BUILDING BY-LAWS
Definition
• Building bye laws, also known as building codes or regulations, are a set
of rules and guidelines established by local, regional, or national
authorities to govern the construction, renovation, and maintenance of
buildings.
• These bye-laws are essential for ensuring the safety, structural integrity,
and functionality of structures and promoting the well-being of occupants
and the environment.
• Building bye-laws serve as essential legal instruments employed to govern
and control various aspects of construction, including parameters such as
building coverage, height, the extent of construction, and architectural
designs.
• These regulations play an essential role in steering and managing the
development of a region in an organised and sustainable manner.
Purpose of Building Bye laws
• Ensure safety in construction.
• Regulate building design and size.
• Prevent unplanned development.
• Promote environmental considerations.
• Enhance urban aesthetics.
• Facilitate ease of business.
• Address emerging technologies.
• Ensure public health and accessibility.
• Objectives of Building Bye laws
• Guidelines for Architects and Engineers: Building bye laws serve as important guidelines
for architects and engineers, facilitating the pre-planning of building provisions and
activities, which enhances the construction process's efficiency and effectiveness.
• Preventing Unplanned Development: One of the primary roles of building bye laws is to
prevent haphazard or unplanned development, ensuring that new constructions align
with the broader urban planning goals.
• Ensuring Safety: Building bye laws are instrumental in safeguarding the lives and well-
being of those who work and reside within these structures. They address concerns
related to fire safety, noise control, health hazards, and structural integrity.
Key Aspects Governed by Building Bye laws
• Set-back or Building Line: Building bye laws dictate the minimum open space
required in front of buildings facing a road, known as the set-back or building line.
This regulation aims to maintain street aesthetics, prevent overcrowding, and
enhance safety by improving visibility. Set-back areas can also be repurposed as
parking spaces or green areas.
• Floor Space Index (FAR) or Floor Area Ratio: FAR, expressed as the ratio of a
building's total floor area to the land area it occupies, is used to control the
intensity of development. It's a tool for regulating population density. For instance,
a Far from 1.5 means the total floor area is 1.5 times the land area.
• Built-up Area: The built-up area is the plot area minus the space allocated for
open areas. Building codes specify the maximum permissible built-up area
based on the plot size to prevent overdevelopment.
• Height of Buildings: The height of buildings is determined based on street
width, to maintain urban aesthetics and safety. Narrower streets have lower
height allowances.
• Lighting and Ventilation: Building codes mandate the provision of windows
and ventilators to ensure sufficient room lighting and ventilation. The
minimum opening areas are stipulated for different climate conditions.
• Water Supply and Sanitary Provisions: Building codes set standards for water supply
and sanitation facilities, such as taps, sinks, water closets, and washbasins, based on
the type of building.
• Structural Designs: Building bye laws require structures to be designed to withstand
safe loads, earthquakes, and other environmental factors. General guidelines for
foundation depth, width, and concrete usage are provided.
• The National Building Code (NBC)
• The National Building Code of India (NBC), a comprehensive building Code, is a
national instrument providing guidelines
for regulating the building construction activities across the country.
• It serves as a Model Code for adoption by all
agencies involved in building construction works be they Public Works Departments,
other government construction departments,
local bodies or private construction agencies.
• The Code mainly contains administrative regulations, development control rules
and general building requirements; fire safety requirements; stipulations regarding
materials, structural design and
construction (including safety); building and plumbing services; approach to
sustainability; and asset and facility management.
• The Code was first published in 1970 at the instance of Planning Commission and
then first revised in 1983. Thereafter three major amendments were issued to the
1983 version, two in 1987 and the third in 1997. The second revision of the Code
was in 2005, to which two amendments were issued in 2015.
• As a culmination of the Project, the revised
Code has been brought out in 2016 as National Building Code of India
2016 reflecting the state-of-the-art and contemporary applicable international
practices.
• The comprehensive NBC 2016 contains 12 Parts some of which are further divided
into Sections totalling 33 chapters (see
Annex 1).
• The salient features of the revised NBC (see Annex 2) include, apart from other
changes made, the changes specially in regard
to further enhancing our response to meet the challenges posed by natural
calamities.
Salient Features of National Building Code
• Detailed provision for streamlining the approval process in respect of different
agencies in the form of an integrated approval process through single window
approach thereby avoiding separate clearances from various authorities, with a
view to ensuring ease of doing business in built environment sector.
• Progressive computerization of approval process, for enabling online submission
of plans, drawings and other details, and sanction thereof.
• Updated mechanism of ensuring certification of structural safety of buildings by
the competent professional and peer review of design of buildings.
• Defining the roles and responsibilities of all professionals and contractors
involved in a building construction project.
• Comprehensive planning norms for minimum amenities to be provided in a
city/town.
• Detailed provisions relating to requirements for accessibility in buildings and
built environment for persons with disabilities and the elderly.
• Planning and development norms, such as, Transferable Development Rights
(TDR) and Accommodation Reservation (AR).
• Provisions for underground or multi-storeyed parking as also mechanized
parking of vehicles.
• Norms for solar energy utilization.
• Fire and life safety in modern complex buildings including the high rises, glazed
buildings, atria, commercial kitchen and car parking facilities.
• Updated structural design provisions for wind and seismic loads, imposed load due to
helipad, and blast loads, for safe design and construction of buildings with due focus
on ductile detailing.
• Inclusion of provisions on self compacting concrete, high performance concrete and
steel fibre reinforced concrete.
• Updated provisions on prefabricated construction technique for speedier
construction.
• New chapter on structural use of glass in buildings.
• New and alternative building materials, and technologies for building construction
such as, reinforced masonry, confined masonry building construction and masonry
wall construction using rat-trap bond.
• Construction project management guidelines for timely completion of building
projects within the budgeted cost with desired quality.
• Habitat and other welfare requirements for workers at construction site.
• Inclusion of modern lighting techniques such as LED and induction light and their
energy consumption.
