National Building Code of the Philippines

SECTION 402. Changes in Types. No change shall be made in the type of construction of any building which would place the building in a different sub-type or type of construction unless such building is made to comply with the requirements for such sub-type of construction: Except, when the changes is approved by the Building Official upon showing that the new or proposed construction is less hazardous, based on life and fire risk, than the existing construction. SECTION 403. Requirements on Type of Construction. 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. CHAPTER 5 REQUIREMENTS FOR FIRE ZONES SECTION 501. Fire Zones Defined. Fire zones are areas within which only certain types of buildings are permitted to be constructed based on their use or occupancy, type of construction, and resistance to fire. SECTION 502. Buildings located in more than One Fire Zone. A building or structure which is located partly in one fire zone and partly in another shall be considered to be in the more highly restrictive fire zone, when more than one-third of its total floor area is located in such zone. SECTION 503. Moved Building. Any building or structure moved within or into any fire zone shall be made to comply with all the requirements for buildings in that fire zone. SECTION 504. Temporary Buildings. Temporary building such as reviewing stands and other miscellaneous structures conforming to the requirements of this Code, and sheds, canopies and fences used for the protection of the public around and in conjunction with construction work, may be erected in the fire zones by special permit from the Building Official for a limited period of time, and such buildings or structures shall be-completely removed upon the expiration of the time limit stated in such permits. SECTION 505. 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. Distances shall be measured at right angles to the street or alley. SECTION 506. Restrictions on Existing Buildings. Existing buildings or structures in fire zones that do not comply with the requirements for a new building erected therein shall not hereafter be enlarged, altered, remodeled, repaired or moved except as follows: (a) Such building is entirely demolished; (b) Such building is to be moved outside the limits of the more highly restrictive Fire Zone to a zone where the building meets the minimum standards; (c) Changes, alterations and repairs may be made provided that in any 12-month period, the value of the work does not exceed twenty percent of the value of the existing building, and provided that, such changes do not add additional combustible material, and do not, in the opinion of the Building Official, increase the fire hazard; (d) Additions thereto are separated from the existing building by fire walls, as set forth in Sub-section 604 (b); (e) Damage from fire or earthquake, typhoons or any fortuitous event may be repaired, using the same kind of materials of which the building or structure was originally constructed, provided that, the cost of such repair shall not exceed twenty percent of the replacement cost of the building or structure. 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. CHAPTER 6 FIRE-RESISTIVE REQUIREMENTS IN CONSTRUCTION SECTION 601. Fire-Resistive Rating Defined. Fire-resistive rating means the degree to which a material can withstand fire as determined by generally recognized and accepted testing methods. SECTION 602. Fire-Resistive Time Period Rating. Fire-resistive time period rating is the length of time a material can withstand being burned which may be one-hour, two-hours, three- hours,four-hours, etc. SECTION 603. Fire-Resistive Standards. All materials of construction, and assemblies or combinations thereof shall be classified according to their fire-retardant or flame-spread ratings as determined by general accepted testing methods and/or by the Secretary. SECTION 604. Fire-Resistive Regulations. The Secretary shall prescribe standards and promulgate rules and regulations on the testing of construction materials for flame-spread characteristics, tests on fire damages, fire tests of building construction and materials, door assemblies and tinclad fire doors and window assemblies, the installation of fire doors and windows and smoke and fire detectors for fire protective signaling system, application and use of controlled interior finish, fire-resistive protection for structural members, fire-resistive walls and partitions, fire-resistive floor or roof ceiling, fire-resistive assemblies for protection of openings and fire-retardant roof coverings. CHAPTER 7 CLASSIFICATION AND GENERAL REQUIREMENT OF ALL BUILDINGS BY USE OF OCCUPANCY SECTION 701. Occupancy Classified. (a) Buildings proposed for construction shall be identified according to their use or the character of its occupancy and shall be classified as follows: (1) Group A. Residential Dwellings Group A Occupancies shall be dwellings. (2) Group B. Residentials, Hotels and Apartments Group B Occupancies shall be multiple dwelling units including boarding or lodging houses, hotels, apartment buildings, row houses, convents, monasteries, and other similar building each of which accommodates more than ten persons. (3) Group C. Education and Recreation Group C Occupancies shall be buildings used for school or day-care purposes, involving assemblage for instruction, education, or recreation, and not classified in Group I or in Division 1 and 2 or Group H Occupancies. (4) Group D. Institutional Group D Occupancies shall include: Division 1. Mental hospitals, mental sanitaria, 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, sanitaria, nursing homes with non- ambulatory patients, and similar buildings each accommodating more than five persons. Division 3 . Nursing homes for ambulatory patients, homes for children of kindergarten age or over, each accommodating more than five persons: Provided, that Group D Occupancies shall not include buildings used only for private or family group dwelling purposes. (5) Group E. Business and Mercantile Group E Occupancies shall include: Division 1. Gasoline filling and service stations, storage garages and boot 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.