Building a house or constructing a building is not as simple as one may think it is. There are a bunch of different rules and regulations attached to it. When you are constructing a building on the side of the road or adjacent to another plot, you have to obey Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) set by the Housing and Building Research Institute (HBRI). That is to say, according to BNBC 2015, it is mandatory to leave a certain amount of space open when constructing a building to ensure fire safety, rainwater absorption, etc. This is called the setback space. You can know more about this in our basic rules of the National Building Code article. But we will not get into the details for which they were discussed meticulously before in our blogs. We will rather focus on how to use mandatory open space in this article.
How to use mandatory open space
Depending on the plot and the building you want to construct, there may or may not be plenty of space available for large-scale construction such as building another house. Because according to acts 1.8.2 – 4 [a] of BNBC 2015, a minimum of 50% and 33% of the open space in a plot must remain unpaved with or without vegetation to allow water penetration. But there might be enough space to build other useful things. Here is a list of things that are permitted to construct in the mandatory open space.
Waterbody
If there is enough space available after constructing a building, you can easily build a swimming pool in your backyard or on the side of the building. You can build it in any shape or size as there is no standard when it comes to swimming pools. You can build a water reservoir or harvest rainwater in tanks if you are interested in conserving water. And there is a multitude of ways to harvest rainwater in a building.
Guards’ quarter
It is very common to have caretakers or guards for upkeep and maintain the security of a building nowadays. In most cases, you are required to manage their accommodation within the building. And what better way to do that than constructing a separate room for them in the mandatory open space. That way you don’t have to worry about overusing your mandatory space.
Garage
Another thing that you can construct is a garage for your vehicle. If there is not enough space for any car, you can still use the space for bikes and bicycles. Even if you don’t own such vehicles, construct one for an extra source of income! That is to say, you can easily rent your garage to others who have cars, motorcycles, or bicycles. That way you will ensure a stable stream of income. Or you can save the space for your tenants if you are a landlord.
Cantilevered canopy or landscaping
You may or may not be familiar with the term “cantilevered canopy” but it is an amazing architectural feature to have in a building; that is if you have enough space to spare and care about aesthetics. It can be used for styling a building or adding actual functionality to a building. A typical cantilevered canopy is fixed or supported in one end so that it covers the sidewalk while creating a unique and distinct style for the building. So if you have the space, go on to construct one for your building. Or you can use 50% or 33% of the mandatory open space for landscaping purposes.
Garden or parks
This is a no-brainer. One of the most common uses of mandatory space is to create a garden. The biggest benefit of creating a garden is that you can use 100% of our mandatory space. You can opt for different types of gardens. If the space is limited, a container garden might be ideal. Or you can create a butterfly garden with flowers that butterflies will love. If you want to produce fresh vegetables and fruits, create a vegetable and fruit garden. However, not just a garden you can also construct a kid’s corner or gaming zone if you have enough space. With the rate at which the playgrounds are reducing in Dhaka, the need for such gaming space for children is indispensable.
Final words
As you can see, the possibility of what you can do with the mandatory space is endless. However, you have to be mindful of some rules when constructing a structure in an open space. For example, you can’t build anything higher than 2.75m from the formation level of the plot or ground. Also, you can’t use the roof of any structure for any other purposes that interfere with the privacy of the occupants of the adjacent property.
And for the garage, its entrance must be kept 1.5m away from the road. If there is a sloping driveway, the entrance has to be kept at least 4.8m away from the adjoining road. However, you can also build walls around your property for better privacy.
**[a]
1.8.2 At least 50 percent of the minimum open space in a plot shall remain unpaved with or without vegetation to allow water penetration.
1.8.3 The total open area in a plot on which a building of educational, institutional, health care occupancy is constructed shall not be less than 50 percent of the plot area.
1.8.4 The total open area in a plot on which a building of any occupancy, except that mentioned in 1.8.3, is constructed shall not be less than 33 percent of the plot area.
