Introduction to National Building Code and Steps in a Construction project

Q1. Why are building codes or standards essential for the modelling/ efficiency of drawings in Revit?

• The National Building Code (NBC) is document, that provides guidelines for construction of structures like residential, mercantile, institutional, educational, commercial, assembly and storage spaces or even a hazardous building. It is important to follow these guidelines, that are meant to protect the overall health of the construction and ensure the health and safety of the public and the residents. 
• Building codes provide a set of standards that are uniform to all the structures. Therefore, it guides the modelling process.
• The codes protect the overall health of the construction as well as the public and residents.
• The designer constantly refer these building codes, which enhance the knowledge in this field.
• It enables to combine the modern construction methods with these standard conventional standards.
• These standards also helps the government agency to approve the plans as it becomes the law of particular jurisdiction, when formally enacted by appropriate government or authority. Therefore, it provides the building standards with the approval of government agency for approving the plan.
• Therefore, building codes or standards are essential for the modelling and efficiency of drawings in Revit software.

Q2. From the National Building Code list the groups that will be essential to you when you begin modelling in Autodesk Revit.

The list of groups from the National Building Code (NBC) that is essential to begin modelling in Autodesk Revit software are:

• Group A: Residential buildings
• Group B: Educational buildings
• Group C: Assembly buildings
• Group D: Institutional buildings 
• Group E: Mercantile buildings
• Group F: Business buildings
• Group G: Storage buildings
• Group H : Industrial buildings
• Group J: Hazardous buildings

Q3. List the five major steps that occur in project cycle . The steps should include from conceptualization of project to maintenance and final stage.

The five major steps in project cycle are:

• Initialization 
• Conceptualization and planning
• Designing and detailing
• Construction and execution
• Maintenance and repair

Q4. Give examples of different disciplines involved in construction of a project.

The different disciplines involved in construction of a project are:

• Architect
• Civil engineer
• Structural engineer
• Geotechnical engineer
• Electrical engineer
• Plumbing engineer
• Fire protection engineer
• Heating, ventilation and air conditioning engineer
• Lift, Escalator and moving walk specialist
• Acoustics specialists
• Information/communication technology engineer
• Health, safety and environment specialists
• Environment/sustainability specialist
• Town planner
• Urban designer
• Landscape architect
• Security system specialist
• Interior designer
• Quantity surveyor
• Project/construction manager
• Accessibility and universal design specialist
• Asset/faculty manager
• Other subject specialist(s)

Q5. How are buildings classified ? Place the following buildings under each category
             a. Four unit apartments
             b. School with capacity of 1000 students
             c. A single unit shop
             d. Multi story Shopping complex
             e. Steel machine factory

The building are classified as

• Group A: Residential buildings
• Group B: Educational buildings
• Group C: Assembly buildings
• Group D: Institutional buildings 
• Group E: Mercantile buildings
• Group F: Business buildings
• Group G: Storage buildings
• Group H :Industrial buildings
• Group J: Hazardous buildings

The buildings and their respective category is shown below,

1. Four unit apartments

• Group A: Residential buildings

1. School with capacity of 1000 students

• Group B: Educational buildings

1. A single unit shop

• Group E: Mercantile buildings

1. Multi story Shopping complex

• Group E: Mercantile buildings

1. Steel machine factory

• Group H :Industrial buildings

Q6. Distinguish the roles of Design team and Management team.

Design Team:

• Helps to finalise the plan.
• Evaluationaries in the project
• Implementation the desgins

Management team:

• Accomplishment of project
• Execute the design
• Achieves the satisfactory completion of the project.

Q7. Refer to NBC, Identify the modelling requirements for the project ( from week 4).
            a. Height Limitations
            b. Area Limitations
            c. Room sizing
            d. Wall height
            e. Thickness based on fire life and safety
            f. Passageway requirements

1. Height Limitation:

• As per NBC 2005, Clause C-2.5 (pg. no.: 43)
• The height of the building shall not exceed 15 m.
• For building up to the height of l5 m, there is no need to provide lifts.
• Housing for the low-income group shall preferably be up to maximum of two storeys.
• Buildings for housing beyond 15 m in height should be resorted to in exceptional circumstances and it should be governed by provisions laid down this code.
• The height of the building in my model is 7.2m, which is less than 15m. Hence, it follows NBC guidelines.

1. Area limitations:

• As per NBC 2005, Clause C-2.3.1 (pg. no.: 43)
• The minimum plot size with ground coverage not exceeding 75 percentage, shall not be less than 40 m²in small and medium town and not less than 30 m2 in metropolitan cities. 
• The area occupied by the building in my model is greater than 40 m2. Floor area of my model is 31'x49'6" i.e., 142.56m2. Hence, it follows NBC guidelines.

3. Room sizing: As per NBC 2005, Clause C-3.3 (pg. no.: 43)

• Every dwelling unit to be provided should have at least two habitable rooms. Even if one room house is provided initially it should be capable of adding a new second room in future. However, in case single room tenements are required to be provided where future additions are not possible, the carpet area of multipurpose single room should be at least 12.5 m². Such one room dwelling units with 12.5 m²carpet area of habitable space is permitted only in case of on site rehabilitation of slum dwellers. In a house of two rooms, first room shall not be less than 9.0 m² with minimum width of 2.5 m and second room shall not be less than 6.5 m² with a minimum width of 2.1 m provided the total area of both the rooms is not less than 15.5 m². In incremental housing the bigger room shall always be the first room.
• In my model the number of rooms in the building is 6 and the total area of the rooms is (16.7m²)x2 + (12.6m²)x4 = 83.8m², which is greater than the value specified in the code. Hence the building is safe.

3. Wall height: As per NBC 2005, Clause F-3.4,

The minimum height of rooms and spaces should be:

• Habitable room - 2.75 m
• Kitchen - 2.6 m
• Bath/Water closet - 2.2 m
• Corridors - 2.1 m

In case of sloping roof the average height of roofs for habitable rooms shall be 2.75 m and the minimum height at eaves shall be 2.1 m.

In my model al the walls have a height of 3m which is greater than the minimum wall height specified in the code. Hence it is satisfied.

3. Thickness based on fire life and safety: As per NBC 2005, Clause C-3.3.2, Table 2

In my model the wall thickness is 250mm, which is greater than the specified value in the NBC code book. Hence, model is safe.

4. Passageway requirements: As per NBC 2005, Clause C-4.3, Table 1

In my model the passage way specified value in the NBC code book satisfied.

Q8. We have identified requirements for modelling from question 7, Use these numbers from code book and verify the numbers used in modelling the unit from week 2 to week 4. If the numbers are not reasonable, use the numbers obtained from the code book to create a revision of the mode.

This model resembles the actual modelling requirements for Project 1 of course work

• From week 2 to week 4, all my models satisfied the requirements in the NBC code book. Therefore, no revision needed.