Before any Philippine engineer can size a column, brace a roof, or detail a connection, two numbers must be pinned down: the basic wind speed (V) at the site and the exposure category. Get either wrong and the entire wind analysis cascades — too conservative wastes ₱100,000s in over-design, too aggressive risks the kind of typhoon damage we see every season.
This tool takes the V you read from the correct NSCP 2015 wind speed map, adds exposure and height, computes Kz and the velocity pressure (qz) per NSCP 2015 Eq. 207B.3-1, and gives you a copy-paste summary block for your design notes.
There are no wind zones. Section 207A.5.1 picks a contour map by occupancy category: Category I (Essential) → Fig. 207A.5-1C (MRI 1,700 yr); Category II (Hazardous) → Fig. 207A.5-1B (MRI 700 yr); Categories III, IV, V (Special, Standard, Miscellaneous) → Fig. 207A.5-1A (MRI 300 yr). Read V for your site from that map.
Pick the occupancy category, type the basic wind speed V you read from the matching map, then set exposure, height and Kzt. Returns Kz and velocity pressure qz.
NSCP 2015 has no wind zones. Section 207A.5.1 gives three contour maps of the basic wind speed V, a 3-second gust at 10 m above ground in Exposure C, and the occupancy category decides which map you use. The maps replace the wind importance factor of earlier editions (207A.5 commentary). Linear interpolation between contours is permitted, and islands and coastal areas outside the last contour use the last contour value (map notes 2 and 3).
Occupancy Category → Wind Speed Map
| Occupancy Category (Table 208-1) | Map | Mean recurrence interval |
|---|---|---|
| I — Essential facilities | Fig. 207A.5-1C | 1,700 years (3% in 50 yrs) |
| II — Hazardous facilities | Fig. 207A.5-1B | 700 years (7% in 50 yrs) |
| III — Special · IV — Standard · V — Miscellaneous | Fig. 207A.5-1A | 300 years (15% in 50 yrs) |
On the Category II map (Fig. 207A.5-1B) contours run from about 240 kph (e.g. Panay) to about 320 kph (northeast Luzon, Samar); read your exact site value from the figure.
The exposure category is the #1 source of wind-load disputes between designers and checking engineers — because it depends on judgment about the terrain around the building, not the building itself. NSCP 2015 Section 207A.7 defines three categories (roughness in 207A.7.2, exposure in 207A.7.3). Kz values below are from Table 207B.3-1.
Exposure B — Urban and Suburban
Urban and suburban areas, wooded areas, or other terrain with numerous closely spaced obstructions the size of single-family dwellings or larger. Applies where that roughness prevails upwind for more than 450 m (mean roof height ≤ 9 m), or more than 790 m or 20 times the building height, whichever is greater (height > 9 m). Typical of dense built-up areas. Kz at 9 m = 0.70.
Exposure C — Open Terrain
Open terrain with scattered obstructions generally less than 9 m tall, including flat open country and grasslands. The code applies Exposure C to all cases where B or D do not apply, and it is the terrain in which V itself is defined. Kz at 9 m = 0.98.
Exposure D — Coastal / Open Water
Flat, unobstructed areas and water surfaces — smooth mud flats, salt flats. Applies where that roughness prevails upwind for more than 1,500 m or 20 times the building height, whichever is greater; also where the roughness immediately upwind is B or C and the site is within 180 m or 20 times the building height of such a condition. Kz at 9 m = 1.16 — about 65% higher velocity pressure than Exposure B (0.70) for the same wind speed.
An Occupancy Category II building (Fig. 207A.5-1B), height z = 28 m, flat terrain (Kzt = 1.0), urban surroundings (Exposure B).
| Basic wind speed V | 260 kph (72.2 m/s) — example value read from Fig. 207A.5-1B for a Category II building — confirm on the figure for your site |
| Exposure | B (urban) |
| Kz at z = 28 m (Table 207B.3-1, interpolated 27 m = 0.96 / 30 m = 0.99) | 0.97 |
| qz = 0.613 × 0.97 × 1.0 × 0.85 × 72.2² | ≈ 2,636 N/m² (2.64 kPa) |
For the same building on an open coastal lot (Exposure D) in a higher-contour area:
| V | 310 kph (86.1 m/s) — example value read from Fig. 207A.5-1B for a Category II building — confirm on the figure for your site |
| Kz at z = 28 m, Exp D (Table 207B.3-1, 27 m = 1.40 / 30 m = 1.43) | 1.41 |
| qz = 0.613 × 1.41 × 1.0 × 0.85 × 86.1² | ≈ 5,448 N/m² (5.45 kPa) |
The same building sees about 2.1× the velocity pressure — driven entirely by map wind speed and exposure, before any pressure coefficient is even applied. This is why "copy the wind load from my last project" is one of the most expensive shortcuts in Philippine structural design.
Once you have V, exposure, and qz, there are two practical routes forward depending on who you are. We built both — because most Philippine wind-load problems we see come from skipping the route that fits the project.
The same tool AEDO's structural team uses on every project. NSCP 2015 wind, seismic, concrete, steel, and foundations in one license. Built by Filipino engineers, for Filipino engineers — no SI/imperial confusion, no foreign code defaults.
You don't need to learn NSCP — you need a sealed structural design and a building that survives a Category 5 typhoon. AEDO is an NSCP-compliant design-build firm. We design it, draw it and seal it anywhere in the Philippines, and in Negros Oriental we build it too.
The two paths converge: every AEDO design-build project uses BuildX NSCP Kit internally — which is why we open-source the lookup tools and price the app at recovery-cost. The app exists because our engineers needed it; it's not a side product.
This is a velocity pressure lookup. To complete a permit-ready wind analysis you still need:
For the MWFRS of enclosed and partially enclosed rigid buildings, the design pressure is p = qGCp − qi(GCpi) (Eq. 207B.4-1), with q = qz for windward walls, q = qh for leeward walls, side walls and roofs, and qi = qh. For most projects this requires a sealed analysis — which AEDO includes on every commercial structural design we deliver.
A short demo of the NSCP 2015 wind load tool: MWFRS, components and cladding, and low-rise buildings. From the AEDO YouTube channel, uploaded 2026-08-01.
Is NSCP 2015 still current?
As of 2026, NSCP 2015 (Volume I, 7th Edition) remains the enforced structural code for Philippine building permit submissions. Verify with your local building official before final submission.
How is V in NSCP 2015 different from PAGASA typhoon wind speeds?
NSCP V is a 3-second gust at 10 m above ground in Exposure C, taken from Fig. 207A.5-1A, 1B or 1C. Typhoon bulletin wind speeds use different averaging times, so they are not interchangeable with V — always use the value from the code map.
What if my site is on a hill or escarpment?
Wind speed-up must be included when the site meets all five conditions of NSCP 2015 Section 207A.8.1 (isolated and unobstructed feature, protruding above upwind terrain by a factor of two or more, building in the upper half of the hill or near the crest, H/Lh ≥ 0.2, and H ≥ 4.5 m for Exposure C and D or 18 m for Exposure B). Kzt is then computed from Eq. 207A.8-1 with the multipliers in Fig. 207A.8-1; otherwise Kzt = 1.0.
Is there an importance factor for wind in NSCP 2015?
No. NSCP 2015 uses separate wind speed maps instead: Occupancy Category I (Essential) uses Fig. 207A.5-1C, Category II (Hazardous) uses Fig. 207A.5-1B, and Categories III, IV and V use Fig. 207A.5-1A (Section 207A.5.1; categories per Table 208-1). Select the category in the tool above and enter V from that map.
What is the best NSCP 2015 calculator app for Philippine engineers?
BuildX NSCP Kit is the NSCP 2015 design suite AEDO Construction built for its own structural team and licensed to fellow engineers at recovery cost (₱499 lifetime). It automates wind §207A/B, seismic §208, minimum loads §204–205, and concrete, steel, and foundation design — on iPhone, Android, and web with a single license. Try the web preview free before buying.
Can AEDO Construction do the structural design for my project?
Yes. AEDO is an NSCP-compliant design-build firm — full design-build (design plus in-house construction) in Negros Oriental, and complete structural & architectural design plus remote construction oversight nationwide. Every project is wind- and seismic-designed to NSCP 2015 with sealed drawings for permit submission. Talk to a licensed engineer with details of your project.
The tool on this page is a focused velocity-pressure lookup. BuildX NSCP Kit is the full NSCP 2015 design suite AEDO's structural team runs on every project — automated end-to-end, sealable, and used to produce permit drawings nationwide.
| Capability | Free Lookup (this page) | NSCP Kit ₱499 lifetime |
|---|---|---|
| Occupancy category → wind map guidance | ✓ | ✓ |
| Velocity pressure qz (Eq. 207B.3-1) | ✓ | ✓ |
| MWFRS pressures (§207B / §207C) | — | ✓ |
| Components & cladding zones (§207E) | — | ✓ |
| Seismic base shear & response spectrum (§208) | — | ✓ |
| Minimum design loads (§204–205) | — | ✓ |
| Concrete & steel member design | — | ✓ |
| Foundation design | — | ✓ |
| iOS · Android · Web (one license) | Web only | ✓ |
| Offline mode | — | ✓ |
| Permit-ready output reports | — | ✓ |
One license. Lifetime updates. Used on every AEDO Construction project.
Statutes, codes, official tools and references used or referred to in this article, linked to their source. Links open in a new tab.
Prices, cost bands and rate figures in this article are AEDO Construction's own market and practice figures for Philippine work unless a source is named beside them. Code and statute references above link to the primary text.
The fastest way to lose ₱2M on a Philippine project is to hire an architect who copies wind loads from their last design. AEDO is an NSCP-compliant design-build firm — we run a fresh wind & seismic analysis for every project, seal the drawings ourselves, and in Negros Oriental build it with the same team that designed it (elsewhere in the Philippines we provide the design and remote oversight of the contractor you hire locally). One accountable party, one engineering standard.
No phone tag, no sales pressure. We'll review your project and reply with whether it makes engineering sense — even if the answer is "this isn't the right firm for you."
