UNIT 4
SITE PLANNING AND BUILDING RULES
Site planning refers to the organizational stage of the landscape design process. It involves the organization of land use zoning, access, circulation and other factors. This is done by arranging the compositional elements of landform, planting, water, buildings and paving in site plans. Site planning generally begins by assessing a potential site for development through site analysis. Information about slope, soils, hydrology, vegetation, parcel ownership, orientation, etc. are assessed and mapped. By determining areas that are poor for development (such as floodplain or steep slopes) and better for development, the planner or architect can assess optimal location and design a structure that works within this space.
SITE ANALYSIS
- To achieve a successful design, site analysis is a must & should be done carefully
- Site Analysis involves taking an inventory of site elements and analyzing these factors relative to the client’s needs & aims
- Gather relevant information about the properties of the site, from topography to climate to wind pattern and vegetation
- Analyze these features and incorporate them into the design
Analysis
1. Sub-Surface
2. Natural
3. Cultural Man Made Factors
4. Aesthetic Factors
Sub Surface Features
- Geology: Geological history of the area, bedrock type & depth etc.
- Hydrology: Underground water table, aquifers, springs etc.
- Soil Genesis: erosion susceptibility, moisture (pF), reaction (pH) organic content, bearing capacity etc.
Natural Surface Features Vegetation:
- Type, size, location, shade pattern, aesthetics, ecology etc. Slopes: Gradient, landforms, elevations, drainage patterns
- Wild Life: ecology, species etc.
- Climate: precipitation, annual rain/snow, humidity, wind direction, solar intensity & orientation, average/highest/lowest temperature
Cultural & Man-made Features
- Utilities: sanitary, water supply, gas, electrical etc.
- Land use: Usage of site, adjacent use, zoning restrictions, easement etc.
- Historic notes: archeological sites, landmarks, building type, size, condition
- Circulation: linkages an transit roads, auto & pedestrian access, mass transit routes etc.
- Social Factors: population, intensity, educational level, economic & political factors, ethnicity, cultural typology etc.
Aesthetic Factors
- Perceptual: from an auto, by pedestrian, by bike etc.
- Spatial Pattern: views of the site, views from the site, spaces existing, potential for new areas, sequential relationship.
- Natural Features: significant natural features of the site, water elements, rock formations, plant materials.
Provisions of National Building Codes and Rules This part sets out the standard space requirements of various parts of a building and those of light and ventilation. Some of these items depend on the number of persons who would normally occupy the building, for which the occupant load should be worked out from table hereunder:
Occupant Load
OTHER GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
Kitchen
Every room to be used as a kitchen shall have
a) Unless separately provided in a pantry, means for washing of kitchen utensils, which shall lead directly or through a sink to a grated and trapped connection to the wastepipe.
b) An impermeable floor;
c) At least a window not less than 1 sq m. In area open directly to an interior or exterior open space, but not into a shaft and;
d) In residential building 15 m. Or more in height, refuse chutes.
Bathroom and W. C
Every bathroom or water closet shall
a) Be so situated that atleast one of its walls shall open to external air and shall have a
Minimum opening in the form of window or ventilation to the extent of 0.37 sq m.
b) Not be directly over any room other than another latrine, washing place, bath or
Terrace unless it has a watertight floor.
c) Have the platform or seat made of watertight non-absorbent material.
d) Be enclosed by walls or partitions and the surface of every such wall partition shall be finished with a smooth impervious material to a height of not less than 1.0 m. Above the floor of such a room.
e) Be provided with an impervious floor covering, sloping towards the drain with a
Suitable grade and not towards verandah or any other room.
Coverage Ratio
The ratio of the Building area divided by the land (site) area. Building area means the floor space of a building when looking down at it from the sky.
Depending on the Land Use Zone category it is regulated within 30% - 80%, and a building has to be constructed within the specified maximum BCR ratio in the zone.
Floor Area Ratio
The ratio of Total floor area divided by Land (site) area. Total floor area means the total of all the floor space in a building.
Depending on the Land Use Zone category, it is regulated in the range of 50% - 1,300%.
- The first definition, coined by the Intelligent Buildings Institute, defines an intelligent building as “one which provides a productive and cost-effective environment through optimization of four basic elements: structure, systems, services and management, and the interrelationship between them.” According to this initial definition, an intelligent building is one that optimally matches its four elements to the users’ needs with an emphasis on the technology that makes the interrelationship between the elements possible.
- A connected building boasts an integrated communications infrastructure that supports wired and wireless networks and applications. It also facilitates person-to-person, person-to-machine and machine-to-machine communications within the building and with the outside world using a state of the art intelligent, flexible, wired and wireless platform. The platform supports wired LAN, Wi-Fi, in-building wireless, audio/visual, sensors, lighting and building management applications. Buildings are also becoming cloud connected as an essential part of smart grids and smart cities.
- An efficient building leverages a state-of-the-art connectivity platform to address key corporate real estate, facilities and IT challenges to improve energy efficiency, space utilization and occupant satisfaction. In an efficient building, the intelligent connectivity platform is easily adaptable to changes in space design or communications technologies. A high density sensor network integrates with other building systems to provide fine-grained occupancy-based control of building systems for optimal energy use and occupant comfort while providing a real-time and historical view of occupancy patterns.
- At a time when the design and utilization patterns of a building’s individual and common spaces are undergoing significant changes, efficiency expectations continue to increase. This is fueled by the increase in connected devices, sensors applications. As the definition of intelligent buildings continues to evolve, buildings are becoming increasingly connected and efficient.
Green Buildings Roads
A green highway is a roadway constructed per a relatively new concept for roadway design that integrates transportation functionality and ecological sustainability. An environmental approach is used throughout the planning, design, and the construction. The result is a highway that will benefit transportation, the ecosystem, urban growth, public health and surrounding communities.
When built to standards of the concept, green highways have invaluable benefits to environment. Since they are built with permeable materials that provide superior watershed-driven storm water management, leaching of metals and toxins into streams and rivers is prevented. Landfill usage is favorably reduced as construction involves recycled materials. In addition, by using cutting-edge technologies in design, critical habitats and ecosystems are protected from the encroachment of highway infrastructure.
To develop a green highway, a project can follow guidelines provided below by GHP
- Provide a net increase in environmental functions and values of a watershed.
- Go beyond minimum standards set by environmental laws and regulations.
- Identify and protect historic and cultural landmarks.
- Map all resources in the area in order to avoid, identify, and protect critical resource areas.
- Use innovative, natural methods to reduce imperviousness, and cleanse all runoff within the project area.
- Maximize use of existing transportation infrastructure, providing multi-modal transportation opportunities, and promoting ride-sharing/public transportation.
- Use recycled materials to eliminate waste and reduce the energy required to build the highway.
- Link regional transportation plans with local land use partnerships.
- Control populations of invasive species, and promoting the growth of native species.
- Incorporate post project monitoring to ensure environmental results.
- Protect the hydrology of wetlands and streams channels through restoration of natural drainage paths.
- Result in a suite of targeted environmental outcomes based upon local environmental needs.
- Reduce disruptions to ecological processes by promoting wildlife corridors and passages in areas identified through wildlife conservation plans.
- Encourage smart growth by integrating and guiding future growth and capacity building with ecological constraints.
The roads can be classified in many ways. The classification based on speed and accessibility is the most generic one. Note that as the accessibility of road increases, the speed reduces. (See figure 1). Accordingly, the roads can be classified as follows in the order of increased accessibility and reduced speeds.
- Freeways: Freeways are access-controlled divided highways. Most freeways are four lanes, two lanes each direction, but many freeways widen to incorporate more lanes as they enter urban areas. Access is controlled through the use of interchanges, and the type of interchange depends upon the kind of intersecting road way (rural roads, another freeway etc.)
- Expressways: They are superior type of highways and are designed for high speeds ( 120 km/hr is common), high traffic volume and safety. They are generally provided with grade separations at intersections. Parking, loading and unloading of goods and pedestrian traffic is not allowed on expressways.
- Highways: They represent the superior type of roads in the country. Highways are of two types - rural highways and urban highways. Rural highways are those passing through rural areas (villages) and urban highways are those passing through large cities and towns, ie. Urban areas.
- Arterials: It is a general term denoting a street primarily meant for through traffic usually on a continuous route. They are generally divided highways with fully or partially controlled access. Parking, loading and unloading activities are usually restricted and regulated. Pedestrians are allowed to cross only at intersections/designated pedestrian crossings.
- Local streets : A local street is the one which is primarily intended for access to residence, business or abutting property. It does not normally carry large volume of traffic and also it allows unrestricted parking and pedestrian movements.
- Collector streets: These are streets intended for collecting and distributing traffic to and from local streets and also for providing access to arterial streets. Normally full access is provided on these streets . There are few parking restrictions except during peak hours.
The three main sources of water: groundwater, surface water and rainwater. In arid regions where seawater is accessible (such as in the Middle East), desalination (the removal of salts from water) is used to generate drinking water. Another potential source of water is treated wastewater
Characteristics of a protected water source
- The water source is fully enclosed or capped and no surface water can run directly into it.
- People do not step into the water while collecting it.
- Latrines, solid waste pits, animal excreta and other sources of pollution are located as far away as possible from the water source and on ground lower in elevation than the water source.
- There is no stagnant water within 5 metres of the water source.
- The water collection buckets or hand pump at the source are kept clean.
Quality of Water
Water quality describes the condition of the water, including chemical, physical, and biological characteristics, usually with respect to its suitability for a particular purpose such as drinking or swimming
Water quality is measured by several factors, such as the concentration of dissolved oxygen, bacteria levels, the amount of salt (or salinity), or the amount of material suspended in the water (turbidity). In some bodies of water, the concentration of microscopic algae and quantities of pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, and other contaminants may also be measured to determine water quality.
Although scientific measurements are used to define water quality, it is not a simple thing to say “that water is good” or “that water is bad.” So, the determination is typically made relative to the purpose of the water – is it for drinking or to wash a car with or for some other purpose?
Poor water quality can pose a health risk for people. Poor water quality can also pose a health risk for ecosystems.
