solution within:
a. parameters / constraints
b. circumstances
c. environmental conditions
: must be conserve
: must be protected
: must be included in the design solution

- set by the examiner. The solution must be: SAFE

Simple – provide what is needed or simply follow instruction

Appropriate – must fit on concept
Functional – look-out for specific use of the building
Economical
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STRUCTURAL
I. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
ADDITION is an extension or increase in floor area or height of a building or structure.
ALLOWABLE STRESS DESIGN is a method of proportioning structural elements such that
computed stresses produced in the elements by the allowable stress load combinations do not
exceed specified allowable stress (also called working stress design).
ALTER or ALTERATION is any change, addition or modification in construction or occupancy.
APPROVED as to materials and type of construction, refers to approval by the building official as
the result of investigation and tests conducted by the building official, or by reason of accepted
principles or tests by recognized authorities, technical or scientific organizations.
BUILDING is any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.
BUILDING, EXISTING, is a building erected prior to the adoption of this code, or one for which a
legal building permit has been issued.
BUILDING OFFICIAL is the officer or other designated authority charged with the administration
and enforcement of this code, or the building official’s duly authorized representative.
LOAD AND RESISTANCE FACTOR DESIGN (LRFD) METHOD is a method of proportioning
structural elements using load and resistance factors such that no applicable limit state is reached
when the structure is subjected to all appropriate load combinations. The term “LRFD” is used in
the design of steel and wood structures.
STRENGTH DESIGN METHOD is a method of proportioning structural elements such that the
computed forces produced in the elements by the factored load combinations do not exceed the
factored element strength. The term “strength design” is used in the design of concrete and
masonry structures.
STRUCTURE is that which is built or constructed, an edifice or building of any kind, or any piece
of work artificially built up or composed of parts joined together in some definite manner.
STRUCTURAL ENGINEER is a registered Civil Engineer with special qualification in the practice
of Structural Engineering as recognized by the Board of Civil Engineering of the Professional
Regulation Commission of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers through the Association of
Structural Engineers of the Philippines.
II. GRADING AND EARTHWORK
APPROVAL shall mean that the proposed work or completed work conforms to this section in the
opinion of the building official.
AS GRADED is the extent of surface conditions on completion of grading.
BEDROCK is in-place solid rock.
BENCH is a relatively level step excavated into earth material on which fill is to be placed.
BORROW is earth material acquired from an off-site location for use on grading on a site.
CIVIL ENGINEER is a professional engineer licensed to practice in the field of civil engineering.
CIVIL ENGINEERING is the application of the knowledge of the forces of nature, principles of
mechanics and the properties of materials to the evaluation, design and construction of civil works.
COMPACTION is the densification of a fill by mechanical means.
EARTH MATERIAL is any rock, natural soil or fill or any combination thereof.
ENGINEERING GEOLOGIST is a licensed geologist experienced and knowledgeable in
engineering geology.
ENGINEERING GEOLOGY is the application of geologic knowledge and principles in the
investigation and evaluation of naturally occurring rock and soil for use in the design of civil works.
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EROSION is the wearing away of the ground surface as a result of the movement of wind, water
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or ice.
EXCAVATION is the mechanical removal of earth material.
FILL is a deposit of earth material placed by artificial means.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER is an engineer experienced and knowledgeable in the practice of
geotechnical engineering.
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING is the application of the principles of soil and rock mechanics in
the investigation, evaluation and design of civil works involving the use of earth materials and the
inspection or testing of the construction thereof.
GRADE is the vertical location of the ground surface.
GRADE, EXISTING, is the grade prior to grading.
GRADE, FINISH, is the final grade of the site that conforms to the approved plan.
GRADE, ROUGH, is the stage at which the grade approximately conforms to the approved plan.
GRADING is any excavating or filling or combination thereof.
KEY is a designed compacted fill placed in a trench excavated in earth material beneath the toe of
a proposed fill slope.
PROFESSIONAL INSPECTION is the inspection required by this code be performed by the civil
engineer, geotechnical engineer or engineering geologist. Such inspections include that performed
by persons supervised by such engineers or geologists and shall be sufficient to form an opinion
relating to conduct of the work.
SITE is any lot or parcel of land or contiguous combination thereof, under the same ownership,
where grading is performed or permitted.
SLOPE is an inclined ground surface the inclination of which is expressed as a ratio of vertical
distance to horizontal distance.
SOIL is naturally occurring superficial deposits overlying bedrock.
SOILS ENGINEER. See Geotechnical Engineer
SOILS ENGINEERING. See Geotechnical Engineering
TERRACE is a relatively level step constructed in the face of a graded slope surface for drainage
and maintenance purposes.

III. GENERAL
ACCESS FLOOR SYSTEM is an assembly consisting of panels mounted on pedestals to provide
an under-floor space for the installations of mechanical, electrical, communications or similar
systems to serve as an air-supply or return-air plenum.
AGRICULTURAL BUILDING is a structure designed to house farm implements, hay, grain,
poultry, livestock or other horticultural products. The structure shall not be a place of human
habitation or a place of employment where agricultural products are processed, treated or
packaged, nor shall it be a place used by the public.
ALLOWABLE STRESS DESIGN METHOD is a method of proportioning structural elements such
that computed stresses produced in the elements by the allowable stress load combinations do
not exceed specified allowable stress (also called working stress design).
ASSEMBLY BUILDING is a building or portion of a building for the gathering together of 50 or
more persons for such purposes as deliberation, education, instruction, worship, entertainment,
amusement, drinking or dining, or awaiting transportation.
AWNING is a shelter supported entirely from the exterior wall of a building.
BALCONY, EXTERIOR, is an exterior floor system projecting from a structure and supported by
that structure, with no additional independent supports.
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DEAD LOADS consist of the weight of all materials and fixed equipment incorporated into the
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building or other structure.

DECK is an exterior floor system supported on at least two opposing sides by an adjoining
structure and/or posts, piers, or other independent supports.
ESSENTIAL FACILITIES are buildings and other structures that are intended to remain
operational in the event of extreme environmental loading from wind or earthquakes.
GARAGE is a building or portion thereof in which motor vehicle containing flammable or
combustible liquids or gas in its tank is stored, repaired or kept.
GARAGE, PRIVATE, is a building or portion of a building, not more than 90 sq. m. in area, in
which only motor vehicles used by the tenants of the building on the premises are kept or stored.
LIMIT STATE is a condition in which a structure or component is judged either to be no longer
useful for its intended function (serviceability limit state) or to be unsafe (strength limit state).
LIVE LOADS are forces or other actions that result from the weight of all building materials,
occupants, and their possessions, environmental effects, differential movements, and restrained
dimensional changes. Permanent loads are those loads in which variations over time are rare or of
small magnitude. All other loads are variable loads.
MARQUEE is a permanent roofed structure attached to and supported by the building and
projecting over public property.
OCCUPANCY is the purpose for that a building, or part thereof, is used or intended to be used.
WALLS
BEARING WALL is any wall meeting either of the following classifications:
1. Any metal or wood stud wall that supports more than 0.5 KN per linear meter of superimposed
load.
2. Any masonry or concrete wall that supports more than 1.0 KN per linear meter superimposed
loads, or any such wall supporting its own weight for more than one story.
EXTERIOR WALL is any wall or element of a wall, or any member or group of members, that
defines the exterior boundaries or courts of a building and that has a slope of 60 degrees or
greater with the horizontal plane.
NONBEARING WALL is any wall that is not a bearing wall
PARAPET WALL is the part of any wall entirely above the roof line.
RETAINING WALL is a wall designed to resist the later displacement of soil or other materials.

IV. WIND LOAD

BASIC WIND SPEED, V is a 3-second gust speed at 10 meters above the ground in Exposure C
and associated with an annual probability of 0.02 of being equaled or exceeded (50-year mean
recurrence interval).
BUILDING, ENCLOSED, is a building that does not comply with the requirements for open or
partially enclosed buildings.
BUILDING, OPEN, is a structure having all walls at least 80% open.
BUILDING, PARTIALLY ENCLOSED is a building that complies with both of the following
conditions:
1. The total area of openings in a wall that receives positive external pressure exceeds the sum of
the areas of the openings in the balance of the building envelope (walls and roof) by more than
10% and
2. The total area of openings in a wall that receives positive external pressure exceeds 0.5 sq. m.
or 1% of the area of that wall, whichever is smaller, and the percentage of openings in the balance
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of the building envelope does not exceed 20%.

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BUILDING, LOW RISE, is an enclosed or partially enclosed building which complies with the
following conditions:
1. Mean roof height, h, less than or equal to 18 meters.
2. Mean roof height, h, does not exceed least horizontal dimension.

COMPONENTS AND CLADDING are elements that do not qualify as part of the main wind-force
resisting system.
DESIGN FORCE, F, is the equivalent static force to be used in the determination of wind loads for
open buildings and other structures.
DESIGN PRESSURE, p, is the equivalent static pressure to be used in the determination of wind
loads for buildings.
EFFECTIVE WIND AREA is the area used to determine GCp. For cladding fasteners, the effective
wind area shall not be greater than the area that is tributary to an individual fastener.
FLEXIBLE BUILDINGS AND OTHER STRUCTURES are slender buildings and other structures
that have a fundamental natural frequency less than 1 Hz. Included are buildings and other
structures that have a height, h, exceeding four times the least horizontal dimension.
IMPORTANCE FACTOR, I, is a factor that accounts for the degree of hazard to human life and
damage to property.
MAIN WIND-FORCE RESISTING SYSTEM is an assemblage of structural elements assigned to
provide support and stability for the overall structure. The system generally receives wind loading
from more than one surface.
RECOGNIZED LETERATURE are published research findings and technical papers that are
approved by the authority having jurisdiction.

V. EARTHQUAKE
BASE is the level at which the earthquake motions are considered to be imparted to the structure
or the level at which the structure as a dynamic vibrator is supported.
BASE SHEAR, V, is the total design lateral force or shear at the base of the structure.
BEARING WALL SYSTEM is a structural system without a complete vertical load-carrying space
frame.
BOUNDARY ELEMENT is an element at the edges or openings or at perimeters of shear walls or
diaphragms.
BRACED FRAME is an essentially vertical truss system of the concentric or eccentric type that is
provided to resist lateral forces.
BUILDING FRAME SYSTEM is an essentially complete space frame that provides support for
gravity loads.
CANTILEVERED COLUMN ELEMENT is a column element provided to transfer lateral-force-
resisting system that cantilevers from a fixed base and has minimal moment capacity at the top,
with lateral forces applied essentially at the top.
COLLECTOR is a member or element provide to transfer lateral forces from a portion of a
structure top vertical elements of the lateral-force-resisting system.
COMPONENT is a part or element of an architectural, electrical, mechanical or structural system.
COMPONENT, EQUIPMENT, is a mechanical or electrical component or element that is part of a
mechanical and/or electrical system.
COMPONENT, FLEXIBLE, is a component, including its attachments, having a fundamental
period greater than 0.06 second.
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COMPONENT, RIGID, is a component, including its attachments, having a fundamental period

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less than or equal to 0.06 second.

CONCENTRICALLY BRACED FRAME is a braced frame in which the members are subjected
primarily to axial forces.
DESIGN BASIS GROUND MOTION is that ground motion that has a 10% chance of being
exceeded in 50 years as by a site-specific hazard analysis or may be determined by a hazard
map. A suite of ground motion time histories with dynamic properties representative of site
characteristics shall be used to represent this ground motion. The dynamic effects of the Design
Basis Ground Motion may be represented by the Design Response Spectrum.
DESIGN RESPONSE SPECTRUM is an elastic response spectrum of 5% equivalent viscous
damping used to represent the dynamic effects of the Design Basis Ground Motion for the design
of structures. This response spectrum may be either a site-specific spectrum based on geologic,
tectonic, seismological and soil characteristics associated with a specific site or may be a
spectrum.
DESIGN SEISMIC FORCE is the minimum total strength design base shear, factored and
distributed.
DIAPHRAGM is a horizontal or nearly horizontal system acting to transmit lateral forces to the
vertical-resisting elements. The term “diaphragm” includes horizontal bracing systems.
DIAPHRAGM OR SHEAR WALL CHORD is the boundary element of a diaphragm or shear wall
that is assumed to take axial stresses analogous to the flanges of a beam.
DIAPHRAGM STRUT (drag strut, tie, collector) is the element of a diaphragm parallel to the
applied load that collects and transfers diaphragm parallel to the applied load that collects and
transfers diaphragm shear to the vertical-resisting elements or distributes loads within the
diaphragm. Such members may take axial tension or compression.
DRIFT. See “story drift”
DUAL SYSTEM is a combination of moment-resisting frames and shear walls or braced frames.
ECCENTRICALLY BRACED FRAME (EBF) is a steel-braced frame.
ELASTIC RESPONSE PARAMETERS are forces and deformations determined from an elastic
dynamic analysis using an unreduced ground motion representation.
ESSENTIAL FACILITIES are those structures that are necessary for emergency operations
subsequent to a natural disaster.
FLEXIBLE ELEMENT or system is one whose deformation under lateral load is significantly larger
than adjoining parts of the system.
HORIZONTAL BRACING SYSTEM is a horizontal truss system that serves the same function as a
diaphragm.
INTERMEDIATE MOMENT-RESISTING FRAME (IMRF) is a concrete frame.
LATERAL-FORCE-RESISTING SYSTEM is that part of the structural system.
MOMENT-RESISTING SYSTEM is a frame in which members and joints are capable of resisting
forces primarily by flexure.
MOMENT-RESISTING WALL FRAME (MRWF) is a masonry wall frame especially detailed to
provide ductile behavior.
ORDINARY BRACED FRAME (OBF) is a steel-braced frame or concrete-braced frame.
ORDINARY MOMENT-RESISTING FRAME (OMRF) is a moment-resisting frame not meeting
special detailing requirements for ductile behavior.
ORTHOGONAL EFFECTS are the earthquake load effects on structural elements common to the
lateral-force-resisting systems along two orthogonal axes.
OVERSTRENGTH is a characteristic of structures where the actual strength is larger than the
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design strength. The degree of over strength is material-and-system-dependent.

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P EFFECT is the secondary effect on shears, axial forces and moments of frame members
induced by the vertical loads acting on the laterally displaced building system.
SHEAR WALL is a wall designed to resist lateral forces parallel to the plane of the wall
(sometimes referred to as vertical diaphragm or structural wall).
SHEAR WALL-FRAME INTYERACTIVE SYSTEM uses combinations of shear walls and frames
designed to resist lateral forces in proportion to their relative rigidities considering interaction
between shear walls and frames on all levels.
SOFT STORY is one in which the lateral stiffness is less than 70% of the stiffness of the story
above.
SPACE FRAME is a three-dimensional structural system, without bearing walls, composed of
members interconnected so as to function as a complete self-contained unit with or without the aid
of horizontal diaphragms or floor-bracing systems.
SPECIAL CONCENTRICALLY BRACED FRAME (SCBF) is a steel-braced frame.
SPECIAL MOMENT-RESISTING FRAME (SMRF) is a moment-resisting frame specially detailed
to provide ductile behavior.
SPECIAL TRUSS MOMENT FRAME (STMF) is a moment-resisting frame specially detailed to
provide ductile behavior.
STORY is the space between levels.
STORY DRIFT is the lateral displacement of one level relative to the level above or below.
STORY DRIFT RATIO is the story drift divided by the story height.
STORY SHEAR, V, is the summation of design lateral forces above the story under consideration.
STRENGTH is the capacity of an element or a member to resist factored load.
STRUCTURE is an assemblage of framing members designed to support gravity loads and resist
lateral forces. Structures may be categorized as building structures or nonbuilding structures.
SUBDIAPHRAGM is a portion of a larger wood diaphragm designed to anchor and transfer local
forces to primary diaphragm struts and the main diaphragm.
VERTICAL LOAD-CARRYING FRAME is a space frame designed to carry vertical gravity loads.
WALL ANCHORAGE SYSTEM is the system of elements anchoring the wall to the diaphragm and
those elements within the diaphragm required to develop the anchorage forces, including sub
diaphragms and continuous ties.
WEAK STORY is one in which the story strength is less than 80% of the story above.

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