National Building Code of the Philippines

(b) Allowable Area . The area of individual plastic glazing used in monitors and sawtooth glazing shall not exceed 15.00 square meters. The total aggregate area of plastics used in skylights, monitors, and sawtooth glazing shall not exceed twenty percent of the floor area of the room or occupancy sheltered. (c) Area Separation. The area of such plastic panels shall be separated from each other by a section of incombustible material or by a section of the roofing material of the structure not less than 1.50 meters in length. The lower edge of the plastic material shall be at least 150 millimeters above the surface of the adjoining roof surface. SECTION 1606. Plastic Light Diffusers in Ceilings. (a) General . Ceiling light diffusers having an area greater than ten percent of any 10.00 square meters of room area shall be of approved plastics conforming to the requirements specified in this Code. (b) Installation . Plastic light diffusers shall be installed in such a manner that they will not readily become detached when subjected to room temperature of 80ºC for 15 minutes, Excepts, for the plastic light diffusers which are installed in the first floor area of Group C Occupancies having egress directly to the exterior of the building; and plastic light diffusers which are located between an approved automatic fire-extinguishing system and the area to be protected other than public corridors for Group A, B, C, D, E, G, H and I Occupancies if tests required by the Secretary have established that such installation will not interfere with the efficient operation of such automatic fire-extinguishing systems. SECTION 1607. Partitions. Where partitions are not required to be of fire-resistive or incombustible construction, approved plastics conforming to the requirements specified in this Code may be used. SECTION 1608. Exterior Veneer. (a) General Exterior veneer may be of approved plastic materials, and shall conform to the provisions of this Section. (b) Height Plastic veneer shall not be attached to any exterior wall above the first storey: Provided , that plastic veneer may be attached to exterior walls above the first storey of buildings located outside of highly restrictive Fire Zones: Provided, further that the height of the veneer is not in excess of 10.00 meters above the adjacent of elevation. (c) Area Sections of plastic veneer shall not exceed 15.00 square meters in area, Except, that in less restrictive Fire Zones, the area may be increased by fifty percent. (d) Separation Sections of plastic veneer shall be separated by a minimum of 1.20 meters vertically and 600 millimeters horizontally. SECTION 1609. Awnings and Canopies. (a) Plastic materials appropriate for use according to Flame Spread characteristics may be utilized in awnings and canopies, provided such awnings and canopies are constructed in accordance with provisions governing projections and appendages as specified in this Code. (b) Approved plastics may be used in awnings where untreated canvass is permitted. (c) Approved plastics may be used in lieu of plain glass in green- houses in less restrictive Fire Zones. CHAPTER 17 SHEET METAL PAINT SPRAY BOOTHS SECTION 1701. Sheet Metal Paint Spray Booths. (a) General Paint spray booths shall be constructed of steel of not less than No. 18 U.S. gauge in thickness and shall be designed in accordance with this Code. (b) Area The area of a paint spray booth shall not exceed 150 square meters not ten percent of the basic area permitted for the major of the building according to its Occupancy Group. (c) Floor Construction The floor shall be constructed of incombustible material. (d) Interior Surface. Paint spray booths shall be designed to permit the free passage of the exhaust air from all parts of the interior and all interior surface shall be smooth and continuous without outstanding edges. SECTION 1702. Fire Protection. Every spray booth having an open front elevation larger than 1.00 square meter and which is not equipped with doors, shall have a fire curtain or metal deflector not less than 100 millimeters deep installed at the upper outer edge of the booth opening. SECTION 1703. Light. Paint spray booths shall be illuminated through hammered wire or heat-treated glass panels. The glass panels shall be located in such a manner as to reduce the hazard of ignition caused by paint spray deposit. SECTION 1704. Ventilation. (a) General Mechanical ventilation shall be provided direct to the exterior of the building. The mechanical exhaust system shall be designed to move the air through any portion of the paint spray area at the rate of not less than 30.00 lineal meters per minute. The blades of exhaust fans shall be constructed of non-ferrous material and shall be mounted in such a manner as to prevent contact with the exhaust duct. The motor shall not be mounted in the spray booth or the duct system and belts shall be enclosed where they enter the booth or duct system. (b) Exhaust Ducts. Exhaust ducts shall be constructed of steel having a thickness not less than the values set by the Secretary. The discharge point for ducts in a paint spray booth shall be not less than 2.00 meters from the adjoining combustible construction nor less than 8.00 meters from adjoining exterior wall openings: Except , that the discharge point for exhaust ducts is not regulated in a waterwash spray booth. CHAPTER 18 GLASS AND GLAZING SECTION 1801. General Requirements (a) This Chapter shall apply to exterior glass and glazing in all Occupancies except Groups A, B, and J Occupancies not over three storeys in height, and to interior and exterior glass and glazing in all occupancies subject to human impact as specified in this Code. (b) Standards for materials shall conform to the provisions set by the Secretary on glass dimensional tolerances, breaking stress levels, and design safety factors. (c) Each light shall bear the manufacturer's label designating the type and thickness of glass. Each light with special performance characteristics such as laminated, heat strengthened fully tempered or insulated, shall bear the manufacturer's identification showing the special characteristics and thickness by etching or other permanent identification that shall be visible after the glass is glazed. SECTION 1802. Area Limitation. Exterior glass and glazing shall be capable of safely withstanding the load due to wind pressures for various height zones above ground acting inward or outward. The area of individual lights shall not be more than the maximum allowable area of glass according to the wind load multiplied by the appropriate adjustment factor. SECTION 1803. Glazing. Glass firmly supported on all four edges shall be glazed with minimum laps and edge clearances in accordance with Section 1801 paragraph (b), Provided, that glass edge clearance in fixed openings shall be not less than what is required for wind and earthquake drift. For glass not firmly supported on all four edges and design shall be submitted for approval of the Building Official. Glass supports shall be considered firm when deflection of the support at design load does not exceed 1/175 of the span.