Cement, Energy and Environment

Theme of the code The National Building Code of India is a single document in which, like a network, the information contained in various Indian Standards and other information is woven into a pattern of continuity and cogency with the interdependent requirements of Parts/Sections of the Code carefully analyzed and fitted in to make the whole document a cogent continuous volume. Thus the Code gives all the information required by the architect, engineer, structural engineer, construction engineer, services engineers and other professionals from the early stages of planning to translating the building on to terra firma. The provisions of the whole Code have been drafted with performance orientation, with a view to giving full freedom to the ingenuity of the architects and engineers. However, in certain cases, these performance oriented clauses have been translated into empirical rules for easy implementation of such provisions. The whole Code has been built around the four pillars of safety, namely, (i) structural safety, (ii) health safety, (iii) fire safety, and (iv) public safety (encompassing electrical safety and safety during construction). The various provisions of this Code have been specified after checking them against these safety requirements. This Code strongly emphasizes the importance of preplanning in the construction activity and lays down areas where preplanning would have to be done in a more coordinated manner. A continuous thread of preplanning is woven which, in itself, contributes almost two- thirds of economics in construction particularly in building and plumbing services. The need for spaces and areas required for such services is brought out so that the same can be assessed at the planning stage and provided for. The need for proper planning and coordination among professionals right from conceptualization to completion and subsequently in operation and maintenance, has been conspicuously brought out in part 0 of this Code. As this Code is intended to help regulate the building construction activity for the whole country, this would be applicable to municipal corporations , local urban bodies, public works departments and other construction departments and agencies dealing with construction. Therefore, the administrative byelaws and technical provisions, which are required in these regulatory media, are both included in the Code. The Code as now published represents the present state of knowledge on various aspects of building construction. The process of preparation of the Code has thrown a number of important issues which have been duly dealt with. However, a continuous programme is envisaged by which additional knowledge that is gained through technological evolution, users' views over a period of time pinpointing areas of clarification and coverage and results of research in various connected fields , would be incorporated in the Code from time to time to make it a living document. Implementation The National Building Code of India is intended to serve as a model for adoption by PWDs and other construction departments, local bodies and other construction agencies. Existing PWD codes, municipal bye laws and other regulatory media could either be replaced by the National Building Code of India or suitably modified to cater to local conditions in accordance with the provisions of the Code. In the case of municipalities and other local bodies which are the main agencies to regulate the main building activity within the jurisd iction of the cities and towns, it is the administrative requirements and byelaws provisions for the health safety aspects which should mainly constitute the coverage of their byelaws. Guidelines on all these aspects are included in the National Building Code of India. The information cited above is mainly covered in Parts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 10 of the Code. The other parts of the Code are equally valid and should be referred to in the bye laws. In the case of Public Works Departments of the States and Centre, MES, Railways and other governmental construction agencies who would regulate the construction within their jurisdiction with the help of their handbooks, codes and specifications of works, it is the information contained in parts 0, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of the code which shou ld mainly be used/adopted to modernize their regulatory media. The present PWD specification and handbooks essentially deal with the materials specifications and the construction procedures of various items of work; these requirements are given in Parts 0, 5 and 7 of the Code. The structu ral design requirements and procedure for the design and installation of various services, etc, are not covered in detain in the above codes and detai led information on the same is given in Parts 6, 7, 8 and 9 of 34