This blog
will be able to help expand the readers' knowledge and their understanding of the
importance of the Building Code to Interior Design. Through the photos, this
will help illustrate the correct process and procedures when it comes to
building authorization, construction and fire zones.
Chapter 2 Administration and Reinforcement
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| This photo shows the Secretary reviewing and checking the plans. |
Section 203. General
Powers and Functions of the Secretary under this Code.
This
section enumerates the work of an appointed Secretary of the Department of
Public Works, Transportation and Communication. As such, the section entails
the Secretary to the following functions; policy formulation, planning and
making designated guidelines and qualifications of building infrastructures.
This
section is important, because the functions of the Secretary mentioned above
are vital in our field. The policies, plans and guidelines provided thereafter
by the appointed Secretary affects our work as interior designers.
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| This photo shows handing out the payment of the total fees and charges. |
Section 8. Fees.
This ensures that the money garnered from the fees and charges of
operations are recorded. The section also gives an opportunity for the Building
Official to provide funds for his office (the 20% mentioned in the section)
which will be appropriated to some of the affiliations of the department. The
80% of the said total fees and charges are then given to the treasury of the
municipality he/she is assigned in.
The
section gives another work and privilege to the chosen building official.
Sooner in our lives, some of us will be chosen as building officials. And it is
just right that we know these lawful practices and protocols.
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| This photo shows a person paying the penalty fine to the the assigned Secretary official. |
Section 212.
Administrative Fines.
For the violation of
any of the provisions of this Code or any of the rules or regulations issued there under the Secretary is hereby empowered to prescribe and impose fines not
exceeding ten thousand pesos.
As future interior designers, we should be keen of our
actions, as one possible wrong move could lead to a disqualification or fine as
stated above.
Chapter 3 Permits and Inspection
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| This photo shows an on-going construction with approved permits and documents. Source |
Section 301. Building
Permits.
No person, firm or corporation, including any agency or instrumentality
of the government shall erect, construct, alter, repair, move, convert or
demolish any building or structure or cause the same to be done without first
obtaining a building permit.
Public
safety is the top priority of a Building Permit. This allows the professionals
to take control and operate interior construction and assure good and safe design
to their clients. Professionals are responsible that the interior construction
process is in compliance with the Interior Design building code. This topi will
let you know when a permit is required or not.
A permit is
necessary for any additional or structural alteration or repair to an existing
space. This is required for electrical, mechanical and plumbing work. However, in
cases such as interior modification that only focuses to aesthetic changes such
as furniture, accessories or slight repair does not require a permit.
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| This photo shows the Building Permit requirements. Source |
Section 303. Processing
of Building Permits.
The processing of building permits shall be under the overall
administrative control and supervision of the Building Official and his
technical staff of qualified professionals.
The process
usually consists of a number of approval steps particularly to complex
renovation. The building department administers and enforces local building
constructions and plans. The Office of the Building Official (BOB) is the place where
designated professionals and officials review the documents, plans and
making sure that every application is in compliance with the building code.
The purpose of the building code is to protect not only occupants, but also the general community. This is where green building and energy code requirements come in.
Your
project will be required to adhere to these codes adopted by your community.
Green building codes set minimum standards for a project in terms of water consumption,
air quality, toxicity of materials, building efficiency, general waste
reduction and storm water management.
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| This photo shows the assigned official during inspection. |
Section
308. Inspection and Supervision of Work.
There shall be kept at
the jobsite at all times a logbook wherein the actual progress of construction
including tests conducted, weather conditions and other pertinent data are to
be recorded.
Interior Designers are given the rights and
responsibility to periodically inspect the design construction to record and check if it is in compliance with the permit and other
approved documents.
Chapter 4 Types of Construction
It is stated in NBCP Chapter 4 Section 403 – Requirements on Types of Construction
that subject to the provisions of this Chapter, the Secretary shall prescribe
standards for each type of construction, and promulgate rules and regulations
therefor, relating to structural
framework, exterior walls and openings, interior walls and enclosures, floors,
exists, and stairs construction, and roofs.
STAIRS
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| This photo shows an ongoing construction with correct stairs width measurement. |
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| This photo shows in accordance to the building code particularly to structures and stairways. |
General:
Stairways that will not be
a permanent part of the structure on which construction work is being performed
shall have landings of not less than 30 inches (76 cm) in the direction of
travel and extend at least 22 inches (56 cm) in width at every 12 feet (3.7 m)
or less of vertical rise.
Stairs
shall be installed between 30 deg. and 50 deg. from horizontal.
Variations
in riser height or tread depth shall not be over 1/4-inch (0.6 cm) in any
stairway system.
Stairs
Construction - The staircase, when carefully designed and
built, adds dignity and charm to a home. The quality of craftsmanship displayed
reflects the character of the entire interior of the building.
Safety precautions in stairway building:
1. Stairways should be free from winders.
2. The dimensions of landings should be equal to or
greater than the width of stairways between handrails (or handrail and wall).
3. Landings should be level and free from
intermediate steps between the main up flight and the main down flight.
4. All treads should be equal and all risers should
be equal in any one flight.
5. The sum of one tread and one riser, exclusive of
the nosing, should not be more than 18 inches nor less than 17 inches. (Stair
ratio.)
6. The nosing should not exceed 13/4 inches.
7. All stairways should be equipped with permanent
and substantial handrails 36 inches in height from the center of the tread.
8. All handrails should have rounded corners and a
surface that is smooth and free from splinters.
9. The angle of the stairways with the horizontal
should not be more than fifty degrees nor less than twenty degrees.
10. Stair treads should be slip proof, firmly
secured and with no protruding bolts, screws, or nails.
EXITS
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| This photo shows the correct exit routes. Source |
General:
Each
exit route must be a permanent part of the workplace.
Construction materials
used to separate an exit from other parts of the workplace must have a one-hour
fire resistance-rating if the exit connects three or fewer stories and a
two-hour fire resistance-rating if the exit connects four or more stories.
More
than two exit routes must be available in a workplace if the number of
employees, the size of the building, its occupancy, or the arrangement of the
workplace is such that all employees would not be able to evacuate safely
during an emergency.
An exit door must be
unlocked.
Exit
routes must support the maximum permitted occupant load for each floor served.
An exit route must meet
minimum height and width requirements.
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The ceiling of an exit route must
be at least seven feet six inches (2.3 m) high. Any projection from the ceiling
must not reach a point less than six feet eight inches (2.0 m) from the floor.
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An exit access must be at least
28 inches (71.1 cm) wide at all points. Where there is only one exit access
leading to an exit or exit discharge, the width of the exit and exit discharge
must be at least equal to the width of the exit access.
Chapter 5 Requirements for Firezone
Section 507.
Designation of Fire Zones.
The Secretary shall promulgate specific restriction for each
type of Fire Zone. Cities and municipalities shall be divided into such Fire
Zones in accordance with local, physical, and spatial framework plans submitted
by city or municipal planning and/or development bodies.
According to the building code of the Philippines, before
construction a building, you should know where is the danger area and the fire
zone area to be able to know that the people using the building is far from
incidents. fire zones are pre- planned and you cannot create a building without
going through it and without studying the place.
Sources:
TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR THE PRACTICE OF INTERIOR DESIGN
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/44893569/list/building-permits-when-a-permit-is-required-and-when-its-not
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/45151141/list/building-permits-the-submittal-process
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/46572568/list/building-permits-the-final-inspection
