SANS10400-NBR (SA) – SANS10400.org.za are the Building regulations in South Africa

Energy Usage & Sustainability (SANS 10400X & XA)

Environmental Sustainability &Energy Usage in Buildings-Part X & XA In 2011, in an endeavour to make our buildings more sustainable, and to decrease energy usage in South Africa, a new part was added to SANS 10400, The application of the National Building Regulations. Part X deals with environmental sustainability, and Part XA deals with energy…

Competent Person | Municipality | SANS10400-NBR (SA) | Stormwater disposal | Water supply and drainage for buildings

Stormwater Disposal

Stormwater Disposal-Part R, What the Regulations Say Property owners are responsible for the removal of stormwater from their property. They may NOT simply discharge excess water onto adjacent land or into the street unless this is permitted by neighbors and/or the local council or municipality. SANS 10400: Part R Stormwater Disposal The law is very…

Building & Alterations | Facilities for disabled persons | National Building Regulations (SA) | National Standards | SANS10400-NBR (SA)

Facilities for Disabled People

The Importance of Facilities forDisabled People in our Buildings-Part S The National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act was amended and published by the Department of Trade and Industry in May 2008. Some parts of the Act were affected more than others; some changed very little. Part S, which deals with facilities for disabled people…

Structural Design – 5 headings

All buildings must have a strong, serviceable, stable and durable design-Part B Why do you suppose we need structural design professionals to be involved in every aspect of building processes? I’ve thought about this often, since we’ve done a load of DIY projects that involve building, and we have seldom had professionals help us. But…

House building | National Building Regulations (SA) | NHBRC | SANS10400-NBR (SA)

Dimensions

Every Room Must be Fit for Purpose-Part C The National Building Regulations (NBR) are not prescriptive when it comes to the dimensions or size of rooms and buildings. However it is vital that the size of any room or space is fit for the purpose for which it was intended. In the case of a…

SANS 10400 General Principles & Requirements

House building | National Building Regulations (SA) | National Standards | NHBRC | SANS10400-NBR (SA)

Requirements & General Principles Part A

Design, Planning and Supervision of All Construction Work Must Follow a Legal Process Requirements for each section of SANS 10400, the Code of Practice for The application of the National Building Regulations (NBR) is presented with the relevant extract from the building regulations (which is law), and is then followed by a general commentary explaining…

Fire | Municipality | National Building Regulations (SA) | National Standards | SANS10400-NBR (SA)

Fire Installation

National Building Regulations Part W – Fire Installation Part W of the SANS 10400 Building Regulations is intended to keep people and property safe in the event of a fire. These have to be inspected and approved by the local authority and permission needs to be granted before any water fire fighting system is connected…

Space Heating

Chimneys, Flues, Hearths and Fireplaces Used for Space Heating-Part V Anyone searching through the National Building Regulations for information about chimneys and flues, hearths and fireplaces, might go straight to the part that deals with Fire Protection. The next step would probably to look through the part that deals with Walls – after all chimneys…

Municipality | National Building Regulations (SA) | National Standards | SANS10400-NBR (SA)

Refuse Disposal

Building Regulations Part-U Refuse Disposal Part-U of the SANS 10400 Refuse disposal states that ‘Any building, excluding a dwelling house’ that has refuse generated in that building will provide ‘adequate’ storage areas for rubbish containers. Over and above this the planning and building must provide access from the street so that the containers can be…

Fire | National Building Regulations (SA) | safety | SANS10400-NBR (SA)

Fire Protection

What SANS 10400: Part T – Fire Protection Says What the Act Says Essentially the legislation is concerned quite simply with the need for all buildings to be designed, constructed and equipped so that in the event of fire: The requirements of the Act will be deemed to have been satisfied if the design, construction and…

Bathrooms | National Building Regulations (SA) | Plumbing | SANS10400-NBR (SA)

Non-Water-Borne Sanitary Disposal

Non-Water-Borne Waste Disposal-Part Q The SANS 10400-Part Q deals with the sanitary waste and the healthy handling and treatment of effluent when there is no water-borne sewage system available in a particular area. Health is the major factor when it comes to effluent and any pathogens, pollutants or contaminants must not affect the user of…

Drainage

SANS 10400-Part P, Drainage, Plumbing, Main Picture Above: A new drainage and sewage containment tank installation. Sanitation and Water Disposal Drainage and plumbing is not only what you see above ground. All water, waste disposal, soils and stormwater have to be drained away and treated to maintain safety and health. In many instances these pipes…

Lighting and Ventilation

Good Lighting and Ventilation is Vital for Healthy Living-Part O In terms of the National Building Regulations Part O, all habitable rooms, including bathrooms, showers and toilets (and interestingly enough garages!) must have some form of lighting and ventilation that will enable people to use these rooms safely. The most important aspect is that it…

Glazing | National Building Regulations (SA) | SANS10400-NBR (SA)

Glazing

Glazing and the Glass You Use for It-Part N Part N is the section on glazing in the National Building Regulations & Building Standards Act and is short and reasonably sweet. Essentially you need to be sure that any material used for glazing in buildings is secure and durable and that it is fixed so…

House building | National Building Regulations (SA) | safety | SANS10400-NBR (SA)

Stairways

Safety is Paramount when it comes to Stairways-Part M It stands to reason that stairways must be safe. If stairs are too steep, and they don’t have railings, or if screens and balustrades are not strong and secure, people may fall with disastrous consequences. What the National Building Regulations say about Stairs and Stairways “Any…

House building | National Building Regulations (SA) | Roofs | SANS10400-NBR (SA) | Waterproofing

Roofs-Part L

Building Regulations as They Apply to Roofs-Part L When the South African National Building Regulations were updated by the Department of Trade and Industry in May 2008, the General Requirement relating to Roofs was changed to incorporate certain safety elements. For example, instead of simply having to “resist any forces” to which the roof might…

Walls

It is vital that walls are strong, stable, waterproof and fireproof. The way that the roof is affixed to the wall is also very important.

Floors

Building Regulations that Apply to Floors-Part J The Application of the National Building Regulations that apply to floors (Part J of SANS 10400) are certainly not exhaustive. In fact, if you think of how much of our house is floor, it’s what we might, in South Africa, describe as a biekie min. But the authorities have,…

Building | Concrete & Masonry | Foundations | National Building Regulations (SA) | SANS10400-NBR (SA)

Foundations

Regulations for Foundations-Part HA Focus on Safety Foundations, Part H, of any structure, large or small, must be built to safely transmit all loads of the building to the ground. If foundations are not correctly built, walls may crack and at worst, could even collapse. While the National Building Regulations specify general requirements for foundations,…

Building | National Building Regulations (SA) | SANS10400-NBR (SA)

Excavations

Safety and Stability When Doing ExcavationsAre Top Priorities – Part G Excavations are not always necessary when we build our homes, but it often is, even if the ground is reasonably flat and level. Part G of the National Building Regulations deals with excavations and their safety. The Importance of Stability One of the reasons…

Building | House building | National Building Regulations (SA) | safety | SANS10400-NBR (SA)

Site Operations

Site Operations – Part F – Building Regulations Site operations must be carried out in a safe, responsible manner. It is for this reason that Part F: Site Operations of the National Building Regulations specifies how the public and property belonging to the local authority must be safeguarded. Other site operations issues that are addressed…

Demolition Work

Site Safety during Demolitions-Part E If you have to do some demolition work before you build, Part E is the section of the National Building Regulations that you need to familiarise yourself with. But really all it states is common sense and caution. There are only three elements that are covered: 1 – demolition itself,…

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Public Safety

Even at Home Public Safety is Paramount-Part D All home owners have a responsibility to people who visit their homes, or members of the public who are able to access their homes. According to the National Building Regulations we must be concerned specifically with: Change in Level If people can access a level other than…