Philippine Architectural Design Paradigms
Copyright 2013 Architecture Advocacy International Foundation (AAIF), Inc.
1.1
Philippine Architectural Design Paradigms
The term "design paradigm" refers to exemplary design solutions that
create "design trends" and is used within the design professions,
including architecture, industrial design xxx to indicate an archetypal
solution e.g. a Swiss Army Knife is a design paradigm illustrating the
concept of a single object that changes configuration to address a
number of problems. Design paradigms have been introduced in a
number of books, where Architect Christopher Alexander's “A Pattern
Language” is thought to have first popularized the term.
Design paradigms can be used either to describe a design solution,
or as an approach to design problem solving. Problem solving occurs
through a process of abstraction and characterization of design
solutions, with subsequent categorization into problem solving types.
The approach is akin to the use of metaphor in language; metaphors
are used to help explain concepts that are new or unfamiliar, and to
bridge between a problem we understand and a problem we don't.
Design paradigms then can be seen as higher order metaphors. xxx
______(December 2012). Design Paradigm, Wikipedia.
At least five (5) distinct architectural design paradigms are under
present consideration and these are:
1) P.D. No. 1096, the 1977 National Building Code of the
Philippines (NBCP)-compliant Architectural Design;
2) Architectural Design for the Tropics (Hot-Humid Philippine
Climate);
3) Sustainable Architectural Design;
4) Climate Change-Adaptive Architectural Design; and
5) Disaster-Resilient Architectural Design.
While each of the above offers a distinct architectural solution, these
can all still be melded into one cohesive solution, which is probably
something that mainly Registered and Licensed Architects (RLAs)
are capable of achieving.
1.2
Architectural Paradigm 1 : NBCP-Compliant Architectural
Design
P.D. No. 1096, otherwise known as the 1977 National Building Code
of the Philippines (NBCP) is a national development control that is
currently implemented and enforced by the Department of Public
Works and Highways (DPWH) through Acting Local Building Officials
(ALBOs) or duly-appointed Local Building Officials (LBOs) at the
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LGU level. Under said law, the DPWH Secretary, in his capacity as
the National Building official (NBO) appoints the ALBOs or LBOs, a
power apparently not delegated to the Secretary of the Department
of Interior and Local Government (DILG) nor to local chief executives
(i.e. mayors and governors of LGUs).
The NBCP is supported by its 2004 revised implementing rules and
regulations (IRR), its referral codes (RCs) and its derivative
regulations (DRs). RCs are laws or regulations that are in direct
support of the NBCP, consisting of but not limited to the following
laws, codes or their successor laws/ codes:

R.A. No. 9514, otherwise known as the Fire Code of the
Philippines (FCP) of 2008 and its latest implementing rules and
regulations (IRR) and derivative regulations (DRs);

B.P. No. 344, An Act to Enhance the Mobility of Disabled Persons
by Requiring Certain Buildings, Institutions, Establishments and
Public Utilities to Install Facilities and Other Devices, and its latest
IRR and DRs;
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Latest version of the Architectural Code of the Philippines and its DRs;
Latest version of the Structural Code of the Philippines and its DRs;
Latest version of the Philippine Electrical Code and its DRs;
Latest version of the Mechanical Code of the Philippines and its DRs;
P.D. No. 856, Code on Sanitation and its latest IRR and DRs;
P.D. No. 1067, A 1976 Presidential Decree Instituting a Water Code,
Thereby Revising and Consolidating the Laws Governing the
Ownership, Appropriation, Utilization, Exploitation, Development,
Conservation and Protection of Water Resources, otherwise known as
The Water Code of the Philippines, and its latest IRR and DRs;
R.A. No. 9275, The Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004, and its latest
IRR and DRs;
R.A. No. 9003, The Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000,
and its latest IRR and DRs;
R.A. No. 8749, The Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 and its latest IRR
and DRs;
P.D. No. 1586, Establishing an Environmental Impact Statement
System, Including Other Environmental Management Related Measures
and for Other Purposes, and its latest IRR and DRs;
the ICAO SARP and the CAAP MoS for Aerodromes in the case of
airport (or heliport/ helipad, as applicable) selection, planning, design,
construction, administration, operation and maintenance; and
the various Professional Regulatory Laws (PRLs) such as R.A. No.
9266 (The Architecture Act of 2004), R.A. No. 544 (The Civil
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Engineering Law of 1950, as amended by R.A. No. 1582 of 1956), etc.,
including R.A. No. 8981, otherwise known as the Professional
Regulation Commission (PRC) Modernization Act of 2000, and their
latest IRR and DRs.
DRs are mainly executive issuances that are in direct support of the
NBCP and its RCs, consisting of but not limited to the following
documents:
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Memorandum Circulars (MCs) issued by the DPWH Secretary (in his
capacity as the NBO) directly to ALBOs/ LBOs nationwide;
DPWH Department Administrative Orders (DAOs) as well as other
DAOs issued by other agencies that deal with aspects of the natural
and built environments;
Resolutions by the appropriate agencies, including those by the
Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and its Professional
Regulatory Boards (PRBs);
National Administrative Orders (AOs); and
National Executive Orders (EOs).
Faithful and satisfactory compliances with the 1977 NBCP, its 2004
revised IRR, its RCs, its DRs and the pertinent permitting processes
are absolute necessities to help save both the built and natural
environments from further degradation and to help in the proper and
full implementation and enforcement of the 1977 NBCP, a valid and
subsisting law. The basic compliances deal with:

zoning classification with statements of principal, accessory and
conditional uses;
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allowed building occupancy and building type;
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lot type, configuration and access systems;
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road right-of-way/ RROW width (stating arcade width if applicable)
and the total lot area (TLA);
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on-site and off-site analyses, with particular attention to
topography, slopes, hazards, etc.;
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building and site/ grounds orientations with respect to sun, wind,
rain/ storm, noise, pollution sources, odors, view corridors (and
privacy satisfaction);
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treatment of the mandated legal easements (MLE);
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floor to lot area ratio/ FLAR (same as floor area ratio/ FAR), gross
floor area/ GFA and total gross floor area/ TGFA;
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applicable setbacks (including incremental setbacks);
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firewall compliances (as needed);
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basement level compliances (as applicable, particularly on the
matter of setbacks from property lines);
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open and covered parking compliances (including public
transportation connectivities);
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percentage of site occupancy (PSO) and allowable maximum
building footprint (AMBF), including clear indications of the total
open space within lot (TOSL) and the unpaved surface area
(USA) that shall assist in surface water flow retardation (to
prevent accelerated/ flash flooding) and percolation into the
aquifer;

applicable building height limit/ BHL (including Civil Aviation
Authority of the Philippines/ CAAP restrictions or other agency
restrictions as applicable);
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allowable maximum volume of building (AMVB);
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outermost face of building (OFB), outermost limits of building
projection (OLBP) and the angle of angular plane with respect to
the road right-of-way (RROW);
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the architectural and space programs;
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wall/ window orientations and wall to window ratio (WWR);
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site development (including urban design) features;
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use of natural light and ventilation, particularly of day-lighting and
passive cooling;
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elevator traffic calculations and zoning (as applicable);
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building and site/ grounds colours and textures, particularly those
that are absorptive and reflective of light and heat (that should
illustrate the RLA’s appreciation of tropical design as the same
applies to Philippine buildings);
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graphics, signage and way-finding provisions; and
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design sensitivities i.e. gender, children and the elderly, persons
with disabilities (PWH, physical, mental, emotional, etc.), ethnicity
and indigenous peoples, people with differing lifestyles/
preferences, religion, etc.
The foregoing are only basic architectural plan and design features of
the building that should ideally form part of an architectural permit
application to be prepared by RLAs, an ancillary permit to the
building permit. Should the separate DPWH IRR on sustainable
building design be promulgated, the RLA shall also be responsible
for a number of sustainable building features, as well as features that
address issues and concerns pertaining to climate change adaptation
and disaster resilience. The RLA's description of the proposed
building’s sustainable design features must necessarily include
descriptions of the embodied energy levels of construction and
finishing materials proposed for use in the building, carbon footprint
calculation for the building and its users over a certain period of time,
energy and water conservation features (to include rainwater
harvesting if possible), solid waste management provisions
(collection, storage, recycling, reuse, disposal), etc.
The architectural permit application, once imposed by the DPWH,
must clearly show that the proposed building fully satisfies all the
spatial requirements and all the applicable national and local
development controls (DCs). The architectural permit application and
its support architectural documents must also show the calculations
for architectural life safety code compliances, particularly those
mandated under R.A. No. 9514 (The 2008 Fire Code of the
Philippines/ FCP and its 2009 IRR). Also for inclusion is the
satisfaction of the mandated compliances with B.P. No. 344
(Accessibility Law of 1983) particularly with respect to parking slots,
ramps, elevators and toilets for persons with disabilities (PWD).
Additionally, the pertinent information on architectural design features
that address specific user needs and sensitivities must be included
e.g. gender, age, ethnicity, religion, etc. as well as urban design
features e.g. including lists of street furniture, way-finding provisions
and directional signages as well as statements of the proposed
treatments of transitional spaces between the public domain (e.g.
RROW) and the building grounds and enclosed building spaces.
Even if the same may not yet be required by the DPWH, it is best
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that the foregoing form part of the architectural documentation fo teh
project.
A major component of the architectural documents package shall be
the project description which must contain information on the users
and the indoor and exterior spatial provisions created to address the
activities to be housed/ sited in the proposed building or structure or
its site/ grounds, a statement on the aesthetic blending (or stark
contrast) of the building/ structure with its environs, a general
statement on the overall quality of the materials for use on the
building, statements on the space planning (SP) and architectural
interiors (AI) of the building, statements on the urban design (UD) of
the building and its site/ grounds and the affected portions of the
public domain (such as RROWs and MLEs) as well as on the
perceived effect of the building on the local environment and an initial
estimate of the building/ project cost.
1.2.1
Fire Integrity of the Building/ Structure
For a mixed use building, uses/ occupancies which can all be subject
to incidences of fire, explosion, fumes, leakages, etc. and potential
acts of sabotage or other forms of public disorder can cause
extensive building/ structural damage. As such, the upper floor levels
must be protected from such threats through the provision of key fire
integrity provisions that can help localize fire and smoke spread and
penetration only to the affected floor/s or level/s below. For this
reason, non-circulation/ access openings that vertically traverse the
building (from basement through deck roof levels) shall be avoided
as much as possible e.g. light and ventilation courts/ wells, atrium
courts, and the like.
1.3
Building and Grounds Fit-out
1.3.1
Furniture and Movable Items
These are large movable equipment, such as tables and chairs, used
to make an enclosed or outdoor space suitable for living or working;
the movable articles in a room or an establishment that make it fit for
living or working; may also be referred to as furnishing; the possible
examples of furniture in a typical Philippine building are: tables/
desks/ work benches (modular manager/ clerical/ work stations,
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conference, training, coffee, tea, side, etc.), back cabinet/s and side
returns (as necessary), pedestal drawers, filing cabinets, assorted
chairs (i.e. gang, visitor, clerical, junior/ mid-level/ senior manager/
conference/ high chairs for counter operations and occasional/
accent chairs, cafeteria chairs/ stools and the like), sofas (1-/ 2-/ 3seaters), beds with/ without headboards and the like; movable or
demountable counters (low, medium or tall heights as applicable)
with assembly-type shelves/ compartments (including trash
collectors) and the like; movable items such as figurines (as
applicable), decorative items such as vases and the like, directional/
indoor traffic barriers (with escutcheon plates), trash containers/ bins,
plant-holders and the like; small accessories or fittings that attach to
both the exposed and concealed surfaces/ spaces of furniture items
and the like.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The foregoing classification of Furniture
specifically excludes Street Furniture such as park benches,
pedestrian barriers, waiting shed seats, telephone booths, police
callboxes, ATM terminals, pedestrian barriers, streetlights, signage
poles/ pylons, projecting signs, canopies, covered walks or other
legally located/ sited items such as electrical/ telephone poles and
telephone boxes found/ permitted within the sidewalk portion of the
road right-of-way (RROW).
1.3.2
Furnishings
These are furniture, fittings, and other decorative accessories (such
as curtains and carpets) for a building or room; a piece of equipment
necessary or useful for comfort or convenience; an object that tends
to increase comfort or utility, especially an article of furniture for the
interior of a building; fabrics used for curtains, upholstery, or floor
coverings and the furniture, appliances, and other movable articles in
a room or building; the possible examples of furnishings in a typical
Philippine building are as follows : fixed stations such as reception
desks/ counters, appliances such as integrated desktop computers
and peripherals, television and stereo sets (where applicable),
movable task lighting devices, ceiling-mounted or wall-mounted fans
(as needed), water dispensers, airpots, coffee-makers, vending
machines (possibly by others) and the like; movable/ transferable/
demountable assembled articles such as non-illuminated or selfilluminated directional signages, directional information and similar
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graphic devices, assorted shelves/ shelvings, cafeteria kitchen and
pantry equipment including stoves/ ovens/ refrigerators; fixed
counters, cabinets or closets with fixed shelves/ compartments
(including dedicated task-lighting devices as applicable), sanitary
fixtures (tissue and paper towel dispensers, sanitary product
dispensers, diaper changing boards, etc.) and the like; fittings such
as pipes/ tubings/ drains connected to non-capital equipment and
plumbing/ electrical/ electronic/ mechanical fixtures and the like; and
other decorative accessories such as curtains, drapes, blinds,
shades and carpets/ carpet tiles, paintings, wall hangings, sculpture
(large/ medium/ small), and decorative/ accent lighting devices, with
complete fittings and accessories, and the like
1.3.3
Fixtures
These are pieces of equipment or furniture that is fixed in position in
a building or vehicle; articles attached to a building or land and
considered legally part of it so that such items normally remain in
place even when the building owner moves out; something securely
fixed in place or attached as a permanent appendage, apparatus, or
appliance e.g. plumbing fixtures; the possible examples of fixtures in
a typical Philippine building/ grounds include the following: visible,
remote-operated and/or tangible/ operational devices or provisions
that are fixed in position in (i.e. permanently attached to) a building
and which partake of finishing items, such as plumbing fixtures
(water closets, urinals, lavatories, water fountains, etc.), electrical
fixtures (general and task lighting, area lighting for grounds, exterior
building lighting including up-lighting or down-lighting, indoor and
outdoor switches/ manual controls and convenience outlets, etc.),
electronic fixtures (indoor and outdoor/ rooftop cameras, speakers,
sensors, monitors, card-access or biometric access terminals for
secure areas, automated main gates and doors, etc.), mechanical
and related auxiliary fixtures (sprinkler heads, indoor climate
management or control terminals/ stations/ switches, etc.), and the
like; and architectural fixtures such as large fixed/ sectional mirrors,
finish hardware items, wall (or floor) safes and the like.
1.3.4
Equipment
These are the necessary items for a particular purpose or activity;
equipment (solid state), apparatus, gear, materiel, outfit,
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paraphernalia and the like; materials needed for a purpose such as
laboratory apparatus; all the fixed assets other than land and
buildings of a business enterprise; tangible property (other
than land or buildings) that is used in the operation of a business;
examples of equipment include devices, machines, tools,
and vehicles; the possible examples of equipment in a typical
Philippine building are: visible and tangible/ operable apparatus,
gear, materiel, outfit, paraphernalia, tools relating to architectural,
structural, electrical, electronic and auxiliary (telecommunications/
audio/ video/ building management system/ BMS), mechanical,
sanitary, plumbing, fire-fighting functions/ operations of the building
e.g. integrated computer systems including peripherals, ticketing
system including cash registers and official receipt or trip ticket
printers, point of sale (POS) reporting system (as applicable, possibly
for both ticketing/ parking and commercial leased spaces), public
information/ notification/ address systems including departure and
arrival information systems, inter-modal to bus communication
system (including tracking/ monitoring system), inter-modal parking
and covered private vehicle parking systems including card
dispensers, parking fee collection booths/ counters, manual and
electronic barriers/ booms, manual traffic devices such as removable
barriers e.g. cones, blocks, wheel locks and the like, electronic
overhead parking space availability indicators, electronic/ emergency
directional signages, and the like.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The foregoing classification of EQUIPMENT
specifically excludes CAPITAL EQUIPMENT such as elevators,
escalators, walkalators (level or inclined), other types of conveyors
(as applicable), transformers, generator sets (gensets), automatic
transfer switches (ATS), fan coil units (FCUs) and air-conditioning
condensing units (ACCUs) in case of package-type air-conditioning
systems or cooling towers and air handling units/ AHUs (in case of
centralized air-conditioning systems) and their support devices/
provisions requiring separate housing such as machine rooms and
the like.
1.3.5
Fittings
These are small parts on or attached to a piece of furniture or
equipment; items, such as a stove or shelves, that are fixed in a
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building but can be removed when the owner moves out; may also
be referred to as furnishing.
1.3.6
Accessory
This is a thing that can be added to something else in order to make
it more useful, versatile, or attractive; something nonessential but
desirable that contributes to an effect or result; secondary,
subordinate or supplementary item; an adjunct or appendage; the
possible examples of accessories in a typical Philippine building
include: figurines, free-standing sculpture or accent/ mood lighting
devices, small accent furniture pieces, throw pillows, table runners,
candle holders and other dining/ tabletop implements, non-fixed
mirrors, rugs and non-fixed carpets, carpet protectors, provisions or
small items made of acrylic, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or fiberglass
such as suspended/ hanging trays, etc.
1.3.7
Fit-Out
The placement/ positioning/ siting of equipment into a room or
building so that the same can be used for a particular purpose or
long-term activity.
1.4
Architectural Paradigm 2 : Architectural Design for the Tropics
(Hot-Humid Philippine Climate)
1.4.1
Buildings/ Structures
Climate and Solar Orientations:

In the Philippines, the prevailing winds are the heavy, very wet
and destructive southwest monsoon winds (the ‘habagat’) which
blows from March through September and the cool, pleasant but
equally strong northeast monsoon winds (the ‘amihan’) which
blows from November through mid-February; October is usually
the transition month; in some parts of the country, particularly
along the eastern seaboard i.e. the Philippine Sea and the Pacific
Ocean, the easterly winds are quite strong while in the western
part of the Philippines i.e. in the vicinity of the West Philippine
Sea, the north wind (the ‘daplak’) is also quite strong;

The Philippines is visited by anywhere from 15 to 22 storms/
typhoons annually, some of which are super-typhoons, with wind
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speeds in excess of 225 kph, with gustiness in excess of 270 kph,
coupled with very heavy rains and storm surges, all of which are
very destructive;

1.4.2
The long axis of buildings must run along a North-South (N-S)
direction inasmuch as the actual sun-paths actually run along a
southeast to southwest (SE-SW) direction for about seven (7)
months a year i.e. circa September through April and along a
northeast to northwest (NE-NW) direction for about three and onehalf 3.5 months a year i.e. circa May through August (reference
Figures 1 and 2); the one and half months in between are
transition months, part of which has the sun traversing an east to
west direction twice a year;
Topography
Sites with slopes in excess of eighteen percent (18%) are by law
considered NON-buildable and must NOT be made to host habitable
buildings, mainly due to the instability of the soil; and
Site grading and cut-and-fill building solutions must be kept to an
absolute minimum to retain the topsoil as much as possible.
1.4.3
Energy and Emissions
Passive Design: Passive design is working with the environment to
create the most optimal conditions inside a structure, taking
advantage of the behavior of the sun and wind patterns
simultaneously reducing the need for mechanical lighting and airconditioning, thus effecting energy conservation. In the tropics, the
main principles are avoiding heat gain, encouraging natural
ventilation, making use of natural light and creating cool outdoor
areas. ______(undated/ unpublished) DPWH.
Orientation: The placement of the building on the site and the
arrangement of the rooms inside it should be oriented in a way that
windows and walls allow maximum airflow, penetration of natural
light while being easily shaded from direct sunlight.
1.4.4
Orienting for Minimum Solar Heat Gain
Orienting the building for minimum solar heat gain must take into
account the general sun path for the Philippines as well as changes
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pertaining to site conditions all throughout the year and designing to
have all the walls shaded from direct sun all year round.
It may be desirable to allow more sunlight to enter, depending on
building use. Certain hospital wards, solaria, children’s playrooms
and sun porches need plenty of sun, either during the whole day or at
preferred hours of the day because of its medicinal properties and
anti-bacterial characteristics. In factories and laboratories, the total
exclusion of the sun is essential for the protection of both chemical
materials and employees working within. In offices and classrooms,
direct sunlight causes serious problems like visual discomfort and
eyestrain due to uneven illumination and reflected glare. Therefore,
in designing a particular device of sun control, the following should
be given careful thought to find the most satisfactory working
compromise:

Protection of opening against other weather elements;

Initial and maintenance costs of control devices;
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Exterior appearance;
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Minimization of noise penetration through openings;
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Arrangements for privacy, if required;
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Non-obstruction of the view from within; and
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Accessibility for the cleaning and maintenance of windows and
the sun control device itself.
Orientation for Maximizing Air Flow

1.4.5
Buildings should be oriented to make the most of prevailing
winds. ______(undated/ unpublished) DPWH
Passive Ventilation
Energy intensive air-conditioning can be greatly reduced by
designing in a way that maximizes natural ventilation .
Windows, doors and vents must be aligned in a reasonably straight
line to allow air flow through the building.
Internal obstacles such as internal walls should be minimized to allow
unimpeded ventilation.
Natural ventilation should be maximized by:
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Exposing windows to the prevailing winds in the locality during the
hot months if there are no constraints to such orientation and/or to
a western or eastern orientation to reduce solar heat loads;

Properly sizing and locating the window opening for maximum
cross ventilation and/or speed up prevailing breeze;

Adopting the ‘venturi’ principle in air movement to increase rate
flow inside buildings;

Adopting the ‘stack effect’ principle where appropriate.

Making proper layout of the buildings to avoid being in the wind
shadow; and

Providing buildings with at least 2.0m setback from the property
line making provision for open courts or yards where feasible.
______(undated/ unpublished) DPWH
1.4.6
Passive Cooling
The ceiling cavity of a building may also provide an effective means
of replacing hot air with cool air from outside using convection. Roof
ventilation can be provided through the use of spinning vents placed
on the roof top to draw out hot air from the ceiling cavity due to their
spinning motion, or a ridge vent placed at the highest point that
allows collected hot air at the highest point to flow out. These are
aided by installing vents in eaves or in ceilings to allow cooler air in
and promote better air flow through the roof vent. ______(undated/
unpublished) DPWH
1.4.7
Thermal mass
Thermal mass refers to the capacity of a material to absorb, store
and release heat. The use of materials with lower thermal mass such
as non-banned timber is preferable on walls directly exposed to the
sun. The use of lightweight materials like timber enables the building
to cool faster. The use of heavy textures of non-timber materials i.e.
that create light and shadow features on walls directly exposed to the
sun may help achieve the same effect. ______(undated/ unpublished) DPWH
1.4.8
Natural lighting
Designs should maximize the utilization of natural lighting in order to
minimize the use of artificial lighting during daytime, thus effecting
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energy conservation and has been shown to increase productivity
particularly in workplaces.
Natural lighting or sunlight should be used to best advantage by:

Providing rooms with adequate window opening with area of at
least ten percent (10%) of the room area served; windows should
be glazed and opening directly to a court or open spaces;

Providing skylight where necessary;

Providing setback or open courts as required in P.D. No. 1096;
and

Providing means of controlling direct sun rays into the building
such as overhangs, vertical or horizontal sun baffles, etc.
Natural lighting can be enhanced by aligning ceilings and internal
walls to maximize reflection of light sources, as well as using light
colors on floors, walls, and horizontal surfaces. This must be
balanced with strategies to manage heat gain and glare.
______(undated/ unpublished) DPWH
1.4.9
Energy Efficient Systems and Appliances
Building fit outs, if possible, should install the energy-efficient
appliances and systems to minimize building operational costs.
These include the following:

Air-conditioning Systems;

Lighting Systems; and

Water Heating Systems.
1.4.10
Renewable energy
Investing in systems that make us of renewable energy, and
renewable energy generation systems help lessen greenhouse gas
emissions and increase energy security.
1.4.11
Transport
Sustainable building design encourages active and public transport
by building users. This helps lessen the carbon footprint of the
building and its workers and visitors. This can be done by:

Situating the building near public transport routes;
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Providing safe and user friendly paths for walking and cycling as
access to the building; and

Provide facilities that encourage walking or cycling to work such
as: showers, lockers and bicycle parking facilities. ______(undated/
unpublished) DPWH
1.4.12
1.4.13
Water and Wastewater
 Water Efficiency;

Rainwater Tanks;

Recycled Water; and

Managing Stormwater.
Indoor Environment Quality
 Light quality and views to outside;

Temperature Control;

Noise;

Air Quality;

Low Toxicity Indoor Environment: Paints, Flooring
Materials: Various materials are the subjects of environmental
regulation, and consideration should be given to these in the design
of new and renovated buildings. Noxious building materials, including
some types of urea, formaldehyde, foam, insulation, must not be
used. In renovation projects, Architects should be aware of asbestos
and industrial chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Another material subject to extensive regulation is lead paint.
New as well as recycled materials considered to be environmentally
sound are being used on construction projects. Gypsum board can
be ground and used as spray insulation, and some glass can be
recycled and used in windows. Some masonry, metal and aluminum
can be reused. Not only is such reuse environmentally sound, but it
can be economically beneficial as well. ______(undated/ unpublished) DPWH
1.5
Architectural Paradigm 3 : Sustainable Architectural Design
Sustainable architectural design for sites/ buildings/ structures/
projects (also often referred to as Green Architecture), is actually
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not a new architectural design paradigm as it has been practiced
by many architects and designers for many decades but were
only not collectively referred to as such until recently.
Conventional architectural design of buildings/ structures/ projects
could considerably improve through the following (but not limited
to the following) provisions, to wit:
1. Sites/ Grounds
a) land and site sustainability considerations during
construction activities i.e. plans and documentation needed
for site excavation, sedimentation and erosion control, air
pollution control, etc.;
b) use of organic soil treatment products;
c) minimization of over-paving through the requisite
compliances with valid and subsisting laws, rules,
regulations, guidelines, standards and procedural manuals
pertaining to physical planning e.g. NBCP, Water Code,
Sanitation Code, etc.;
d) management of shadows cast by the proposed buildings
on adjacent lots and buildings/ structures; and
e) miscellaneous considerations i.e. rainfall information and
hydrologic (and flooding) characteristics of the site
including flood risk assessment mitigation studies (if
available); public passage-ways i.e. secure pathwalks and
bicycle lanes and bicycle parking plan (if provided);
community connectivity (amenities, facilities, services and
utilities/ AFSU); waiting sheds and other key street
furniture; vehicle use, maneuver and parking plans (open,
semi-covered and covered); landscaping plans (hard and
soft scapes); green roofs and heat insulated areas;
2. Buildings/ Structures
a) energy conservation and management i.e. compliances
with the latest Department of Energy (DoE) guidelines on
energy conservation and management i.e. lighting and
power design, etc.; use of light-emitting diodes (LEDs),
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compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and similar energysaving illumination devices (provided the proper disposal
methods are also in place), etc.; extensive use of natural
lighting and ventilation matched with the use of sunshading devices; use of renewable (non-fossil) energy
sources where applicable i.e. sun, wind, wave, current,
hydro, dendro (forest products), hot springs, animal,
biogas/ compost, solid waste, etc.;
b) water conservation and management i.e. reduction or
optimization of domestic water consumption i.e. use of lowflow plumbing/ sanitary fixtures and equipment, etc.,;
domestic wastewater reuse or recycling;
stormwater
management and rainwater harvesting i.e. collection,
storage, treatment, use, reuse, recycling, disposal, etc.,
wastewater
treatment
i.e.
use
of
compact/
compartmentalized sewage treatment devices or sewage
treatment plants (STPs); etc.;
c) solid waste management i.e. waste management plan;
material recovery/ segregation facility (MRF/ MSF); use of
“non-burn” waste to energy (WTE) or waste to worth
(WTW) technologies that utilize local and foreign advanced
technologies compliant with the PH Clean Air Act of 1999;
d) indoor environment quality considerations e.g. nonsmoking areas; minimization of emitted volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) by materials specified for the building/
structure/ project; air-conditioning refrigerant management;
prevention of sick building syndrome through the generous
use of naturally available light and ventilation to prevent
growth and spread of harmful microorganisms indoors;
e) correct wall to window ratio (WWR) for natural light and
ventilation purposes;
f) green roofs and heat insulated areas;
g) construction waste management program i.e. material
collection/ storage/ reuse/ recycling/ disposal; waste
diversion/ reduction;
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h) considerations of embodied energy in the construction and
finishing materials specified for use in the building/
structure/ project;
i) minimization of over-building through the requisite
compliances with valid and subsisting laws, rules,
regulations, guidelines, standards and procedural manuals
pertaining to building design e.g. NBCP, Fire Code, Water
Code, Sanitation Code, etc.;
j) fire and life safety considerations (including flame
retardation and flame spread characteristics of materials
specified for the building/ structure/ project);
k) correct building orientation and correct material, texture
and color selection to manage reflected light and heat
caused by the building/ structure/ project and light and heat
absorptions by the same i.e. light colors reflect light and
heat while medium to dark colors absorb light and heat,
making dark colors not only uncomfortable for those
staying indoors but also result in high artificial cooling
requirements/ energy usage/ operating costs indoors; the
use of dark colors and masonry walls, which absorb large
amounts of heat, combine to produce the “oven effect” for
the building interior; and
l) carbon foot-printing of the building/ structure/ project and
all its end-users.
1.6
Climate Change-Adaptive Architectural Design
Climate change is brought about by global warming through the
unchecked use of fossil fuels (chiefly coal) by industrialized
countries. These have warmed our oceans and have given rise to
supertyphoons (with some also saying that foreign military
activities have something to do with it). The Philippines (PH) is the
wall that protects Southeast Asia and parts of East Asia as the PH
is the first landfall of Pacific Ocean-bred supertyphoons i.e. which
grow weaker only after passing the PH, thereby protecting the
rest of Asia. Given this reality, climate change adaptation and
disaster preparedness/ resiliency for buildings should now be the
norm for PH buildings and structures.
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For exposed sites/ buildings/ structures/ projects i.e. those located
along low-lying coastal areas, sited at mountain/ hill slopes or
bases, sites constantly battered by strong monsoon and storm
winds and similar locations, these new architectural design
paradigms could start by modifying portions of conventional
architectural designs into the following (but not limited to the
following), viz:
1. Sites/ Grounds
a) less paving around the building to help retard surface water
flow i.e. through percolation into the ground, inasmuch as
the collected surface water contribute to flash flooding at
lower elevations within a community; and
b) proper setbacks and compliance with mandated legal
easements (MLEs) along waterways to maintain floodwater
at a low level i.e. narrower waterways translate into higher
flood levels;
2. Buildings/ Structures
a) use of concrete deck roofs instead of sloped metal roofs;
however, while this assures that the building/ structure is
climate
change-adaptive,
there
are
other
key
considerations such as the capital expenditure for
waterproofing and maintenance as well as considerations
of the amounts of the reflected light and heat of lightcolored finishes for the concrete deck roof i.e. dark colors
cannot be used as these shall absorb considerable
amounts of heat, thereby affecting the operation and
comfort levels inside the building;
b) if the use of metal roofs cannot be avoided, provide much
steeper roof slopes for metal roofs (because flatter slopes
are easily penetrated by strong winds);
c) use of roof that is sloped at all four (4) sides (since typhoon
winds come from all directions) i.e. cuatro aguas;
d) use of very short eaves i.e. the roof extension outside the
exterior wall of the building or residence, usually provided
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for shade and aesthetics (inasmuch as long eaves cause
uplift which open up the roof cavity to more/ extensive wind
damage); the short eaves could be paired with medias
agua (shed roofs) over windows and doors;
e) gutterless roofs (as leaves and debris clog up the drains,
downspouts and catch basins and the accumulated water
cause the undrained roof to collapse; this has to be
partnered with a trench drain, sand pit or a sand and gravel
bed at the ground below to absorb the falling water;
f) controlled roof cavity and/or ceiling cavity openings to
relieve or equalize pressure inside and outside the building
during strong winds i.e. a certain amount of wind has to be
let in the building/ structure to relieve and/or equalize air
pressures;
g) for flood-prone or flood-risk areas, the use of the lower
level as a multi-use, flexible use space (that can be
flooded), and which can be connected to the upper level/s
of the building through stairs or ramps (for use by PWDs or
large domesticated/ farm animals); and
h) use of stilted or floating building technologies, if technically
and financially feasible, if safe and if locally available.
1.7
Architectural Paradigm 5 : Disaster-Resilient Architectural
Design
For sites/ buildings/ structures/ projects sited in urban areas and
exposed buildings/ structures i.e. those located along low-lying
coastal areas, sited at mountain/ hill slopes or bases, sites
constantly battered by strong monsoon and storm winds, those to
be sited along inland waterways and inland water body foreshore
areas, and similar locations, the new architectural design
paradigm could start by modifying portions of conventional
architectural designs into the following (but not limited to the
following), viz:
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1. Sites/ Grounds
a) avoidance of areas with low elevations as a site for a high
density development or a large building/ structure since the
site is more likely to be flooded, even with the introduction
of engineering interventions e.g. interceptor or diversion
trenches/ canals, which may be very costly;
b) use of the existing built environment for shielding a
building/ structure i.e. proper use of surrounding taller
buildings/ structures as elements to bear the brunt of
strong winds and rains, thereby protecting the proposed
lower/ smaller buildings/ structures;
c) use of deep-rooted trees with potentially medium-sized
crowns and similar elements in the natural environment for
shielding a building/ structure i.e. to bear the brunt of
strong winds and rains, thereby protecting the proposed
buildings/ structures;
d) designation of a both open and covered refuge areas
within building complexes or within communities for use in
times of extreme events or natural/ man-made disasters;
and
e) proper setbacks and compliance with mandated legal
easements (MLEs) along waterways to maintain floodwater
at a low level i.e. narrower waterways translate into higher
flood levels;
2. Buildings/ Structures
a) avoid constructing basements whenever possible i.e.
especially basements built up to the property lines, which
expose the foundations of existing buildings and
roadworks; per the 2004 Revised IRR of P.D. No. 1096,
the NBCP, basement walls are to be set back with the
same dimensions of setbacks required for the ground
surface;
b) tall buildings must not have firewalls as all sides must be
available for rescue efforts during fires or earthquakes; per
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the 2004 Revised IRR of P.D. No. 1096, the NBCP,
setbacks for tall residential, mixed use or commercial/
office buildings i.e. Residential 5 (R-5) zoning classification
are to be set back with the same dimensions of setbacks
required for a single-detached residential building in a low
density residential (R-1) zone;
c) tall buildings shall be provided with safe refuge zones or
floors for evacuating building occupants; these areas shall
have stronger structural reinforcement and fire protection
features if compared with regular floors;
d) all emergency, exit and public doors servicing rooms or
areas with users numbering twelve (12) or more occupants
must all swing outward;
e) all fire lanes and emergency/ fire exits, passageway and
stairs shall be maintained free of all forms of obstructions
and fitted with emergency lighting devices all the way to
the refuge floors and/ or the street below;
f) avoidance of use of non-fire rated substances and
materials for buildings, particularly those that produce toxic
or harmful fumes during fire e.g. polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
doors and jambs, etc.;
g) use of medium-weight movable materials as furniture
pieces i.e. those that can readily serve as sturdy flotation
devices;
h) elevated floor finish line (FFL) at say 0.60 meter (m)
minimum above sidewalk level for carports and for main
entrances for low-rise structures e.g. residences in known
flood risk areas;
i) positioning of convenience outlets above table surface
height i.e. say about 0.85m above finished floor line (FFL);
j) possible positioning of the main power panel at a
reachable height just below the finished ceiling line (FCL);
k) use of jalousie windows, which are designed for use in the
tropics, and which could serve as a fast means of escape
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(but requires security provisions such grillework or similar
devices);
l) a fast emergency escape system using maintenance
gondolas or possibly even zip lines mounted on roofs of tall
buildings directed at refuge floors/ levels of adjoining tall
buildings or open refuge areas may need to be devised;
m) design of low-rise buildings for survivability i.e. controlled
detachment of a designated survival room/ pod from the
main building/ structure for purposes of flotation or similar
survival action/ procedures;
n) use of low-cost to optimum-cost devices or technologies
than can readily convert seawater, brackish water, inland
waterway water, wastewater, etc. into domestic water fit for
cooking and drinking (potable water) i.e. solely with the use
of renewable energy i.e. sun or wind to power the
conversion process;
o) use of stilted or floating building technologies, if technically
and financially feasible, if safe and if locally available; and
p) adoption of other applicable climate change-adaptive
architectural design features e.g. concrete deck roof or
high pitched metal roof that slope on all sides (cuatro
aguas), with the least eaves length, gutterless, controlled
vents in the ceiling and roof cavities to help equalize air
pressure inside the building/ structure, windows and doors
fitted with sheds (media aguas), etc. Nothing follows.
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