Dubai Building Code (2021)

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 2

H.1

Performance statements

Performance statement

The performance statement will be met

by following the requirements of:

The building shall provide fixed building

services that:
a)

are energy-efficient;

b) have effective controls;
c)

ensure optimal operational efficiency;

d) facilitate the health and comfort of

the occupants.

H.4, H.8

The building shall provide a reliable

supply of safe water with sanitary

fittings selected to reduce water

consumption.

H.5, H.8

The building shall provide drainage

systems to collect and convey drainage

flows in a safe and efficient manner.

H.6, H.8

The building shall safeguard people from

undue noise being transmitted from

adjacent spaces, occupancies and the

exterior.

H.10

The building shall provide artificial

lighting to enable safe movement when

there is insufficient natural light.

H.7, H.8

The building shall provide appropriate

digital services enablement, ensuring

interoperability and future-proofing of

communications.

H.11

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 3

Building management system (BMS):

Computer-

based control system which controls and monitors the

mechanical and electrical equipment in a building, such

as ventilation, lighting, power systems, fire systems,

and security systems, or controls and monitors a

number of buildings.

Building services:

All necessary services required to

operate the building such as plumbing, mechanical,

electrical and others.

Commissioning:

Quality-oriented process for achieving,

verifying, and documenting that the performance

of facilities, systems, and assemblies meets defined

objectives and criteria.

Condensation:

Process through which a gas or vapour

changes to liquid form. Also defined as the water which

is produced in this process.

Control systems:

Localized controls that allow users to

change/adjust the level of lighting and air-conditioning

in a space.

Cooling coil:

Coiled arrangement of tubing or pipe for

the transfer of heat between a cold fluid and air.

Cooling load:

Amount of cooling that a building

will require to meet the conditions specified by the

Authority. The cooling load is determined by the

output of the heat load calculation required by the

Authority.

H.2 Definitions

H.2.1

Terms

H.2.1.1

HVAC and occupant comfort

Air contaminants:

Unwanted airborne constituents

that might reduce acceptability or adequacy of the

air quality.

Air leakage:

Air that escapes from or to a building

through a joint, coupling, junction, or the surfaces

which enclose the building. The flow of uncontrolled air

within a building through cracks or openings.

Air ventilation:

Share of supply air that is outdoor

air, plus any recirculated air that has been filtered or

otherwise treated to maintain acceptable indoor air

quality.

Air volume:

Amount (volume) of air delivered to a

space through ventilation, typically specified in litres

per second or cubic metres per minute.

Building envelope:

Physical barrier between the

exterior and the conditioned environment of a building

to resist air, water, moisture, heat, cold, light, and noise

transfer. For an air-conditioned building, the building

envelope comprises the elements of a building that

separate conditioned spaces from the exterior. Crown

extensions to the façade to cover plant screen cladding

are part of the building envelope. The building envelope

does not include the physical barrier below ground.

Cooling tower approach:

Difference between the

leaving water temperature and the entering air wet-

bulb temperature in a cooling tower.

Demand controlled ventilation (DCV):

Ventilation

system that provides for the automatic reduction of

outdoor air intake below design rates, when the actual

occupancy of spaces served by the system is less than

design occupancy. Demand is often assessed by using

the measure of the amount of carbon dioxide (CO

) in

a space to reflect occupancy levels.

Diversity factor:

Relates to the thermal characteristics

of the building envelope, temperature swings and

occupancy load.

Ductwork:

Airtight devices that carry conditioned air

throughout the building. This includes terminal fixtures

to distribute air.

Ductwork leakage:

Escape of air through cracks and

gaps when air-conditioning ductwork is not airtight.

Ductwork leakage results in an increase in energy

consumption of supply and return air fans.

Exhaust air:

Air removed from a building space and

discharged to the outside of the building through a

mechanical or natural ventilation system.

Global warming potential (GWP):

Contribution of

greenhouse gases released to the atmosphere in the

global warming phenomenon.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 4

Heat load calculation:

Process of calculating the total

heat generated inside the building by various sources.

Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system

(HVAC):

Equipment, distribution systems, and

terminals that provide either individually or collectively,

the processes of heating, ventilating, or air-

conditioning to a building or a portion of a building.

Make-up air (dedicated replacement air):

Air

deliberately brought into the building from the

outdoors and supplied to the vicinity of an exhaust

hood to replace the air and cooking effluent being

exhausted. Make-up air is generally filtered and fan-

forced, and it can be heated or cooled depending on

the requirements of the application.

Mechanical system:

Those systems within a building

which include components of mechanical plant or

machinery. These systems include, but are not limited

to, the HVAC system of a building.

Mechanical ventilation:

Ventilation provided by

mechanically powered equipment, such as fans.

Minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV):

Filtering

efficiency of an air filter that has been evaluated

using the ASHRAE 52.2 test procedure. An air filter’s

performance is determined by comparing airborne

particle counts upstream and downstream of the

air filter (or other air cleaning device) under test

conditions. A higher MERV rating equates to higher air

filtration efficiency.

Mixed mode ventilation:

Combination of mechanical

and natural ventilation.

Monitoring equipment:

Equipment used to measure,

and record status or conditions related to a building

or to verify pre-set conditions and provide control or

alarm functions if conditions vary.

Natural ventilation (passive ventilation):

Ventilation

provided by thermal, wind or diffusion effects through

windows, doors, or other openings in the building.

Negative pressure:

Pressure less than that in adjoining

spaces.

Occupancy sensor:

Device that detects the presence or

absence of people within an area and causes lighting,

equipment, or appliances to be regulated accordingly.

Outdoor air:

Outside air supplied to a building space

through mechanical or natural ventilation to replace air

in the building that has been exhausted.

Refrigerants:

Working fluids of refrigeration cycles,

which absorb heat at low temperatures and reject heat

at higher temperatures.

Replacement air:

Outdoor air that is used to replace air

removed from a building through an exhaust system.

Replacement air can be derived from one or more

of the following: make-up air, supply air, transfer air,

and infiltration. However, the ultimate source of all

replacement air is outdoor.

Relative humidity:

Ratio of partial density of water

vapour in the air to the saturation density of water

vapour at the same temperature and the same total

pressure.

Space pressurization:

Static pressure difference

between the adjacent spaces of a building, with the air

tending to move from higher-pressure spaces to lower-

pressure spaces.

Supply air:

Air entering a space from an air-

conditioning, heating, or ventilating system for the

purpose of comfort conditioning. Supply air is generally

filtered, fan-forced, and heated, cooled, humidified,

or dehumidified as necessary to maintain specified

temperature and humidity conditions. Only the

quantity of outdoor air within the supply air flow is

used as replacement air.

Thermal comfort:

Condition of mind which expresses

satisfaction with the thermal environment. The

thermal comfort measurement is subjective in nature

as it depends on environmental and personal factors.

Thermal insulation:

Materials/products or the

methods and processes used to reduce heat transfer.

Heat energy can be transferred by conduction,

convection or radiation. The flow of heat can

be delayed by addressing one or more of these

mechanisms and is dependent on the physical

properties of the material employed to do this.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 5

Thermal transmittance:

Rate of transfer of heat

through a material(s) or assembly, expressed as a

U-value.

Transfer air:

Air transferred from one room to another

through openings in the room envelope, whether it is

transferred intentionally or not. The driving force for

transfer air is generally a small pressure differential

between the rooms.

Zoning:

Virtual separation of the floors in the buildings

based on the elevator groups, such that the elevators

serving one zone do not serve the other zone.

H.2.1.2

Water supplies

Backflow:

Flow upstream, that is in a direction contrary

to the intended normal direction of flow, within or from

a water fitting.

Deadleg:

Length of water system pipework leading to

a fitting through which water only passes infrequently

when there is draw off from the fitting, providing the

potential for stagnation.

Electrical trace heating tape:

Electrical multicored

wire installed with thermal insulation around a pipe

to maintain hot water return temperatures when a

pumped hot water secondary system is not installed.

Legionella bacteria:

Causative agent of Legionnaires’

disease and its lesser form, Pontiac fever. Legionella

generally infects the lungs through inhalation of

contaminated aerosol. Legionella bacteria grow in

water between 20 °C and 45 °C and can be spread by

water droplets.

Microbiological bacteria:

Microorganism capable of

causing disease that can be transmitted via the water

supply.

Non-potable water:

Water that is not suitable for

drinking but can be used for other purposes depending

on its quality.

Potable water:

Drinking water that is suitable for

human consumption.

Pumped hot water return:

Domestic hot water return

system that uses a pump to generate circulation in the

pipework system.

Raw water tank:

Tank that stores non-potable water

and has not received any form of water treatment.

Thermal balancing valve:

Automatic valve that

balances hot water return subcircuits.

Thermostatic mixing valve:

Valve with one outlet,

which mixes hot and cold water and automatically

controls the mixed water to a user-selected or pre-set

temperature.

Water outlet:

Opening for the discharge of water via a

plumbing fixture such as a tap or showerhead.

H.2.1.3

Drainage

Cesspit:

Holding tank installed below ground that is

used for the temporary collection of faecal matter.

Discharge stack:

Main (generally vertical) pipe

conveying discharges from sanitary fittings.

Drainage system:

System composed of drainage

equipment, and other components collecting waste

water and discharging by means of gravity, or effluent

pumping plant which can be part of a gravity drainage

system.

Floor gully:

Discharge fitting intended to receive water

from floors through apertures in a grating or from

waste pipes that connect to the floor gully body

or trap.

Grease trap:

Appliance used to intercept fats, oils and

grease from kitchen appliances.

Greywater:

Waste water not containing faecal matter

or urine.

Inspection chamber:

Chamber construction that

provides access into the drainage system. The chamber

dimensions only permit access to the sewer or drain

line from ground level.

Manhole:

Chamber construction that provides access

into the drainage system. The chamber dimensions

permit a person entry at the sewer drain level (if

required).

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 6

Oil separator:

Below-ground vessel used to intercept

contaminated drainage flows that incorporate oil or

petrol.

Rainwater:

Water resulting from natural precipitation

that has not been deliberately contaminated.

Rainwater pipe:

Pipe used to collect and transport

rainwater from building roof areas to another drainage

system.

Rodding eye:

Removable fitting that provides access

into the drainage system for cleaning and maintenance.

Rodding point:

Small diameter connection into

the drainage systems that permits entry into the

system for cleaning or inspection of the downstream

connection.

Sanitary fittings:

Fixed appliances supplied with water

that are used for cleaning and washing (i.e. baths,

showers, wash basins, bidets, water closets, urinals,

dishwashers and washing machines).

Sanitation pipework:

Arrangement of discharge

pipework, with or without ventilated pipes, connected

to a drainage system.

Septic tank:

Tank installed below ground in which

sewage is collected and allowed to decompose through

bacterial activity before draining to a soakaway.

Soakaway:

Buried drainage feature used to manage

surface water on-site and infiltrate into the

surrounding ground.

Upper floor:

Any floor above the lowest level, which

could be a basement level.

Ventilation pipework:

Main vertical ventilating pipe,

connected to a discharge stack, to limit pressure

fluctuations within the discharge stack.

Wastewater:

Water which is contaminated by use and

all water discharging into the drainage system.

Water trap:

Device that the prevents foul air by means

of a water seal.

H.2.1.4

Acoustics

Noise:

Unwanted sound.

Reverberation time:

Time, measured in seconds (s),

taken for the sound to decay by 60 dB after a sound

source has been stopped.

Reverberation:

Persistence of sound in a space after a

sound source has been stopped.

Sound pressure level:

Physical intensity of sound,

measured in decibels (dB).

H.2.1.5

Fire safety

Exit:

Portion of a means of egress that is separated

from all other spaces of the building or structure by

construction, location or equipment as required to

provide a protected way of travel from exit access to

the exit discharge.

Exit access:

Portion of a means of egress that leads to

an exit.

Exit discharge:

Portion of a means of egress between

the termination of an exit and a public way.

High-rise building:

Building height greater than or

equal to 23 m and up to 90 m, measured in accordance

with the UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

. A more detailed

definition is given in UAE FLSC.

Super high-rise building:

Building height greater than

90 m, measured in accordance with the UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

. A more detailed definition is given in

UAE FLSC.

H.2.1.6

Lighting

Electronic ballast:

A piece of equipment required

to control the starting and operating voltages of

fluorescent lights. Electronic lighting ballasts use solid

state circuitry and can greatly reduce or eliminate any

flicker in the lamps.

Lighting power density:

Electrical power consumed

by the lighting installation per unit floor area (W/m

)

or unit length, linear metre (W/lm) of an illuminated

space.

Lux:

Unit of illuminance, measuring luminous flux per

unit area.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 7

H.2.1.7

Digital services enablement and ICT

Application programming interface (API):

Computing

interface provided by an application, system, or service;

which provides other applications with a method to

connect and interact with it.

BACnet:

Communication protocol for building

automation and control networks. BACnet interfaces

are widely implemented in HVAC and BMS systems

worldwide and likely to be supported long-term.

Cable pathway:

Any system used to route cables, such

as cable ducting, cable ladder, cable tray, conduit, duct

and maintenance chamber.

Data governance:

Set of processes to manage the

availability, usability, integrity and security of data in

enterprise systems.

Digital services enablement:

Process of future-

proofing a building’s smart application potential, by

providing the fundamental connectivity requirements

in terms of infrastructure, systems and technology

throughout the design, construction and building

operation stages of a project. This approach allows

for future implementation of smart functionalities,

use cases and downstream initiatives that might

not initially be defined, thereby providing flexibility

in terms of timescale and adaptability in terms of

meeting operator or occupier functional requirements.

Such initiatives might include, but are not limited

to, analytics, alerts, calculations, dashboards and

prediction models.

Fieldbus:

Family of process control protocols that are

widely used for real-time distributed control.

Internet of Things (IoT):

System of devices embedded

with sensors, software and network connectivity,

that are provided with unique identifiers. The devices

have the ability of being responsive, as they collect

and exchange data over a network without requiring

human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.

Interoperability:

Ability of different suppliers’ products

to share data and intelligence in a more open way

which provides opportunities to create new use cases

by combining and integrating various functions across

different operational systems and their smart devices.

Interoperability is a key principle for smart buildings,

IoT and ICT infrastructure design.

JavaScript Object Notation (JSON):

Open standard

data interchange format using a text format.

Konnex (KNX):

Field protocol which overlaps with

BACnet use cases and which supports communication

scenarios between products common in building

control. Device capabilities are sufficiently standardized

such that it is possible to combine devices from

different manufacturers into a common system or

network.

LonWorks:

Internationally standardized proprietary

protocol that overlaps with BACnet use cases. It offers

several physical communications solutions for field

devices..

Main equipment room (MER):

Equipment room

accommodating the centralized network switching

and communications equipment supporting building

systems and the information technology (IT)

application servers belonging to the landlord, anchor

tenant or owner-occupier.

M-Bus:

Communication protocol developed to

provide a communications interface specifically for

consumption meters.

Message queueing telemetry transport (MQTT):

Open

IoT protocol which supports the publish/subscribe

method for messaging between devices.

Modbus:

General-purpose digital communications bus

which suits devices with very constrained capabilities.

Modbus is commonly offered in devices such as

electrical meters and some HVAC applications.

Open platform communications (OPC):

Communications standard used for system

integration. Object payloads are typically binary

in construction with the origin and consumer

applications both typically MS Windows applications.

Recent standardization efforts extend OPC to allow

implementation on C and Java platforms as well as

Windows API, and add methods of expressing the

communications as XML or web services.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 8

Operational technology:

Hardware, software, gateways

and devices that support the monitoring and control of

various processes within a facility. The term is typically

used to cover facility and process systems such as BMS

and SCADA, as opposed to traditional corporate IT

systems.

Secondary equipment room (SER):

Equipment room

accommodating distributed network switching and

communications equipment supporting building

systems and the IT application servers belonging to the

landlord, anchor tenant or owner-occupier. Equivalent

alternative name is the secondary communications

room.

Sensor networks:

Network of interconnected sensor

nodes that collect data about the surrounding

environment.

Smart gateway:

Gateway device which provides a smart

interface to allow a subsystem operating on a closed

protocol to communicate over an encrypted TCP/IP

connection using an open IoT protocol.

Smart interface/IoT interface:

Interface which

allows internet scalable addressability and security;

communication is over an encrypted TCP/IP

connection, using open IoT protocols.

Smart meter:

Smart meters provide near-real-time

information on energy consumption. It helps to control

and manage energy use, save money, switch energy

supplier more quickly, and reduce carbon emissions.

Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA):

System used to monitor and control process-based

plant or equipment. SCADA systems are typically

deployed in main utility controls (e.g. power, water, gas,

sewage) and/or where a control system is required to

integrate other individual control systems.

Use case:

Interaction between a user and smart

functionality within a smart or digital building. The

use case describes how the user is expected to use a

technology for the completion of a task.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 9

DEWA

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority

DHA

Dubai Healthcare Authority

DHCP

dynamic host configuration protocol

DIES

Dubai’s Integrated Energy Strategy

ESMA

Emirates Authority for Standardization and

Metrology

FCU

fan coil unit

FGI

Facility Guidelines Institute

FIC

final inspection chamber

GRP

glass-reinforced plastic

HSE

Health and Safety Executive

HTM

health technical memoranda

HVAC

heating ventilation and conditioning

ICNIRP

International Commission on Non-Ionizing

Radiation Protection

ICT

information and communications technology

IEC

International Electrotechnical Commission

IEEE

Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers

IES

Illuminating Engineering Society

IETF

Internet Engineering Task Force

IFC

industry foundation classes

IoT

Internet of Things

internet protocol

ISO

International Organization for Standardization

Information technology

JSON

JavaScript object notation

KNX

konnex

LAN

local area network

LoRaWAN

long range wide area network

LPWAN

low power wide area network

MER

main equipment room

MERV

minimum efficiency reporting value

MQTT

message queueing telemetry transport

NFPA

National Fire Protection Association

OPC

open platform communications

operational technology

PAPA

passive air pressure attenuators

PoE

power over ethernet

PVC-U

unplasticized poly(vinyl chloride)

quick response code

SCADA

supervisory control and data acquisition system

SCS

structured cabling system

SDN

software-defined networking

SER

secondary equipment rooms

International system of units

SMACNA

Sheet Metal and Air-Conditioning Contractors

National Association

TCP/IP

transmission control protocol/internet protocol

telecommunications outlet

TRA

Telecommunications Regulatory Authority

TSE

treated sewage effluent

TVOC

total volatile organic compound

H.2.2

Acronyms and abbreviations

AAV

air admittance valve

AHU

air handling unit

AMCA

Air Movement and Control Association

International, Inc.

ANSI

American National Standards Institute

API

application programming interface

ASHRAE

American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and

Air-Conditioning Engineers

ASME

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

ASTM

ASTM International

audio visual

BACnet

building automation and control network

BDNS

building device naming standard

BICSI

Building Industry Consulting Service

International

BIM

building information modelling

BMS

building management system

BS EN

British Standard European Norm

CAFM

computer aided facilities management

cap.

capita

CIBSE

Chartered Institution of Building Services

Engineers

CNS

common network system

carbon monoxide

carbon dioxide

DCD

Dubai Civil Defence

DCV

demand controlled ventilation

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 11

H.3

References

H.3.1

Essential references

H.3.1.1

General

Ref. H.1

UAE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR GENERAL

COMMAND OF CIVIL DEFENCE, 2018. UAE Fire and

Life Safety Code of Practice (UAE FLSC). United Arab

Emirates: Ministry of Interior General Command of

Civil Defence.

Ref. H.2

DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY, 2012. Hospital

regulations. UAE: Ministry of Health and Prevention.

Ref. H.3

DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY, 2012.

Standards for day surgery centers. Dubai: Dubai Health

Authority.

Ref. H.4

DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY, 2012.

Outpatient care facilities regulation.

Ref. H.5

DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY, 2012. Clinical

laboratory regulation. Dubai: Dubai Health Authority.

Ref. H.6

DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY, 2012.

Diagnostic imaging services regulation. Dubai: Dubai

Health Authority.

Ref. H.7

DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY, 2013. Dental

laboratory regulation. Dubai: Dubai Health Authority.

Ref. H.8

DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY, 2014. School

clinic regulation. Dubai: Dubai Health Authority.

Ref. H.9

DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY, 2016.

Regulation for oncology services. Dubai: Dubai Health

Authority.

Ref. H.10

DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY, 2016.

Regulation for optical center and optometry services.

Dubai: Dubai Health Authority.

Ref. H.11

DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY, 2013.

Regulation for renal dialysis services. Dubai: Dubai

Health Authority.

Ref. H.12

DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY, 2019. DHA

Health facility guidelines – Part A – Administrative

provisions. Dubai: Dubai Health Authority.

Ref. H.13

DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY, 2019. DHA

Health facility guidelines – Part B – Health facility

briefing and design – Planning preliminaries. Dubai:

Dubai Health Authority.

Ref. H.14

DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY, 2019. DHA

Health facility guidelines – Part C – Access, mobility,

OH&S. Dubai: Dubai Health Authority.

Ref. H.15

DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY, 2019.

DHA Health facility guidelines – Part D – Infection

prevention and control. Dubai: Dubai Health Authority.

Ref. H.16

DUBAI HEALTH AUTHORITY, 2019. DHA

Health facility guidelines – Part E – Engineering.

Dubai: Dubai Health Authority.

H.3.1.2

HVAC and occupant comfort

ANSI/AMCA 230, Laboratory methods of testing air

circulating fans for rating and certification
ANSI/CSA FC 1, Stationary fuel cell power systems
ANSI MSS SP-69, Pipe hangers and supports –

Selection and application

ANSI/UL 181, Standard for factory-made air ducts

and air connectors
ANSI Z21.8, Installation of domestic gas conversion

burners

ASTM A53, Standard specification for pipe, steel, black

and hot-dipped, zinc-coated, welded and seamless

ASTM A106, Standard specification for seamless

carbon steel pipe for high-temperature service

ASTM A254, Standard specification for copper-brazed

steel tubing

ASTM A539, Standard specification for electric-

resistance-welded coiled steel tubing for gas and fuel

oil lines (withdrawn 2004)

ASTM B42, Standard specification for seamless copper

pipe, standard sizes

ASTM B43, Standard specification for seamless red

brass pipe, standard sizes

ASTM B75, Standard specification for seamless copper

tube

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 12

ASTM B88, Standard specification for seamless copper

water tube

ASTM B135, Standard specification for seamless brass

tube

ASTM B280, Standard specification for seamless

copper tube for air-conditioning and refrigeration field

service

ASTM B302, Standard specification for threadless

copper pipe, standard sizes

ASTM D2996, Standard specification for filament-

wound "fiberglass" (glass-fiber-reinforced

thermosetting-resin) pipe
ASTM E84, Standard test method for surface burning

characteristics of building materials
ASTM E2231, Standard practice for specimen

preparation and mounting of pipe and duct insulation

materials to assess surface burning characteristics

ASHRAE 15, Safety standard for refrigeration systems
ASHRAE 34, Designation and safety classification of

refrigerant

ASHRAE 52.2:2017, Method of testing general

ventilation air-cleaning devices for removal efficiency

by particle size

ASHRAE 62.1:2019, Ventilation and acceptable indoor

air quality

ASHRAE 62.2, Ventilation and acceptable indoor air

quality in residential buildings

ASHRAE 90.1:2019, Energy standard for buildings

except low-rise residential buildings

ASHRAE 111, Measurement, testing, adjusting, and

balancing of building HVAC systems
ASHRAE 154:2016, Ventilation for commercial cooking
ASHRAE 170, Ventilation of health care facilities
ASHRAE 169:2013, Climatic data for building design

standards

ASHRAE 180, Standard practice for inspection and

maintenance of commercial building HVAC systems

ASME CSD-1, Controls and safety devices for

automatically fired boilers

ASTM E779, Standard test method for determining air

leakage rate by fan pressurization

BS EN 13829, Thermal performance of buildings –

Determination of air permeability of buildings. Fan

pressurization method

DW/172, Specification for kitchen ventilation systems
ISO 16890-1, Air filters for general ventilation –

Part 1: Technical specifications, requirements and

classification system based upon particulate matter

efficiency (ePM)

ISO/IEC 17025, General requirements for the

competence of testing and calibration laboratories

NFPA 2, Hydrogen technologies code
NFPA 31, Standard for the installation of oil burning

equipment

NFPA 33, Standard for spray application using

flammable or combustible materials
NFPA 37, Standard for the installation and use of

stationary combustion engines and gas turbines

NFPA 54, National fuel gas code
NFPA 61, Standard for the prevention of fires and dust

explosions in agricultural and food processing facilities

NFPA 69, Standard on explosion prevention systems
NFPA 70, National electrical code
NFPA 85, Boiler and combustion systems hazards code
NFPA 88A, Standard for parking structures
NFPA 91, Standard for exhaust systems for air

conveying of vapors, gases, mists, and particulate solids

NFPA 211, Standard for chimneys, fireplaces, vents,

and solid fuel-burning appliances

NFPA 499, Recommended practice for the

classification of combustible dusts and of hazardous

(classified) locations for electrical installations in

chemical process areas

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 13

NFPA 654, Standard for the prevention of fire and dust

explosions from the manufacturing, processing, and

handling of combustible particulate solids

NFPA 853, Standard for the installation of stationary

fuel cell power systems

SMACNA, HVAC Duct construction standards,

depending on the specific application
UL 103, Standard for factory-built chimneys for

residential type and building heating appliances

UL 507, Standard for electric fans
UL 586, Standard for safety for high-efficiency,

particulate, air filter units
UL 641, Standard for type L low-temperature venting

systems

UL 723, Standard for test for surface burning

characteristics of building materials

UL 726, Standard for type L low-temperature venting

systems

UL 731, Standard for oil-fired unit heaters
UL 737, Standard for fireplace stoves
UL 834, Standard for heating, water supply, and power

boilers – Electric
UL 875, Standard for electric dry-bath heaters
UL 867, Standard for electrostatic air cleaners

UL 900, Standard for air filter units
UL 1261, Standard for electric water heaters for pools

and tubs

UL 1482, Standard for solid fuel type room heaters
UL 2200, Standard for stationary engine generator

assemblies

UAE.S 5010-5, Labelling – Energy efficiency label for

electrical appliances – Part 5: Commercial and central

air-conditioners

Ref. H.17

ASHRAE, 2019. ASHRAE Handbook –

HVAC applications. Atlanta, USA: American Society of

Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers

Inc.

Ref. H.18

ASHRAE, 2017. ASHRAE Handbook –

Fundamentals. Atlanta, USA: American Society of

Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers

Inc.

Ref. H.19

Dubai Central Laboratory Department,

2020. Specific rules for FA certification of low emitting

materials as per Al Sa’fat – Dubai Green Building

evaluation system. DM-DCLD-RD-DP21-2180 (IC).

Dubai: Dubai Municipality.

Ref. H.20

SMACNA, 2005. HVAC duct construction

standards – Metal and flexible. Virginia, USA: Sheet

Metal and Air-Conditioning Contractors National

Association.

Ref. H.21

SMACNA, 2003. Fibrous glass duct

construction standards. Virginia, USA: Sheet Metal and

Air-Conditioning Contractors National Association.

Ref. H.22

ASHRAE, 2020. ASHRAE Handbook – HVAC

systems and equipment. Atlanta, USA: American

Society of Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning

Engineers Inc.

Ref. H.23

ASME, 2019. Boiler and pressure vessel code.

New York, USA: The American Society of Mechanical

Engineers.

Ref. H.24

ASHRAE, 2018. ASHRAE Handbook –

Refrigeration. Atlanta, USA: American Society of

Heating Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers

Inc.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 14

H.3.1.3

Water supplies

BS EN 806, Specification for installations inside

buildings conveying water for human consumption
BS EN 1825-1, Grease separators. Principles of design,

performance, and testing, marking and quality control
BS EN 8558, Guide to the design, installation, testing

and maintenance of services supplying water for

domestic use within their buildings and their curtilages
BS 5422, Method for specifying thermal insulating

materials for pipes, tanks, vessels, ductwork and

equipment operating within a temperature range

-40 °C to +700 °C

Ref. H.25

HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE, 2013.

Approved Code of Practice L8 – Legionnaires’ disease

– The control of legionella bacteria in water systems.

London: HSE.

Ref. H.26

HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE, 2013.

Legionnaires’ disease – Technical guidance – Part 1:

The control of legionella bacteria in evaporative cooling

systems. HSG274 Part 1. London: HSE.

Ref. H.27

HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE, 2014.

Legionnaires’ disease – Technical guidance – Part 2:

The control of legionella bacteria in hot and cold water

systems. HSG274 Part 2. London: HSE.

Ref. H.28

HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE, 2013.

Legionnaires’ disease – Technical guidance – Part 3:

The control of legionella bacteria in other risk systems.

HSG274 Part 3. London: HSE.

Ref. H.29

HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE, 2017.

Control of legionella and other infectious agents in

spa-pool systems. HSG272. London: HSE.

Ref. H.30

HEALTH AND SAFETY EXECUTIVE, 2014.

Health and safety in care homes. HSG220. London:

HSE.

Ref. H.31

GREAT BRITAIN. Water Industry Act 1999.

The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations.

London: The Stationery Office.

Ref. H.32

DUBAI ELECTRICITY AND WATER

AUTHORITY (DEWA). Circulars and Regulations

[online database]. Available from:

www.dewa.gov.ae/

en/builder/useful-tools/dewa-circulars

Ref. H.33

DUBAI MUNICIPALITY HEALTH AND

SAFETY DEPARTMENT, 2010 (undergoing revision).

Guidelines for the control of Legionella in water

systems. Dubai: Dubai Municipality.

Ref. H.34

DUBAI MUNICIPALITY HEALTH AND

SAFETY DEPARTMENT, 2020. Private swimming pools

safety guidelines. DM-PH&SD-GU80-PRSPS2. Dubai:

Dubai Municipality.

Ref. H.35

DUBAI MUNICIPALITY HEALTH AND

SAFETY DEPARTMENT, 2019. Public swimming pools

safety guidelines. DM-PH&SD-GU81-PSPS2. Dubai:

Dubai Municipality.

Ref. H.36

DUBAI ELECTRICITY AND WATER

AUTHORITY (DEWA). 2020. Water transmission

planning guidelines for development projects. Dubai:

Water Transmission Planning Department.

H.3.1.4

Drainage

BS EN 124-1, Gully tops and manhole tops for

vehicular and pedestrian areas – Definitions,

classification, general principles of design, performance

requirements and test methods
BS EN 752, Drain and sewer systems outside buildings
BS EN 1329-1, Plastic piping systems for soil and

waste discharge (low and high temperature) within the

building structure – Unplasticized poly(vinyl chloride)

(PVC-U) – Specification for pipes and fittings

BS EN 1610, Construction and testing of drains and

sewers
BS EN 8588, Separator systems for light liquids (oil

and petrol) – Principles of product design, performance

testing, marking and control
BS EN 12056, Gravity drainage systems inside

buildings

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 15

BS EN 12380, Air admittance valves for drainage

systems – Requirements, test methods and evaluation

of conformity
BS EN 13476, Plastic piping systems for non-pressure

underground drainage and sewerage – Structured

wall piping systems of plasticized poly vinyl chloride

(PVC-U), polypropylene – General requirements and

performance characteristics

BS 5255, Specification for thermoplastic waste

pipework and fittings

BS 6297, Code or practice for the design and

installation of drainage fields for use in wastewater

treatment

H.3.1.5

Lighting

ASHRAE 90.1, Energy standard for buildings except

low-rise residential buildings

BS EN 12464-1, Light and lighting – Lighting of work

places – Part 1: Indoor work places
ISO 8995-1, Lighting of work places – Part 1: Indoor

Ref. H.37

ILLUMINATING ENGINEERING SOCIETY,

2011. The lighting handbook: Reference and

application. 10th ed. USA: IES.

H.3.1.6

Commissioning

Ref. H.38

CIBSE, 2006. Commissioning Code A: Air

distribution systems. London: CIBSE.

Ref. H.39

CIBSE, 2002. Commissioning Code B: Boilers.

London: CIBSE.

Ref. H.40

CIBSE, 2001. Commissioning Code C:

Automatic controls. London: CIBSE.

Ref. H.41

CIBSE, 2002. Commissioning Code R:

Refrigerating systems. London: CIBSE.

Ref. H.42

CIBSE, 2010. Commissioning Code W: Water

distribution systems. London: CIBSE.

Ref. H.43

CIBSE, 2018. Commissioning Code L:

Lighting. England: CIBSE.

H.3.1.7

Acoustics

BS 8233, Guidance on sound insulation and noise

reduction for buildings

Ref. H.44

GREAT BRITAIN, 2015. The Building

Regulations, 2010, Approved Document E: Resistance

to the passage of sound. London: The National Building

Specification (NBS).

Ref. H.45

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, 2013. Health

Technical Memorandum 08-01: Acoustics. Surrey:

HMSO.

Ref. H.46

THE FACILITY GUIDELINES INSTITUTE,

2014. Guidelines for design and construction of

hospitals and outpatient facilities. USA: American

Hospital Association.

Ref. H.47

DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION, 2015.

Building Bulletin 93 (BB93): Acoustic design of schools

– Performance standards. London: Department for

Education.

Ref. H.48

BRITISH COUNCIL FOR OFFICES, 2019.

Guide to specification. London: BCO.

Ref. H.49

FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION,

2018. Transit noise and vibration impact assessment

manual. Washington: U.S. Department of

Transportation.

Ref. H.50

ASSOCIATION OF NOISE CONSULTANTS,

2020. Measurement and assessment of ground borne

noise and vibration (red book). London: Association of

Noise Consultants.

H.3.1.8

Digital services enablement and ICT

BS EN 13501-6, Fire classification of construction

products and building elements – Classification using

data from reaction to fire tests on power, control and

communication cables

IEC 60332-1-2, Tests on electrical and optical fibre

cables under fire conditions – Part 1-2: Test for

vertical flame propagation for a single wire of cable –

Procedure for 1kW pre-mixed flame
IEC 60332-3, Tests on electrical and optical fibre

cables under fire conditions – Part 3-10: Test for

vertical flame propagation for bunched cables

IEEE 802.3, Standard for ethernet (and suite of

standards and protocols)

ISO 16739-1, Industry Foundation Classes (IFC)

for data sharing in the construction and facility

management industries – Part 1: Data schema

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 16

ISO 19650, Organization and digitization of

information about buildings and civil engineering

works, including building information modelling

(BIM) — Information management using building

information modelling.

ISO 29481-1, Building information models –

Information delivery manual – Part 1: Methodology

and format

ISO/IEC 11801-1, Information technology – Generic

cabling for customer premises – Part 1: General

requirements

ISO/IEC 11801-2, Information technology – Generic

cabling for customer premises – Part 2: Office

premises

ISO/IEC 11801-3, Information technology – Generic

cabling for customer premises – Part 3: Industrial

premises

ISO/IEC 11801-4, Information technology – Generic

cabling for customer premises – Part 4: Single-tenant

homes

ISO/IEC 11801-5, Information technology – Generic

cabling for customer premises – Part 5: Data centres
ISO/IEC 11801-6, Information technology – Generic

cabling for customer premises – Part 6: Distributed

building services

ISO/IEC 14763-1, Information technology –

Implementation and operation of customer premises

cabling – Part 1: Administration
ISO/IEC 14763-2, Information technology –

Implementation and operation of customer premises

cabling – Part 2: Planning and installation
ISO/IEC 14763-3, Information technology –

Implementation and operation of customer premises

cabling – Part 3: Testing of optical fibre cabling
ISO/IEC 30129, Information technology –

Telecommunications bonding networks for buildings

and other structures

ISO/IEC 30141, Internet of Things (IoT) – Reference

architecture.
ISO/IEC 61158, Industrial communication networks

– Fieldbus specifications – Part 1: Overview and

guidance for the IEC 61158 and IEC 61784 series

Ref. H.51

TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY

AUTHORITY, 2018. Internet of Things (IoT) Regulatory

Policy v1.0. Telecommunications. UAE: TRA.

Ref. H.52

TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY

AUTHORITY, 2019. Internet of Things (IoT) Regulatory

Procedure v1.0. UAE: TRA.

Ref. H.53

BUILDING DEVICE NAMING STANDARD

(BDNS). Available from:

github.com/theodi/BDNS

[viewed: 08 September 2020].

Ref. H.54

TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY

AUTHORITY, 2009. Use of 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands

for Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) and radio

local area network (RLAN) v1.0. UAE: TRA.

Ref. H.55

TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY

AUTHORITY, 2016. Regulations for fixed radio

systems, v2.0. UAE: TRA.

Ref. H.56

TELECOMMUNICATIONS REGULATORY

AUTHORITY, 2019. TS HS 001 – Technical

specification – Requirements for health and safety.

UAE: TRA.

Ref. H.57

INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON

NON-IONIZING RADIATION PROTECTION, 2020.

Guidelines for limiting exposure to electromagnetic

fields (100 KHz to 300 GHz). Oberschleissheim:

ICNIRP.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 17

H.3.2

Further reading

H.3.2.1

Water supplies and drainage

BS EN 12201, Polyethylene (PE) pipes for water

supply, and for drainage and sewerage under pressure

– Dimensions

BS 6700, Design, installation, testing and maintenance

of service supplying water for domestic use within

buildings and their curtilages – Specification
CHARTED INSTITUTION OF BUILDING SERVICES

ENGINEERS, 2014. Guide G – Public health and

plumbing engineering guide. London: CIBSE.
CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF PLUMBING AND

HEATING ENGINEERING, 2002. Plumbing engineering

services design guide. Essex: CIPHE.

H.3.2.2

Acoustics

INSTITUTE OF ACOUSTICS AND ASSOCIATION OF

NOISE CONSULTANTS, 2014. Acoustics of Schools: A

design guide. London: IOA and ANC.

H.3.2.3

Digital services enablement and ICT

BICSI, 2020. Telecommunications distribution methods

manual (TDMM), 14th edition. Florida: BICSI.

ANSI/BICSI 007-2020, Information communication

technology design and implementation practices for

intelligent buildings and premises. Florida: BICSI.

ANSI/BICSI 003-2018, Building information modelling

(BIM). Florida: BICSI.

BICSI, 2018. Information technology systems.

Installation methods manual, 7th edition. Florida:

BICSI.
BICSI, 2018. Essential of bonding and grounding, 1st

edition. Florida: BICSI.

Brick Schema. Available from <

brickschema.org/

[viewed 8 September 2020].

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 18

H.4 HVAC systems and occupant comfort

H.4.1

General

This section sets out the minimum requirements and basis of design for heating,

ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems and thermal comfort within

buildings. Relevant sustainability criteria and cross-references to

UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

are included.

HVAC systems shall be designed to minimize energy usage and ensure the comfort of

building occupants. Systems shall be selected to ensure long life, easy maintenance,

and simple and effective controls.

For systems or applications not covered by this section, design solutions and

guidance shall be obtained from the current edition of the ASHRAE handbooks,

guides and standards.
The requirements for healthcare buildings, and all relevant codes and standards, are

identified within the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) Regulations

[Ref. H.2 to Ref. H.11]

and DHA Health facility guidelines

[Ref. H.12 to Ref. H.16]

H.4.2

Protection of structure

The building or structure shall not be weakened by the installation of mechanical

systems.
Mechanical equipment to be supported by the structure and any associated seismic

bracing shall be coordinated with the Structural Engineer. Installation of mechanical

systems over structural joints should be avoided. If that is not possible, flexible

ducts/pipes may be used.
Where any portion of the building or structure needs to be altered or replaced in the

process of installing or repairing any mechanical system, the building or structure

shall be left in a safe structural condition in accordance with

Part F

Penetrations of floor/ceiling assemblies, and any assemblies that are required to have

a fire-resistance rating, shall be protected in accordance with Section 3, Ch. 1 of UAE

FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

H.4.3

Equipment and appliance location

HVAC equipment and appliances shall not be installed in a hazardous location unless

listed and approved for the specific installation.
Fuel-fired appliances shall not be in, or obtain combustion air from, any of the

following rooms or spaces:
a)  sleeping rooms;
b)  bathrooms;
c)  toilet rooms;
d)  storage closets;
e)  surgical rooms.
This subsection does not apply to direct-vent appliances that obtain all combustion

air directly from the outdoors.
Appliances shall not be installed where they might be subject to mechanical damage

unless protected by approved barriers.
Appliances installed in outdoor locations shall be approved by the Authority for

outdoor installation.
Mechanical equipment and systems shall not be installed in an elevator shaft.
Individual heat rejection equipment having a power rating greater than 4.0 kW, and

which exhausts externally, shall be installed not less than 3 m above the external

ground level of the building.
To reduce damage to property from leaks, fan coil units shall be installed in wet areas

in residential apartment buildings.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 19

H.4.4

Access and service space

HVAC equipment and appliances shall be accessible for inspection, service, repair and

replacement. Access shall not necessitate disabling the function of a fire-resistance-

rated assembly, or removing any of the following:
a)  permanent construction;
b)  other appliances; and
c)  venting systems or other piping or ducts not connected to the appliance being

inspected, serviced, repaired or replaced.

The requirements given in ASHRAE 180 shall be met for HVAC systems.
A level working space at least 762 mm × 762 mm shall be provided in front of the

control side to service an appliance. Rooms containing appliances shall be provided

with a door and an unobstructed access path measuring not less than

915 mm wide × 2.3 m high. Where equipment and appliances requiring access are

installed on roofs or elevated structures at a height exceeding 4,800 mm, such access

shall be provided by a permanent approved means of access.

H.4.5

Acoustic requirements and noise criteria

Ch. 49, Table 1 of the ASHRAE HVAC applications handbook

[Ref. H.17]

identifies

design guidelines for acceptable noise levels for HVAC-related background noise

for a range of typical building and room types. These design guidelines shall be

used as the basis for determining acceptable noise levels for the specific occupancy.

If a higher or lower value is considered desirable, an analysis of economics, space

use and user needs shall be obtained from an Acoustic Consultant to determine an

appropriate value.
An experienced Acoustic Consultant shall be engaged to provide guidance on

acoustically critical spaces such as (but not limited to) audio control rooms,

broadcasting studios, places of worship, lecture theatres, cinemas, shopping malls,

gymnasium located over habitable spaces, school auditoria and for all performing arts

spaces.

NOTE: Further details are given in H.10.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 20

H.4.6

Building HVAC energy load

H.4.6.1

General

Building HVAC loads typically dominate a building’s energy consumption (see

Figure H.1). To minimize the building HVAC energy load, the envelope design and

fabric selections shall meet the minimum performance requirements for the building

envelope (see

Part E

) and, where necessary, the building energy load targets

identified in ASHRAE 90.1.

Figure H.1 Typical building energy load profile

The energy load of air-conditioned buildings shall be calculated in accordance with

H.4.6.2 to H.4.6.7.

H.4.6.2

Outdoor design conditions

The design criteria values shown in Table H.1 shall be used for outdoor design

conditions in Dubai.

Design criteria

Value to be used

Dry bulb temperature

46 °C

Wet-bulb temperature

29 °C

Dubai city latitude (North)

25 °N

Extent of variation in the temperature on the day

of design (outdoor daily range)

13.8 °C

Climate zone

0B (as given in Table a-6 of ASHRAE 169:2013)

Table H.1

Outdoor design conditions for Dubai

H.4.6.3

Indoor design conditions

The design criteria values shown in Table H.2 shall be used for indoor design

conditions in Dubai.

Design criteria

Value to be used

Dry bulb temperature

24 °C ±1.5 °C

Relative humidity

50% ±5%

Table H.2

Indoor design conditions for Dubai

Key

01: AHU – 5%
02: Auxillary equipment and loads – 15%
03: Chiller – 35%
04: FCU – 10%
05: Lights – 10%
06: Package AC units – 5%
07: Primary pump – 5%
08: Secondary pump – 5%
09: Split AC – 10%

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 21

Indoor design conditions might vary depending on the occupancy or use of the

building. The ASHRAE HVAC applications handbook

[Ref. H.17]

shall be used as the

reference for all indoor design conditions for specific occupancies or usage.

When diversity factors to be used in heat load calculations are not known, the

coefficients indicated in ASHRAE Fundamentals handbook

[Ref. H.18]

, Ch. 18 shall

be used.
The following safety factors shall be applied:

a) sensible heat: ≤10%;
b) latent heat: ≤5%.

H.4.6.4

Outdoor air design conditions

All buildings that are fully air-conditioned shall be provided with an outdoor air

system. The system shall ensure that the building is provided with treated outdoor

air for at least 95% of the year. The following maximum design temperatures shall be

used:
a) dry bulb temperature: 34 °C;
b) wet bulb temperature: 32 °C.

H.4.6.5

Heat gain and loss calculations

Heat load calculations shall be carried out for each air-conditioned space, including

peak load incidence in that space. The calculations shall be carried out using software

registered with the Authority.

H.4.6.6

External load criteria

The building envelope shall meet the requirements in

Part E

to determine thermal

transmittance and shading coefficients.

The following parameters shall be taken into account in the building load calculations:
a) building envelope orientation;
b) building envelope design and construction details;
c)

building floor plans;

d) building elevations and sections;
e) impact of external shading factors (see

E.5.3

); and

f) any special requirements for the building use or operation.

H.4.6.7

Internal load criteria

H.4.6.7.1 Occupancy

The total number of occupants within the building shall be determined based on

room occupancy data provided by the client or Architect. Occupant loads shall be

determined in accordance with

B.5.1

Where occupancy density for each space is not identified, the default occupancy

density values stated in ASHRAE 62.1, ASHRAE 62.2 and ASHRAE 170 shall be

used.

H.4.6.7.2 Lighting

Project-specific lighting loads shall be used. Where lighting loads are not available,

they shall be determined based on the recommendations in ASHRAE 90.1.

H.4.6.7.3 Electrical equipment loads

Project specific electrical equipment loads shall be used. Where equipment loads are

not available, they shall be as recommended in ASHRAE 90.1 for each application

type.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 22

H.4.7

Thermal comfort criteria

HVAC systems shall be capable of providing the range of internal conditions in

Table H.3, for 95% of the year.

Variable

Lower limit

Upper limit

Dry bulb temperature

22.5 °C

25.5 °C

Relative humidity

30% (min)

60% (max)

Table H.3

Thermal comfort requirements

For occupant comfort, normal occupied spaces shall have an average air velocity

between 0.2 m/s and 0.3 m/s.

H.4.8

Energy conservation and efficiency: building systems

H.4.8.1

Minimum efficiency of HVAC systems

HVAC equipment and systems shall meet the minimum energy efficiency

requirements and test procedures, approved by Emirates Authority for

Standardization and Metrology (ESMA), as specified in the following tables of

UAE.S 5010-5:
a)  Table 1: Split and packaged unit including cassette type unit;
b)  Table 2: Water source heat pumps;
c)  Table 4: Multiple split unit.

Chillers shall meet the minimum efficiency requirements and test procedures given in

Table 6.8.1 to Table 6.8.3 of ASHRAE 90.1:2019.

The chiller equipment requirements shall be met for all chillers, including those where

the leaving fluid design temperature is <4.5 °C.

H.4.8.2

Exhaust air energy recovery

For buildings with a requirement for treated outdoor air of over 1,000 l/s, energy

recovery systems shall be provided to handle at least 50% of the total exhausted

air. The energy recovery systems shall have at least 70% sensible load recovery

efficiency.
Figure H.2 shows a typical energy recovery wheel.

Figure H.2

Ventilation energy recovery thermal wheel

Key

01: Plate heat exchanger

02: Rotary heat exchanger

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 23

H.4.8.3

Demand controlled ventilation

Demand controlled ventilation (DCV) using carbon dioxide (CO

) sensing shall be

used in spaces larger than 100 m

and having a maximum design occupancy density

greater than or equal to 25 people per 100 m

. Default occupancy density values

from ASHRAE 62.1 and ASHRAE 62.2, shall be used when the actual occupancy is

not known.
CO

concentration set-point shall be kept below 800 ppm.

An alarm shall be triggered if CO

concentration rises above 1,000 ppm. This alarm

can either be automatically monitored by a central control system, if available, or give

a local audible or visual indication when activated.

For all buildings with DCV, the CO

sensors and systems shall be checked and

recalibrated in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Recalibration

shall be carried out at intervals not exceeding 12 months, and shall be carried out by

specialized companies.

H.4.8.4

Pipe and duct insulation

The following shall be insulated to minimize heat loss and prevent condensation:
a) all pipes carrying refrigerant, hot water or chilled water; and
b) ducts supplying conditioned air (including prefabricated ducts).
This shall include pipes and ducts passing through conditioned and unconditioned

spaces.
Pipes and ducts shall be encased in thermal insulation in accordance with BS 5422

or ASHRAE 90.1.

H.4.9

Infiltration/air leakage

H.4.9.1

Performance

Air-conditioned buildings with a cooling load of 1 MW or greater shall achieve an

air leakage that does not exceed 5 m

/h/m

into or out of the building, at an applied

pressure difference of 50 Pa.
Air tightness testing shall be carried out to verify compliance, in accordance with

BS EN 13829 or ASTM E779 or as approved by the Authority.
Positive pressure, with respect to atmosphere, shall always be maintained in the

building.

H.4.9.2

Air loss from entrances/exits

Loss of conditioned air from a main entrance to an air-conditioned building shall

be mitigated by a lobby or door barrier system.

H.4.10 Ventilation and air quality

H.4.10.1 General

An adequate supply of outdoor air shall be provided to facilitate the health

and comfort of the occupants of buildings and to limit condensation.
Adequate space pressurization shall be provided to reduce moisture and contaminant

transfer between adjacent spaces, thereby reducing contamination of occupied

spaces and unwanted condensation and mould growth. Space pressurization

(via return, transfer or exhaust air) in space or location shall be designed at an

expected air quality classification in accordance with the Authority requirements

(if any) or refer to tables 5.16.1, 6.2.2.1, 6.5 of ASHRAE 62.1:2019.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 24

H.4.10.2 Minimum ventilation requirements for adequate indoor air quality

All air-conditioned buildings shall be ventilated either mechanically or by mixed mode.

They shall meet the minimum requirements of ASHRAE 62.1, ASHRAE 62.2 and

ASHRAE 170.

Occupancy density shall be determined in accordance with

B.5.1

where possible.

If the occupancy is not listed in

B.5.1

, the outdoor air flow rate shall be based

on the default occupancy density values stated in ASHRAE 62.1, ASHRAE 62.2

and ASHRAE 170.

H.4.10.3 Indoor air quality

Air filters for general ventilation shall meet the efficiency classification given

in ISO 16890-1 based upon particulate matter.

The maximum limit for the indoor air contaminants stated in Table H.4 shall

not be exceeded.
Indoor air quality testing shall be carried out prior to occupancy. A test report

showing compliance with these requirements shall be submitted to the Authority.

Contaminant

Maximum limit

Sampling duration

Formaldehyde

<0.08 (ppm)

Total volatile organic compound

(TVOC)

<300 μg/m³

8 h continuous monitoring (8 h

time-weighted average [TWA])

Suspended Particulates

(<10 μm)

<150 μg/m³

Table H.4

Schedule, duration of sampling and maximum limit for contaminants

Air quality testing shall be carried out by specialized companies or laboratories

accredited by the Authority.

Air quality testing equipment shall have an initial and periodical calibration certificate

as specified in ISO/IEC 17025. Calibration certification shall be carried out either

annually or as specified by the manufacturer, whichever is the more frequent,

and shall be carried out by an external calibration facility, accredited by the Authority.

The initial and periodical calibration certificates shall be saved in a dedicated register.

The calibration certificate shall be checked by the Authority to validate the accuracy

of the readings. Calibration certificates shall also be provided when renewing

the indoor air quality certificate of the building.

Paints, coatings, adhesives and sealants used in the building shall not exceed

the allowed limits for volatile organic compound (VOC) specified by the Dubai

Central Laboratory

[Ref. H.19]

. These materials shall be accredited/certified from

Dubai Central Laboratory, or any other laboratory approved by the Authority.

Carpet systems (carpets or new permanently installed carpet padding) shall

be certified/accredited by the Dubai Central Laboratory, or any other laboratory

approved by the Authority. Carpets shall not be installed in labour accommodation,

educational facilities or any other places as determined by the Authority.

NOTE: Alternative filtration techniques, such as electronic filters and air cleaners

using photocatalytic oxidation, should be approved by the Authority prior to

installation/use due to negative health effects that can arise from exposure to ozone

and its volatile reaction products. Substantial technical evidence is required on the

use of these techniques and should be validated by international agencies and test

standards. They are not considered to be a replacement for mechanical filtration,

but can be used as aids to achieve better indoor air quality.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 25

H.4.10.4

Air inlets and exhausts

Outdoor air inlets for all ventilation systems, including doors, operable windows and

mixed mode ventilation systems, shall be located at a suitable distance from potential

sources of contamination as specified in ASHRAE 62.1, ASHRAE 62.2 and the

ASHRAE HVAC applications handbook

[Ref. H.17]

NOTE: This is to reduce the possibility of odour, smoke or other air contaminants

entering the ventilation system.

Exhaust air shall be discharged in such a way that it does not get drawn back into the

building or the building ventilation system. It also shall not become a nuisance to the

building occupants or occupants of nearby buildings or to pedestrians.
Air inlets and exhaust louvers/vents shall be positioned such as to prevent

recirculation of air, and separated by a distance not less than the minimum given in

Table 5-1 of ASHRAE 62.1:2019. Air inlets and exhausts shall be located relative to

prevailing wind directions, using wind rose diagrams for the building. Air inlets shall

be positioned at upwind or windward direction. Exhausts (such as from kitchens,

toilets and smoke extract) shall discharge at downwind or leeward direction.
Intake air shall be drawn into the system through sand trap louvers sized for at

least 1 m/s across the face area of the louver, to provide an 80% or higher filtration

efficiency at coarse sand grain size (355 μm to 425 μm).

H.4.10.5 Isolation of pollutant sources

All buildings with activities producing hazardous fumes or chemicals (such as print

rooms and laboratories) shall be provided with dedicated air extraction systems for

those spaces. The system shall create negative pressure and exhaust the fumes or

chemicals, to prevent them from entering adjacent rooms.

H.4.10.6 Pandemic air quality measures

The recent pandemic has meant that many Owners and tenants are looking to

enhance ventilation solutions to improve air quality and to control airborne diseases

and pollutants. The research and technologies in this field are evolving and later

editions of the DBC might include specific design requirements. In the interim,

Owners wishing to add filtration and purification systems to control airborne

infectious diseases in epidemic/pandemic situations, or to control bacterial pollutants

in the air, shall consult the Authorized Department in DM for advice and approval of

the proposed technology.

H.4.11 Natural ventilation

Natural ventilation of occupied spaces via windows, doors or other openings is

permitted but shall not be relied upon to provide ventilation and thermal comfort.

Operating mechanisms for such openings shall be accessible so that the openings are

readily operable by the building occupants.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 26

H.4.12 Mechanical ventilation

H.4.12.1 General

The ventilation system design and selection shall be determined by the mechanical

design Engineer for the given application, taking into account all relevant issues

associated with the building design, usage, configuration and commissioning,

operation and maintenance of the system.
Mechanical ventilation shall be provided by a method of supply air and return or

exhaust air (see Figure H.3). The amount of supply air shall be approximately equal

to the amount of return and exhaust air. The system shall not be prohibited from

producing negative or positive pressure. Air handling units shall deliver filtered and

conditioned air within the building. Air handling units shall be American Heating and

Refrigeration Institute or Eurovent certified.

Mechanical ventilation installations shall meet the requirements given in Ch. 16 of

the ASHRAE Fundamentals handbook

[Ref. H.18]

Figure H.3

1998. Modified figure based on Figure 1, Good practice guide 257, The Department of the Environment,

Transport and the Regions (DETR). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government

Licence v3.0)

Key

01: Exhaust air outlet

02: Exhaust air louver

03: Shut-off damper

04: Heat recovery (alternative to recirculation,

if required)

05: Fresh air intake – Sandtrap louver

06: Outdoor air intake

07: Supply/extract fan

08: Recirculating damper (if required)

09: Mixing box (if required)

10: Filter

11: Cooling coil

12: Dehumidifier (if required)

13: Attenuator

14: Recirculation system (if required)

15: Draw-through arrangement (refer to SMACNA)

16: Extract grille

17: Control

18: Occupied zone

19: Air terminal units coupled with, but not limited to;

a) Constant air volume system;

b) Variable air volume system;

c) Fan coil units.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 27

H.4.12.2 Ducts and duct connectors

Duct sizing shall be based on the recommended velocity and pressure drop ranges

given in Ch. 21 of the ASHRAE Fundamentals handbook

[Ref. H.18]

All metallic duct systems shall be constructed in accordance with SMACNA HVAC

duct construction standards – Metal and flexible

[Ref. H.20]

Ch. 10 of UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

requires flexible air ducts to be tested and classified

in accordance with ANSI/UL 181, and only used when the air temperature in the

ducts does not exceed 250 °C or as vertical ducts serving not more than two adjacent

stories in height.

In accordance with Ch. 10 of UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

, pipe and duct insulation and

coverings, duct linings, vapour retarder facings, adhesives, fasteners, tapes and

supplementary materials added to air ducts, plenums, panels, and duct silencers used

in duct systems, shall have, in the form in which they are used, a maximum flame

spread index of 25 without evidence of continued progressive combustion and a

maximum smoke developed index of 50 when tested in accordance with ASTM E84

or UL 723. When fire testing pipe and duct insulation and coverings, duct linings (and

their adhesives and tapes), the specimen preparation and mounting procedures of

ASTM E2231 shall be followed.

Fibrous duct construction shall conform to the latest SMACNA fibrous glass duct

construction standards

[Ref. H.21]

Flexible duct connectors shall not pass through any wall, partition, or enclosure of a

vertical shaft that is required to have a fire resistance rating of 1 h or more. Flexible

duct connectors shall not pass through floors.
In accordance with Ch. 10 of UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

, ventilation ducts shall not pass

through smokeproof enclosures, exit stairs, exit passageways or (unless unavoidable)

the firefighting lobby. Where having the ventilation duct within the firefighting lobby

cannot be avoided, that part of the duct that is within the lobby shall be enclosed in

fire-resisting construction at least equal to that of the elements of structure.

H.4.12.3 Shafts as air ducts

In accordance with Ch. 10 of UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

, shafts used for air ducts shall not

accommodate:
a) exhaust ducts used for the removal of smoke- and grease-laden vapours from

cooking equipment;

ducts used for the removal of flammable vapours;

c) ducts used for moving, conveying, or transporting stock, vapour, or dust;
d)

ducts used for the removal of non-flammable corrosive fumes and vapours;

e) refuse and linen chutes;
f) piping, except for non-combustible piping conveying water or other non-

hazardous or nontoxic materials; and

g) combustible storage.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 28

H.4.12.4 Plenums

Plenum design shall meet the requirements given in the ASHRAE Fundamentals

handbook

[Ref. H.18]

and in Table 10.1, Ch. 10 of UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

Supply, return, exhaust, relief and ventilation air plenums shall be limited to

uninhabited crawl spaces, areas above a ceiling or below the floor, attic spaces and

mechanical equipment rooms. Plenums shall be limited to one fire compartment.

Fuel-fired appliances shall not be installed within a plenum.

Plenum enclosures shall be constructed of non-combustible materials permitted for

the type of construction classification of the building.

All materials within plenums shall be non-combustible or as permitted by Table 10.1,

Ch. 10 of UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

Plenums shall not be used as part of a smoke management system.

H.4.12.5

Air filters

HVAC systems shall be provided with approved air filters to the minimum

recommended efficiency reporting value in accordance with the ASHRAE HVAC

systems and equipment handbook

[Ref. H.22]

and in Table E-1 of

ASHRAE 52.2:2017. Filters shall also be installed in the return air system, upstream

from any heat exchanger or cooling coil.

Media type air filters shall conform to UL 900.
High efficiency particulate air filters shall conform to UL 586.
Electrostatic-type air filters shall conform to UL 867.
Air filters utilized within dwelling units shall be designed for the intended application

and are not required to be approved.

Ducts shall be constructed to allow an even distribution of air over the entire filter.

Ductwork shall be effectively sealed to limit air leakage in the system. The application

of duct sealing and air leakage shall meet the requirements of ASHRAE 111 and

SMACNA HVAC duct construction standards, depending on the specific application.

H.4.12.6 Ductwork air leakage

Air ductwork shall be designed, built and installed in such a way as to minimize air

leakage.
The following shall be pressure tested prior to occupancy:
a) ductwork attached to equipment and having an external static pressure of more

than 250 Pa;

b) ductwork exposed to external ambient conditions or within unconditioned spaces.
Pressure testing shall be carried out in accordance with the Authority’s approved

methodology to verify that air leakage does not exceed the permitted maximum.
Ductwork leakage testing shall be carried out by a company that is specialized in

commissioning of buildings and is approved by the Authority.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 29

H.4.12.7

Exhaust ventilation systems

Mechanical exhaust ventilation systems (see Figure H.4) shall meet the requirements

of the ASHRAE Fundamentals handbook

[Ref. H.18]

and ASHRAE 62.1.

The air removed by every mechanical exhaust system shall be discharged outdoors

at a point where it will not cause a nuisance and at distances no less than those

specified in Table 5-1 of ASHRAE 62.1:2019. The air shall be discharged to a location

from which it cannot again be readily drawn in by a ventilating system. Air shall not

be exhausted into an attic or crawl space.

on Figure 1, Good practice guide 257, The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR).

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0)

Key

01: Exhaust air outlet

02: Positively pressurized extract ductwork shall

02:

not run within the occupied spaces

03: Wet or contaminated zone

04: Occupied zone

05: Supply air through air inlet

06: Exhaust air louver

07: Relief air damper

08: Filter

09: Extract fan

10: Extract grille

11: Control

H.4.12.8

Mechanical ventilation in fire mode

HVAC systems in a building shall be designed to shut down automatically in a fire,

unless they are an integral part of a smoke management system.
Air duct smoke detectors shall be provided in accordance with Ch. 10 of

UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

Each air distribution system shall be provided with at least one manually operable

means for stopping the operation of the supply, return, and exhaust fan(s) in an

emergency.
The means of manual operation shall be located in the emergency command centre

or in a dedicated protected room.

H.4.12.9 Fire and smoke dampers

Fire dampers, smoke dampers and/or combined fire and smoke dampers shall be

provided as required by Ch. 10 of UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

H.4.12.10 Smoke control and pressurization systems

Smoke control and pressurization systems shall be provided when required by

Section 3, Ch. 10 of UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

. The design of the systems shall be in

accordance with Ch. 10 of UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

NOTE: Roof ventilation systems as required by Table 10.26, Ch. 10 of

UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

are no longer mandated by Dubai Civil Defence (DCD) for

warehouses <900 m² in built-up ground floor areas.

The installation of electrical wiring and equipment associated with smoke control

systems shall be in accordance with NFPA 70.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 30

H.4.12.11 Ventilation for vehicle parking areas

Mechanical ventilation shall be provided to ensure the carbon monoxide (CO)

concentration within enclosed parking areas (see

B.7.2.3.2

) is maintained below

50 ppm. The concentration shall be maintained by providing at least six outside air

changes per hour, or by installing a variable air volume ventilation system that is

controlled by an input response from the CO monitoring equipment.
CO monitoring equipment shall be installed, with at least one CO sensor per 400 m

floor area of parking. An audible alarm shall be triggered when the CO concentration

reaches or exceeds 75 ppm in at least 5% of the monitored locations.

Outdoor air shall be provided for each parking level.

Occupied areas, such as offices, shopping centres, hotels, elevator lobbies, waiting

rooms and ticket booths connected to an enclosed parking space, shall be supplied

with conditioned air under positive pressure when compared with the adjoining

parking area.

For smoke clearance purposes, ventilation systems shall be capable of providing ten

air changes per hour and shall meet the requirements of Section 3.5, Ch. 10 of

UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

Where a building management system (BMS) is installed, CO concentration shall be

monitored to allow real time profiling and management of air quality.

CO monitoring equipment shall be checked and recalibrated every 6 months or

according to manufacturer specification by a specialized calibration company,

certified by the Authority.

Natural ventilation of vehicle parking areas shall conform to

B.7.2.3.2

and NFPA 88A.

NOTE: The definition of open parking in NFPA 88A exceeds the current requirements

of UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

, but DCD refers to NFPA 88A as it supersedes the edition

referenced in UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

H.4.12.12 Motors and fans

Motors and fans shall be sized to provide the required air movement and shall

conform to Ch. 21 and Ch. 45 of the ASHRAE HVAC systems and equipment

handbook

[Ref. H.22]

Motors in areas that contain flammable vapours or dusts shall be of a type approved

for such environments.
A manually operated remote control, installed at an approved location, shall be

provided to shut off fans or blowers in flammable vapour or dust systems.

Electrical equipment and appliances used in operations that generate explosive or

flammable vapours, fumes or dusts shall be interlocked with the ventilation system so

that the equipment and appliances cannot be operated unless the ventilation fans are

in operation.

Motors for fans used to convey flammable vapours or dusts shall be located outside

the duct or shall be protected with approved shields and dustproofing. Motors and

fans shall be provided with a means of access for servicing and maintenance.

Parts of fans in contact with explosive or flammable vapours, fumes or dusts shall be

of non-ferrous or non-sparking materials, or their casing shall be lined or constructed

of such material. When the size and hardness of materials passing through a fan

can produce a spark, both the fan and the casing shall be of non-sparking materials.

When fans are required to be spark resistant, their bearings shall not be within the

airstream, and all parts of the fan shall be grounded.

Fans in systems handling materials that can clog the blades, and fans in buffing or

woodworking exhaust systems, shall be of the radial-blade or tube-axial type.

Fans located in systems conveying corrosives shall be of materials that are resistant

to the corrosive or shall be coated with corrosion resistant materials.

Dubai Building Code

Part H: Indoor environment

H 31

H.4.12.13

Clothes dryer exhausts

Dryer exhaust systems shall be independent of all other systems and shall convey the

moisture, and any products of combustion, to the outside of the building.

Clothes dryer exhaust ducts shall be fire rated, and the fire-resistance rating shall be

maintained in accordance with Table 1.9, Ch. 1 of UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

. Fire dampers,

combination fire/smoke dampers and any similar devices that will obstruct the

exhaust flow shall not be used in clothes dryer exhaust ducts.

Each vertical riser shall be provided with a means for cleanout.
Screens shall not be installed at the exhaust termination.

H.4.12.14

Domestic kitchen exhaust equipment

Where domestic range hoods and domestic appliances equipped with downdraft

exhaust are located within dwelling units, such hoods and appliances shall discharge

to exterior through sheet metal ducts constructed of galvanized steel, stainless steel,

aluminium or copper. Such ducts shall have smooth inner walls and shall be airtight

and equipped with a backdraft damper.
Where installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions and

where mechanical ventilation is otherwise provided, ductless range hoods are not

required to discharge to the outdoors.

H.4.12.15 Commercial kitchens

H.4.12.15.1 Kitchen hood ventilation systems

Commercial kitchen hood ventilation systems shall be designed for the type of

cooking appliance and hood served. The design shall follow the requirements of the

ASHRAE HVAC applications and Fundamentals handbooks

[Ref. H.17, Ref. H.18]

;

Section 2.18, Ch. 10 of UAE FLSC

[Ref. H.1]

; and DW/172.

Fire dampers, combination fire/smoke dampers and any similar devices that will

obstruct the exhaust flow shall not be incorporated in kitchen hood ventilation

systems.
Exhaust duct systems shall not have openings other than as required for correct

operation and maintenance of the system. Any section of duct system that cannot be

accessed from the duct entry or discharge shall be provided with cleanout openings.

Cleanout openings shall be equipped with tight-fitting doors constructed of steel

having a thickness not less than that required for the duct.
Exhaust equipment, including fans shall be of an approved design for the

application. Exhaust fan motors shall be located outside of the exhaust airstream.
Exhaust fans shall be positioned so that the discharge will not have an impact on the

roof, other equipment or appliances or parts of the structure.

Dubai Building Code (2021) - page 20