Building Control Regulations

| Part II-REMUNERATION OF MEMBERS OF THE BOARD | AND BUILDING COMMITTEE :

1 6. Design and supervision by professionals '7. Non-compliant professionals

Classification of Building Devélopments

Building Plans

Architectural plans

II. Electrical engineering installation plans

Building Control Officer and Assistant Building Control Officer

Building Control Officer and Assistant Building Control Officer

Building Permit

temporary building operations

or commercial building operations Application for building permit for complex structures or public building operations

of application 25, Revocation of a building permit

Building Site Operation and Management ,

stages of work

32; Excavations and measures for stability of site 33: Compulsory maintenance

Occupation Permit

34, Application for occupation permit Revocation of building occupation permit

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE I-CURRENCY POINT SCHEDULE 2-CLASSIFICATION OF BUILDINGS SCHEDULE 3-FORMS SCHEDULE 4-FEES

STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS

2020 No. 3.

The Building Control Regulations, 2020 (Under section 52 of the Building Control Act, 2013, Act No. 10 of 2013)

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred on the Minister responsible for building works by section 52 ofthe Building Control Act, 2013 and on advice of the National Building Review Board, these Regulations are made this 11th day of November, 2019.

PART ]-PRELIMINARY

These Regulations may be cited as the Building Control Regulations, 2020.

2. 'Interpretation In these Regulations. unless the context otherwise requires-

"Act" means the Building Control Act. 2013;

"Architect" means a person who is registered by the Architects Registration Board under the Architects Registration Act and is authorised to practice;

"artificial ventilation system" means a system in which air is caused to circulate through a room by means of mechanical apparatus which forces air into or extracts air from such room;

"basement" means any storey of a building, which is under the first storey and any portion. which is below the level of the adjoining pavement or the surrounding ground;

"block" means a walling unit made from stone or wet clay. hardened by heat. either sun baked or fire baked, which exceeds the size of a brick in overall dimensions;

"brick" means common or standard basic building unit that supports vertical loads made from stone or wet clay, hardened by heat, cither sun baked or fire baked; "Building control officer" means a Building Control Officer appointed under section 32 of the Act;

"Building Committee" means a Building Committee established under section 28 of the Act;

"cesspool "means a covered watertight tank used for receiving and storing sewage from premises which cannot be connected to a public sewer and where ground conditions prevent the use of an on site treatment works including a septic tank;

"chimney" means a part of a building, which forms part ofa flue other than a flue pipe;

"Code" means National Building Code, 2019 issued under Section 46 of the Act;

"column" means a vertical member of a structure carrying axial loads and moments whose width is not more than four times its thickness;

"concrete" means a material formed from a mixture of cement, fine and coarse aggregates and water;

"currency point" has a value assigned to it in Schedule 1; "division" means a portion of a building separated from the remainder of the building by one or more separating elements;

"drain" means a conduit channel used for the drainage of a building or premises within the same curtilage; "drainage work" means the construction or installation, laying, connecting, fixing, repair or removal of any pipe, drain, gully, cesspool, septic tank, soil pipe, trap, urinal, water closet, waste pipe or any other item connected with sewerage work;

"dwelling unit" means a unit containing one or more habitable rooms and provided with adequate sanitary and cooking facilities and is lawfully used or constructed, adapted or designed to be used as a residence for one family;

"emergency route" means the entire path of travel from the farthest point in any room in a building to the nearest escape door;

"Engineer" means a person who is registered by the Engineers Registration Board under the Engineers Registration Act and is authorised to practice;

"escape door" means a door in an escape route, which leads directly to a street or to any approved open space leading to a street or public place;

"escape route" means the entire path of travel from the farthest point in any room in a building to the nearest escape door and may include an emergency route;

"exit door" means any door that is a component of an escape route from any room in a building;

"external wall" means an outer wall of a building, but does not include a party wall or separating wall;

"fire resistance" means the shortest period a building element or component shall comply with the requirements for stability, integrity and insulation when tested to the fire requirements;

"flight" means a part of a stairway, which consists of consecutive steps;

"floor area" means the net area measured on a plan enclosed within the internal surfaces of external walls without finishes;

"flue" means a passage for conveying the discharge of a heat generating appliance to the external air;

"flue pipe" means a pipe forming flue but does not include a pipe built as a lining to a chimney;

"foundation" means member of the structure that distributes loads directly to the ground or that part of a building in direct contact with and intended to transmit loads to the ground;

"garage" means an enclosed area, which is used or intended to be used for the parking, storing, servicing or repairing of motor vehicles;

"habitable room" means a room constructed or adapted to be used as a living or sleeping room or as a place for habitual employment of any person;

"hoarding" means a temporary fence made of light approved material erected around a building site;

"incremental house" means any dwelling house that, for reasons of affordability, is to be constructed in stages in such a manner that in its intermediate stages the house can be occupied by its owner for a specified period of time necessary to complete it;

"industrial effluent" means any liquid whether or not containing matter in solution or suspension which is given off in the course of or as a result of any industrial, trade, manufacturing, mining or chemical process or any laboratory, research or agriculture activity and includes any liquid other than soil water or storm water;

"landing" means a platform between two consecutive flights of a Stairway;

"JatrineTM means place or receptacle for the decomposition of the human excrement and includes a pit privy, urinal, chemical or water closet;

"load" means any force to which a building is or may be subjected and includes dead. imposed, wind, seismic and other loads and forces caused by dimensional changes of materials:

"manhole" means a chamber of a depth greater than 750mm and of such dimensions that allow entry of a person into such chamber for the purpose of inspection of a drain, or sewer:

"member" means a structural component such as a beam, joist. column. slab. or foundation;

"minor building works" has a meaning assigned to it under section 2 of the Act:

"nosing" means the front edge of a tread of a stairway and includes the front edge of the top surface of any landing. which is situated at the top of a flight;

"occupancy" means the particular use or the type of use to which a building or portion of a building is normally put or intended to be put to use;

"party wall or separating wall" means-

"Physical Planning Committee" means a Physical Planning Committee established under the Physical Planning Act, 2010;

"plot" means a parcel of land demarcated by definite boundaries and includes all land within the curtilage of the building, out-buildings, yards, courts, open spaces and gardens- attached or intended to be occupied, other than the land used, allotted or set apart for any street, lane, passage or pathway;

"professional body" includes the Engineers Registration Board, the Surveyors Registration Board and Architects Registration Board;

"public building" means a building to which the public have a right of access during all reasonable times for reasons which the building is used in accordance with its prescribed occupancy;

"public place" means any square, park, recreation ground or open space which-

"public sewer" means any sewer vested in the control ofa public body:

"reinforced concrete" means concrete containing the specified minimum quantities of steel reinforcement;

"repairs" means operations on a building to restore it to an identical condition as to appearance, structure and occupancy which existed before the operations became necessary whether caused by fair wear and tear or by accident; except that repairs shall not include the complete replacement of a building previously destroyed;

"retaining wall" means a wall intended to resist the lateral displacement of materials;

"return form" means a form submitted with building plans as required under the Architects Registration Act;

"scaffolding" means a temporary frame constructed to provide means of access to high level working areas as well as providing a safe platform from which to work;

"separating element" means a wall or floor which has a specific fire resistance used between division occupancies or tenancies in a building;

"septic tank" means a watertight tank designed to receive sewage and to retain it for such a period as to secure adequate decomposition of sewage;

"sewage" means waste water. soil water, industrial effluent and other liquid waste flowing in separate or combined sewer but does not include storm water;

"sewer" means a pipe, conduit or drain, which is used for the conveyance of sewage;

"stability" means resistance of a structure or part of a structure to overturning or overall failure:

"stairway" means any part of a building, which provides ascending or descending route of travel formed by a single flight or by a combination of two or more flights and one or more intervening landings;

"storey" means part of a building which is situated between the floor level next below it and the floor of the level above it or, if there is no floor above it, the ceiling;

"storm water drain" means a pipe, conduit or surface channel, which is used solely to convey storm water;

"storm water" means water resulting from natural precipitation and includes rainwater, surface water, sub-soil water or spring water; ;

"street" means any highway, road, service lane or any land reserved for a highway, road or service lane and includes any bridge, footway, square, court, alley or passage, whether a thoroughfare intended for use by the public or not;

"strength" means, in relation to a member of a structure, resistance to failure by yiclding or buckling;

"structural" means relating to or forming part of any structural system;

"structural system" means the system of constructional elements and components of a building, which is provided to resist the loads acting upon it and to transfer the loads to the ground upon which the building is founded:

"surveyor" means a surveyor registered under the Surveyor's Registration Act:

"temporary building" includes-

"tread" means the upper surface of a step:

"wall" means a vertical load-bearing or non-load-bearing member of a structure whose length exceeds four times its thickness;

"water closet" means latrine accommodation used with water borne system of excreta disposal; and

"width" means the distance between opposite plot boundaries, measured at right angles to the direction of the street.

The Chairperson and members of the Board shall be paid remuneration or allowances as the Minister may specify in their instruments of appointment, in consultation with the Minister responsible for finance and the Minister responsible for public service.

Members of the Building Committee shall be paid remuncration or allowances as the Minister may determine.

Part JIJ-Contror oF BUILDING OPERATIONS

Professional Engagement

16

a ee - +- ESL ALLA mwa Vinee

Classification of Building Developments

Buildings shall be classified according to form, size, complexity, social and environmental impact under Category A, B or C as prescribed in Schedule 2.

Building Plans

TR

4, Excavations (1) A person shall not carryout excavation works exceeding two eters below the original ground level without a permit issued by the uilding Committee.

_ (5) Where excavation into solid rock is not practicable under ibregulation (4), the Building Committee may evaluate the technical ylutions submitted by the engineer.

- (1) The Building Committee shall by notice in the Gazette, rescribe the types of building and locations that require proposals for ndscaping of the site as part of the building operations.

Building Control Officer and Assistant Building Control Officer

Officer (1) Every District Service Commission shall in accordance with section 32 of the Act. appoint a Building Control Officer. Urba: Building Control Officer and such other Assistant Building Conire Officers as are necessary to enable the Building Committee to carn out its functions under the Act.

- be a person who- (2) A Building Control Officer or Urban Building Control Officer

; (a) has at least a bachelors degree in any of the following disciplines- (1) architecture; (ii) | engineering; or (11) quantity surveyor;

has a minimum of five years continuous employment in the construction industry; and

is registered with the relevant professional body.

Building Permit

operations (1) A person who wishes to erect a temporary building shall apply to the Building Committee for a building permit.

or commercial building operatipns (1) A person intending to carry out a building operation of residential or commercial building shall submit an application for a building permit to the Building Committee in accordance with section 35 of the Act and these Regulations.

public building operations (1) A person intending to carry out a building operation of a complex structure or public building shall submit an application for a building permit in accordance with section 35 of the Act and these Regulations.

Revocation of In addition to the circumstances set out in section 40 of the Act, a building permit may be revoked where-

Building Site Operation and Management

work (1) A person shall not commence a building operation prior to giving a notice in writing to the Building Committee specifying the date on which the building operation shall commence.

Building Committee; and

Occupation Permit

An occupation permit may be revoked where-

Part [V-GENERAL

Where the Board is of the opinion that a building operation is in contravention of the Act, these Regulations or the Code or that such building operations may result into public nuisance or risk of accidents, the Board may-

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1 Regulation =

CURRENCY POINT

A currency point is equivalent to twenty thousand shillings.

SCHEDULE 2 Regulation 8

CLASSIFICATION OF BUILDINGS

Category Description

Complex structural forms; public buildings, multi storeyed buildings more than 12m high, building complexes (mixture of all) such as schools, hospitals, shopping malls, buildings of high social impact or to be located in sensitive ecosystem among others.

Residential or commercial buildings; floor area >30m'; single or multi-storeyed of up to 12m high of simple structural form, boundary wall built of bricks, concrete or other solid material of permanent nature.

Minor and temporary buildings; Floor area <30m?; single storey; of simple structural form.

SCHEDULE 3-FORMS

FORM 1

Regulation 19(2)

APPLICATION FOR BUILDING PERMIT FOR MINOR BUILDING WORKS

To: The Building Control Officer

In accordance with the Building Control Regulations, 2020, I/we hereby make an application for permission to carry out minor building works at

Plot No.

Block No.

Street/ Road

Location

District

In the position indicated on the accompanying sketch plans.

Dated this day of 20

Name and signature of applicant

OFFICIAL USE ONLY In accordance with the Building Control Regulations, 2020, you are hereby authorised to carry out minor building works with the following conditions-

CONDITIONS

Architectural Civil/Structural Electrical | Mechanical

Dated this day of 20

Building Control Officer

Attach- (a) a letter of introduction as cover from the chairperson of the village council of the area;

FORM 2

Regulations 20(2), 21(3) and 22(3)

APPLICATION FOR BUILDING PERMIT FOR TEMPORARY BUILDING*, RESIDENTIAL/COMMERCIAL BUILDING* OR COMPLEX STRUCTURE /PUBLIC BUILDING*

To: The Building Committee Particulars of applicant:

Legal status of applicant Please indicate legal status of applicant (Attach certificate of incorporation, memorandum and articles of association, where applicable).

Particulars of directors:

Name Address Nationality Country of usual residence

'Description of the proposed building operation Temporary building...............cceceseceeceecseceeeececeecseeeeeeceeesees

Category A........ccecccescssceeeeceeceecceeceesceeeeeecesceeseeeesseeeeegeeas Category Buu. . ....ceeececceceeceecescecesceeceeceeceececseeeeeceeseeeecees

Description and location of site

Plot No Block No Location

Building Name

Owner and address

Statement of the proposed costs and financing

Accessibility to Services

S/N DESCRIPTION YES NO N/A

| Access road 2 Water supply

3 Sewer connection 4 Electricity supply 5 Internet supply 6 Others

Professionals engaged, where applicable;

Signature and stamp:

Signature and stamp:

Signature and stamp:

Signature and stamp:

If so, are these correctly and clearly marked on the block plan?

there is any deduction in the original area of the plot on account of road lines or reservation (please state the total area of the deductions)

more streets, information for all streets should be given

development? ;

be the level of the surrounding ground level?

I declare that the details stated above are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Authorised signature and seal of applicant

Name: Signature: Seal

Dated this day of , 20

Attach the following, where applicable-

Wy) electrical and mechanical engineering drawings showing proposed points of connection including lightning protection systems;

@) a certificate of environmental impact assessment from the National Environment Management Authority;

) - acertificate ofapproval ofelectrical or mechanical engineering drawings showing fire detection, protection andfighting by the Police Fire Department;

* Delete whichever is not applicable.

FORM 3 Regulation 23(5) RECOMMENDATION TO THE BUILDING COMMITTEE

To: The Chairperson, Building Committee

Approval Reference

Entity

Particulars of the submission*

Decision of Building Control Officer

COMMENTS

Architectural Civil/Structural | Electrical Mechanical

In accordance with the Building Control Regulations 2020, I confirm that the building plans mentioned below have been scrutinised and comments made.

Dated this..............4. day Of.........ee cee eeeeeeeeeeeeee 20.........

Sign Building Control Officer

* Indicate the Plot No., Block No., street/road, district, building classification, building name, owner and address, estimated value ofconstruction in Uganda shillings, and approval fees submitted in Uganda shillings.

FORM 4

as an approval for the purposes of the requirements of the Building Control Act, 2013 and the Building Control Regulations, 2020.

on the plan have not been commenced within twelve (12) months of the date of this approval or are not completed within thirty-six months from the date on which the building operation was commenced, this approval shall be lapse and carrying out of any work after such lapse will constitute a contravention of the Building Control Act, 2013.

CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL

Dated this............ceeeeeeeeeees day Ofvssssesevevees ans20 seseomsereneermeryer soe

SIGN oo vvvemannannnanecrnsnent bli i6e SRC IL Chairperson, Building Committee

2013, the Building Control Regulations, 2020 and the Code, I, (Building Control Officer) have carried out a visual inspection of the above building and the surrounding areas from to (date)

Dated this day of 20

Signed: Building Control Officer

* delete whichever is not applicable

FORM C-COMPLETION OF REMEDIAL WORK CERTIFICATION

Building name

Plot and block No.:

Street/road:

Town:

District :

I. I (Building Control Officer) have inspected work carried out on the above building and surrounding areas as set out in the attached report.

identified in the report dated have been fully and satisfactory remedied at the date of my inspection on

Dated this day of. 20

Signed Building Control Officer .

SCHEDULE 4

Regulations 5(6), 10(6),20(2)(d), 21 (2)G), 22(2)(g),38

FEES IN CONSIDERATION OF SCRUTINY OF PLANS, PERMITS ETC. AND INSPECTION OF BUILDINGS

ofplans, permits and inspection shall be published from time to time by notice in the Gazette.

Fees for the consideration of plans submitted for approval in respect of new buildings shall be calculated on the basis of the gross area of the proposed development using a per square meter rate.

In respect of plans ofa building submitted for approval on a temporary year to year basis and tentative sketch plans submitted for approval in principle, fifty percent (50%) of the rate applicable in paragraph 2 shall be payable.

For plans submitted for approval of a shed type of building having all its sides open, fifty percent (50%) of the rate applicable in paragraph 2 shall be payable.

For plans submitted for approval ofa basement exceeding 2.5 metres in height which are open on all sides (except where retaining walls occur) fifty percent (50%) of the rate applicable in paragraph 2 shall be payable.

Buildings of warehouse class For every building ofa warehouse or go down class of which no part is intended for habitation (other than provision for a watchman) and which is not constructed in reinforced concrete or structural steel, fifty percent (50%) ofthe rate applicable in paragraph 2 shall be payable.

Alterations to existing buildings (a) For plans submitted for approval of alterations to existing buildings, one hundred and twenty five percent (125%) of the rate applicable in paragraph 2 shall be payable.

Wharves, bridges etc. For plans submitted for approval of wharves, bridges, or other special buildings, four hundred percent (400%) of the rate applicable in paragraph 2 shall be payable.

Retaining walls For plans submitted for approval of a retaining wall, the fee payable shall be twenty five percent (25%) of the rate applicable in paragraph 2 shall be payable.

For a series or rows of buildings of the same plan and materials when plans are submitted for approval at the same time, fees shall be calculated as follows-

(<) The fees shall be payable for the following- (i) for inspecting an approved plan; (ii) for photocopying an approved plan; and (iii) an endorsement by the Building Committee to certify any copy as a true copy.

Fees payable for minor erections, alterations and additions are at the rate applicable under paragraph 2.

Fee for issue of a temporary certificate of fitness for occupation under these Regulations shall be charged at the rate of 10% of the fee prescribed in paragraph 2.

Fifty percent (50%) of the fees paid on submission of plans shall be refunded on application where a plan is withdrawn before decision is made by the Building Committee within six (6) months of the submission date.

A fee will be charged for each additional copy of any notice, certificate or permit as prescribed by the Minister by Notice in the Gazette.

structural plans twenty five percent (25%) of the rate applicable in paragraph 2 shall be payable.

for approval of building services plans, twenty five percent (25%) of the rate applicable in paragraph 2 shall be payable.

landscape plans ten percent (10%) of the rate applicable in paragraph 2 shall be payable.

renewal ofplans twenty five percent (25%) ofthe rate applicable in paragraph shall be payable.

_-_a Cross References stration Act, Cap.p. 272619 Architects Registr Engineers Regi 22at7 ion Act, Ca Land Act, Cap. Act0No;. 10 of 2010 01 Physical Planning Act, 2 Cap. 275 Surveyors Registration Act, 2006 Workers Compensation Act,

HON. MONICA AZUBA NTEGE, inister of Works and Transport.