NBC 2016:2016 Part 8 is the Indian Standard (BIS) for national building code of india 2016 - building services. Part 8 is the building services Part, organised as five sections. Section 1 (Lighting and Natural Ventilation) covers daylighting, glazing, and illuminance design. Section 2 (Electrical and Allied Installations) gives internal wiring, load estimation, DB sizing, earthing, and lightning protection, anchored by IS 732 and IS 3043. Section 3 (HVAC) covers thermal comfort, equipment selection, and ductwork. Section 4 (Acoustics) provides sound insulation and noise control for walls, floors, and services. Section 5 (Lifts and Escalators) aligns with IS 14665. For an MEP consultant, Part 8 is the index: it tells you what the NBC expects for a given occupancy, and points you to the design IS codes and manufacturer guidance for sizing and detailing.
Covers building services through five sections: Lighting and Natural Ventilation; Electrical and Allied Installations; Air Conditioning, Heating and Mechanical Ventilation; Acoustics, Sound Insulation and Noise Control; and Installation of Lifts and Escalators.
Lux levels by space, lift/escalator specs, AC tonnage rules, ventilation rates, acoustic and earthing limits.
| Reference | Value | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Lighting — Office (general)— ref IS 3646 / SP 72 | 300 lux | |
| Lighting — Office (drawing/fine work) | 500 – 750 lux | Table 20 |
| Lighting — Classroom | 300 lux (200 lux min) | Table 20 |
| Lighting — Hospital ward (general) | 100 lux; OT 1000 lux task | Table 20 |
| Lighting — Industrial fine assembly | 750 – 1000 lux | |
| Lighting — Residential living/dining | 100 – 200 lux | |
| Lighting — Staircase / corridor | 100 lux | Table 20 |
| Emergency lighting — min illuminance on escape route | 1 lux at floor level | |
| Lift — required above— cross-ref Part 3 | G+4 storeys / >15 m | Cl. 2.1.1 |
| Lift — min car size (residential) | 1.1 × 1.4 m (8 person, 545 kg) | Cl. 2.1.1 |
| Lift — typical speed (low-rise) | 1.0 m/s (≤8 floors) | Section 5A, Table 2 |
| Lift — typical speed (high-rise) | 1.5 – 2.5 m/s (>15 floors) | Section 5A, Table 2 |
| Escalator — standard angle of inclination | 30° (max 35° if rise ≤6 m) | Section 5B, Cl. 5.2.3 |
| Escalator — typical speed | 0.5 – 0.65 m/s | Section 5B, Cl. 5.2.4 |
| AC — typical cooling load (office) | 0.06 – 0.08 TR/m² (1 TR per 12–15 m²) | |
| AC — design indoor temp (comfort)— ref IS 4894 / ASHRAE 55 | 24 – 26 °C, 50–60% RH | Section 3, Cl. 4.2.2 & Table 1 |
| Ventilation — min fresh air (office)— ref IS 4894 / ASHRAE 62.1 | 8.5 L/s per person | |
| Ventilation — kitchen / toilet ACH | 12–15 ACH (kitchen); 6–10 ACH (toilet) | |
| Acoustic — max ambient noise (residential, day)— ref CPCB / Noise Rules 2000 | 55 dB(A) | Section 4, Cl. 3.2 |
| Acoustic — max ambient noise (residential, night) | 45 dB(A) | Section 4, Cl. 3.2 |
| Wall STC — between dwelling units | ≥ 50 STC | Part 8, Section 4, Table 11 |
| Earthing — max permissible resistance (general)— ref IS 3043 | ≤ 1 Ω (substation); ≤ 5 Ω (building) |
BIM-relevant code. See the BIM Hub for ISO 19650, IFC, and LOD/LOIN frameworks used alongside it.
| Parameter | IS Value | International | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-Rise Building Definition Threshold | Building height ≥ 15 m | Building with an occupied floor > 75 ft (≈ 23 m) above lowest level of fire dept. vehicle access | IBC 2024 |
| Mandatory Refuge Area Requirement | Yes, for buildings > 24m, at 24m and then every 15m. Area is 0.3 m²/person or 15 m² min. | No specific prescriptive requirement; addressed by other means like evacuation elevators or additional stairwells. | IBC 2024 |
| Min. Corridor Width (Institutional/Hospitals) | 2.0 m for non-ambulatory patients; 2.4 m if for stretcher movement | 96 inches (≈ 2.44 m) in new healthcare occupancies | NFPA 101:2024 |
| Max. Travel Distance (Business Occupancy, Sprinklered) | 45 m | 300 ft (≈ 91 m) | NFPA 101:2024 |
| Fire Resistance of Exit Stair Enclosure (High-Rise) | 2 hours | 2 hours | IBC 2024 |
| Automatic Sprinkler Trigger (New Hotels) | Mandatory if height > 15 m | Required in all new hotels, regardless of height (with few exceptions for small buildings) | NFPA 101:2024 |
| Ramp Slope (Means of Egress) | Maximum 1 in 10 (10%) | Maximum 1 in 12 (≈ 8.3%) | IBC 2024 |