One Day National Workshop on National Building Code of India 2016: Glass and Glazing Aspects- Mumbai

Glass has become one of the most widely used and preferred materials in buildings in the last three decades in India due to its various functional aspects including energy efficiency, safety, structural stability, acoustics, aesthetics and comfort. Owing to the increasing awareness and huge need for high performance glass and glazing products, the Indian Standards for use of glass and glazing products has been either revised or formulated to match the international standards. Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has given due importance to Architectural Glass and Glazing Systems in their recent version of National Building Code (NBC) 2016.  

The following sections of National Building Code (NBC) 2016 provides the complete guidelines for the use of glass and glazing systems in buildings. 

       Part 6: Structural design, Section 8- Glass and Glazing 

       Part 11: Approach to Sustainability 

       Part 4: Fire and Life Safety 

In this light, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Glazing Society of India (GSI) and IIT Madras successfully conducted a one-day workshop on 'National Building Code 2016: Glass and Glazing Aspects' on Friday, the 3rd August 2018 at, LS Raheja School of Architecture. The Workshop was supported by Federation of Safety Glass, All India Glass Manufacturers Federation, Confederation of Construction Products & Services, International Fenestration Forum, Glass Academy, uPVC Windows and Doors Manufacturers Association and LS Raheja School of Architecture. 

The objective of this workshop was to educate the entire construction value chain on the codes and provisions given in NBC 2016 on the use of glass and glazing systems in Indian Buildings and thereby enabling the implementation of the same.  As part of this workshop a theme paper was given to the participants which provides detailed inputs to the professionals in the construction value chain to understand the design considerations, types and testing of glass and glazing systems used in Indian buildings as per the National Building Code 2016 and other relevant Indian codes and Standards. 

The one-day National workshop started off with the welcome address by Mr G N Gohul Deepak, Director Glazing Society of India who presented about the initiatives of GSI in India, the recent development in Indian Codes and Standards for glass and glazing and the facilities available in India for testing. Speaking on the occasion, Mr S Arun Kumar, Scientist D, Civil Engineering Department, Bureau of India Standards (BIS) explained about the revisions done in NBC 2016 to cater to the growing needs for standardization in the Glass and Glazing industry. Delivering the key note address, Mr V Suresh, Vice-Chairman, NBC Committee of BIS presented about the various sections present in NBC 2016 which would be vital for every professional in the construction value chain as a guideline for safe and sustainable construction. Prof Arul Jayachandran, Professor- Structural Engineering, Civil Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M), thanked all the dignitaries on the dias, the participants and the organizers full putting together this well-organized National workshop, asking the participants to absorb all the technical knowledge which would be imparted through the technical sessions planned for the day and to implement them in their construction activities thereby helping to build a Safe and Green India. 

The workshop was well attended by 170+ participants comprising of builders, architects, consultants, builders, developers, glass processors, manufacturers, govt officials and other professionals from the glass and glazing industry. The workshop was well received by the industry and excellent feedback was collected from the participants.