National Building Code of the Philippines

(c) Skylights installed for the use of photographers may be constructed of metal frames and plate glass without wire netting. (d) Ordinary glass may be used in the roof and skylights for greenhouses, Provided, that height of the greenhouses at the ridge does not exceed 6.00 meters above the grade. The use of wood in the frames of skylights will be permitted in greenhouses outside of highly restrictive Fire Zones if the height of the skylight does not exceed 6.00 meters above the grade, but in other cases metal frames and metal sash bars shall be used. (e) Glass used for the transmission of light, if placed in floors or sidewalks, shall be supported by metal or reinforced concrete frames, and such glass shall not be less than 12.5 millimeters in thickness. Any such glass over 100 square centimeters in area shall have wire mesh embedded in the same or shall be provided with a wire screen underneath as specified for skylights in this Code. All portions of the floor lights or sidewalk lights shall be of the same strength as required for floor is surrounded by a railing not less than 1.10 meters in height, in which case the construction shall be calculated for not less than roof loads. SECTION 1209. Bays, Porches, and Balconies. (a) Walls and floors in bay and oriel windows shall conform to the construction allowed for exterior walls and floors of the type of construction of the building to which they are attached. The roof covering of a bay or oriel window shall conform to the requirements of the roofing of the main roof. Exterior balconies attached to or supported by wall required to be of masonry, shall have brackets or beams constructed of incombustible materials. Railings shall be provided for balconies, landings, or porches which are more than 750 millimeters above grade. SECTION 1210. Penthouses and Roof Structures. (a) Height No penthouse or other projection above the roof in structures of other than Type V construction shall exceed 8.40 meters above the roof when used as an enclosure for tanks or for elevators which run to the roof and in all other cases shall not extend more than 3.60 meters in height with the roof. (b) Area The aggregate area of all penthouses and other roof structures shall not exceed one third of the area of the supporting roof. (c) Prohibited Uses No penthouse, bulkhead, or any other similar projection above the roof shall be used for purposes other than shelter of mechanical equipment or shelter of vertical shaft openings in the roof. A penthouse or bulkhead used for purposes other than that allowed by this Section shall conform to the requirements of this Code for an additional storey. (d) Construction Roof structures shall be constructed with walls, floors, and roof as required for the main portion of the building except in the following cases: (1) On Types III and IV constructions, the exterior walls and roofs of penthouses which are 1.50 meters or more from an adjacent property line may be of one-hour fire-resistive incombustible construction. (2) Walls not less than 1.50 meters from an exterior wall of a type IV construction may be of one-hour fire-resistive incombustible construction. The above restriction shall not prohibit the placing of wood flagpoles or similar structures on the roof of any building. (e) Towers and Spires Towers and spires when enclosed shall have exterior walls as required for the building to which they attached. Towers not enclosed and which extend more than 20.00 meters above the grade shall have their framework constructed of iron, steel, or reinforced concrete. No tower or spire shall occupy more than one-fourth of the street frontage of any building to which it is attached and in no case shall the base area exceed 150 square meters unless it conforms entirely to the type of construction requirements of the building to which it is attached and is limited in height as main part of the building. If the area of the tower and spire exceeds 10.00 square meters any horizontal cross section, its supporting frames shall extend directly to the ground. The roof covering of the spires shall be as required for the main room of the rest of the structure. Skeleton towers used as radio masts, neon signs, or advertisement frames and placed on the roof of any building shall be constructed entirely of incombustible materials when more than 7.50 meters in height, and shall be directly supported on an incombustible framework to the ground. No such skeleton towers shall be supported on roofs of combustible framings. They shall be designed to withstand a wind load from any direction in addition to any other loads. SECTION 1211. Chimneys, Fireplaces, and Barbecues. (a) Chimneys (1) Structural Design Chimneys shall be designed, anchored, supported, reinforced, constructed, and installed in accordance with generally accepted principles of engineering. Every chimney shall be capable of producing a draft at the appliance not less than that required for the safe operation of the appliance connected thereto. No Chimney shall support any structural load other than its own weight unless it is designed to act as a supporting member. Chimneys in a wood-framed building shall be anchored laterally at the ceiling line and at each floor line which is more than 1.80 meters above grade, except when entirely within the framework or when designed to be free standing. (2) Walls Every masonry chimney shall have walls of masonry units, bricks, stones, listed masonry chimney units, reinforced concrete or equivalent solid thickness of hollow masonry and lined with suitable liners in accordance with the following requirements: (2.1) Masonry Chimneys for Residential Type Appliances Masonry chimneys shall be constructed of masonry units or reinforced concrete with walls not less than 100 millimeters thick; or of rubble stone masonry not less than 300 millimeters thick. The chimney liner shall be in accordance with this Code. (2.2) Masonry Chimneys for Low Heat Appliances Masonry chimneys shall be constructed of masonry units or reinforced concrete with walls not less than 200 millimeters thick: Except , that rubble stone masonry shall be not less than 300 millimeters thick. The chimney liner shall be in accordance with this Code. (2.3) Masonry Chimneys for Medium-Heat Appliances Masonry chimneys for medium-heat appliances shall be constructed of solid masonry units of reinforced concrete not less than 200 millimeters thick, Except, that stone masonry shall be not less than 300 millimeters thick and, in addition shall be lined with not less than 100 millimeters of firebrick laid in a solid bed of fire clay mortar with solidly filled head, bed, and wall joints, starting not less than 600 millimeters below the chimney connector entrance. Chimneys extending 7.50 meters or less above the chimney connector shall be lined to the top. (2.4) Masonry Chimneys for High-Heat Appliances Masonry chimneys for high-heat appliances shall be constructed with double walls of solid masonry units or reinforced concrete not less than 200 millimeters in thickness, with an air space of not less than 50 millimeters between walls. The inside of the interior walls shall be of fire-brick not less than 100 millimeters in thickness laid in a solid bed of fire clay mortar with solidly filled head, bed, and wall joints.