Construction glossary
30 essential construction terms in Morocco, explained simply
Acroterion
Low wall on the perimeter of a flat roof, serving as a guardrail and waterproofing support. Minimum height is 15 cm above the finished roof level.
APS / APD
Preliminary and Definitive Preliminary Projects. Architectural design phases between sketch and exécution plans. APS defines the broad strokes, APD fixes technical details.
BET
Technical Studies Office. Specialized in structural calculations (reinforced concrete, steel framing), fluids (plumbing, HVAC) or electricity. Required for building permit submission.
Reinforced concrete
Composite material combining concrete (compression résistant) and steel (tension résistant). The most used structural material in Morocco for foundations, columns, beams and slabs.
Chainages
Horizontal and vertical reinforced concrete éléments that encircle a building's structure. Mandatory under RPS 2000 to ensure structural cohesion against seismic forces.
COS
Ground Occupation Coefficient. Ratio between built surface area and total land area. Set by the development plan, it determines the maximum buildable area.
CUS
Land Use Coefficient. Ratio between total floor area and land area. It determines the total authorized density across all floors.
Slab
Horizontal reinforced concrete floor (solid or ribbed). In Morocco, hollow core slabs (hourdis + beams) are the most common for residential use.
DCE
Business Consultation File. Set of technical documents (plans, specifications, quantities) sent to contractors for quote préparation.
Geotechnical study
Soil study performed by an approved laboratory (LPEE, Geolabs). It determines soil bearing capacity, water table level and recommends the appropriate foundation type.
Reinforcement
Set of steel bars placed in formwork before concrete pouring. The reinforcement plan is prepared by the BET and defines bar diameters, spacing and overlaps.
Foundations
Structural éléments that transfer building loads to the ground. Common types in Morocco: isolated footings, strip footings, raft foundations and bored piles.
Structural work
All structure-related work: foundations, load-bearing walls, columns, beams, slabs, stairs. Structural work représents 40-50% of total construction cost.
Hourdis
Hollow concrete or clay éléments placed between beams to form a hollow core floor. Common formats in Morocco: 16+5, 20+5 and 25+5 (hourdis height + compression table).
Maalem
Moroccan master craftsman. Term for a skilled and expérienced tradesperson in building (masonry, plumbing, electricity, carpentry). The maalem often leads a team of workers.
Mourabaha
Sharia-compliant real estate financing. The bank buys the property and resells it to the client at a price including a profit margin, payable in installments. Available in Morocco since 2017 through participatory banks.
ONAM
National Order of Architects of Morocco. Professional body regulating the architecture profession. Every architect must be registered with ONAM to practice legally.
Building permit
Mandatory administrative authorization before any construction project, issued by the municipality after review by the Urban Agency. Legal deadline is 2 months. Also called 'Rokhas' in Moroccan Arabic.
Development plan
Urban planning document that defines land use rules in a municipality: buildable zones, purposes (housing, commerce, industry), COS, CUS, heights, setbacks and easements.
Raft foundation
Shallow foundation consisting of a reinforced concrete slab covering the entire building area. Used for low bearing capacity soils or high water table levels.
Works acceptance
Act by which the owner accepts the work with or without reservations. Provisional acceptance triggers the perfect completion guarantee (1 year) and the ten-year guarantee (10 years).
Rokhas
Darija (Moroccan Arabic) term for building permit. The Rokhas.ma platform has allowed online submission of building permit files to municipalities since 2020.
RPS 2000
Moroccan Seismic Construction Regulation (revised 2011). It divides Morocco into 5 seismic zones and imposes specific construction provisions for earthquake resistance.
RTCM
Thermal Building Regulation of Morocco. In effect since 2015, it imposes minimum thermal performance for new buildings across 6 climate zones.
Finishing work
All work following structural work: waterproofing, joinery (doors, windows), electricity, plumbing, coatings, painting. Finishing work représents 50-60% of total cost.
Footing
Shallow reinforced concrete foundation that distributes point loads (isolated footing under column) or linear loads (strip footing under wall) to the soil. Most economical solution for good bearing capacity soils.
Land title
Official document issued by the Land Registry certifying property ownership in Morocco. The land title offers the best legal security, unlike Melkia (untitled) properties.
TRC
All Risks Construction Insurance. Covers material damage during construction: collapse, fire, flood, material theft. Mandatory for public contracts.
Zellige
Glazed terracotta tile, typically Moroccan, used for wall and floor covering. Handcrafted in Fez and Meknes, zellige is an iconic élément of Moroccan architecture.
Seismic zone
Geographic classification of Moroccan territory by seismic risk (zones 0 to 4 in RPS 2000). Zone 4 (Al Hoceima, Rif) has the highest risk and imposes the most severe construction constraints.