What is the national building code?

To put in simple words the definition of what is the national building code is the document containing all the guidelines for the construction of the building which includes residential, mercantile, institutional, commercial, storage space, educational, assembly, or hazardous buildings. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) formulated and published the National Building Code of India. A building can get damaged if it is not constructed properly. Therefore it is crucial to follow the guidelines to maintain the health of the building for public safety. The standard codes were first introduced in 1970, later the codes were revised in 1983. The revised version was introduced in 2005.

According to the National Building Code of India, the building which contains sleeping accommodation, with or without cooking or dining or both facilities is a residential building.

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• There must be an exit in every residential building for safety during the time of fire or earthquakes.

• The fire staircase should extend from the ground floor to the terrace level.

• There should be a devoted area for refugees on the seventh floor of the building or after the first 24 meters in a high-rise.

Residential buildings are of different categories:

• lodging or rooming houses

• one or two private dwellings

• Dormitories

• Houses or flats

• Hotels

• Every kitchen should have a separate area for washing utensils with a proper drainage system.

• The floor of the kitchen should be impermeable.

• The kitchen should have an open interior or exterior space.

• The kitchen must not be situated near a shaft.

• The bathroom must have a window or proper ventilation measuring not less than 0.37 sq. meters.

• Non-absorbent material is to be used for the seat of the bathroom.

• The bathroom must be separated from other rooms by an impervious surface with a height not less than one meter.

• The floor of the bathroom must be made of impervious material and should slope towards the drainage system.

• A bathroom must have flushing facilities and cisterns.

• If a bathroom is located on a terrace exceeding the height of 2.2 meters, it must be included in the Floor Area Ratio (FAR).

• A septic tank should be present in case a sewage system is not provided.

• The height of the basement should be between 2.5 meters to 4.5 meters.

• The height of the ceiling must be between 0.9 meters to 1.2 meters above the road surface.

• Ventilation should be provided in the basement in the form of air conditioning, blowers, exhaust fans.

• The drainage system should not hamper the basement.

• The walls and floors of the basement must be waterproof.

• The basement must not have any access from the main road. The basement should be connected with the entrance or staircase inside the building area.

• Only shops and residential buildings can have lofts.

• The loft must not take more than 25% of the covered area.

• The height of the loft and ceiling should be no lesser than 1.75 meters.

• The plinth of the garage should cover a minimum of 15 cms at the ground level.

• The garage should not block the entrance of the building. It should not cross the building line of the street or road.

• Every building must have an entrance or fire escape for earthquakes, or emergency purposes.

•  The exits should be visible to every person and they should be easily accessible.

• Alarms should be installed to announce danger in times of emergency.

• Exits should safely lead to the exterior part of the building.

• Lifts and revolving doors should not be considered as exits.

• There should be a single staircase connecting floors for a house of 300 sq. meters.

• Houses constructed under Law no. 1.13 VI (a) to (m) must have two different staircases.

• The width of the staircases should be less not than 0.9 meters.

For flats, hostels, group housing the minimum width of the staircase should be 1.25 meters.

Hope you know

what is the National Building Code of India.