When to use: Hollow metal (steel) doors and frames, architectural wood flush doors, and door hardware for commercial, institutional, and light industrial buildings. Covers door types, grades, and cores; hollow metal frame types, gauges, and anchors; fire-rated and smoke-rated opening assemblies including labeling and annual inspection; complete hardware sets (hinges, locksets, exit devices, closers, protection plates, weatherstripping); electrified hardware coordination with the access control system; accessibility requirements for hardware height and operable force; keying; installation tolerances; field verification; and warranty.
Not intended for: Storefront and curtainwall entrances (see Aluminum Entrances And Storefronts); overhead coiling or rolling fire doors; detention and security doors and frames requiring ballistic or forced-entry ratings; residential interior doors not subject to commercial building code occupancy requirements; automated pedestrian doors with automatic operator systems beyond the scope of this standard; access control head-end equipment, readers, or controllers (see Access Control Systems).
When to use: Gypsum board partitions, wall assemblies, and ceiling systems for commercial, institutional, and multi-family residential buildings. Covers interior non-load-bearing steel-framed partitions, shaft walls, chase walls, area separation walls, furring and freestanding wall assemblies, and suspended or directly attached gypsum board ceiling systems. Includes fire-resistance-rated and sound-rated assemblies, all board types, steel framing and furring, finish levels, joint treatment, accessories, and control joints.
Not intended for: Exterior gypsum sheathing in curtain wall or EIFS applications; gypsum board in continuously wet locations (showers, steam rooms — use tile backer systems); load-bearing cold-formed metal framing designed by a structural engineer (see Cold Formed Metal Framing); plaster or veneer plaster systems; firestopping at penetrations through rated assemblies (see Firestopping); thermal insulation within partitions (see Building Thermal Insulation); acoustic insulation batts (see Acoustic Insulation); interior painting and finishing of the completed board surface (see Interior Painting).
When to use: Waterproofing and dampproofing of below-grade foundation walls and slabs-on-grade or suspended slabs below finished grade for commercial, institutional, and residential buildings. Covers all primary membrane types used in positive-side and blindside/pre-applied configurations: self-adhering modified bituminous sheet, fluid-applied elastomeric, bentonite geosynthetic clay liner, and hot-applied rubberized asphalt. Addresses dampproofing for non-hydrostatic conditions, substrate preparation, protection course, drainage composites and foundation drainage, detailing at penetrations and construction joints, and field testing including flood test and electronic leak detection.
Not intended for: Plaza deck and parking structure waterproofing over occupied space (see Membrane Roofing); below-slab vapor retarder installed as a standalone vapor control measure without waterproofing (see Below Slab Vapor Barrier); waterproofing of water-containment structures (tanks, reservoirs, pools); concrete integral crystalline waterproofing admixtures (see Cast In Place Concrete); foundation drainage design without a waterproofing scope (see Foundation Drainage).
When to use: Thermal insulation installed within or on the building envelope for commercial, institutional, and residential construction, covering above-grade wall assemblies (cavity and continuous), low-slope and steep-slope roof assemblies, floor and ceiling assemblies over unconditioned space, and below-grade foundation wall and slab-edge assemblies. Applies to all principal insulation types: mineral fiber batt and blanket, rigid extruded polystyrene (XPS), expanded polystyrene (EPS), polyisocyanurate board (polyiso), mineral wool board, and spray-applied polyurethane foam (open-cell and closed-cell). Covers R-value determination and energy code compliance, installation grading, continuous insulation and thermal bridging mitigation, fire and smoke characteristics, vapor retarder and air barrier coordination, and field inspection.
Not intended for: Pipe and equipment insulation for mechanical systems (see Hvac Piping Insulation); duct wrap and duct liner (see Hvac Ductwork); roofing membrane systems and roof insulation specified as part of a membrane roofing assembly (see Membrane Roofing); below-grade waterproofing and dampproofing insulation specified integral to a waterproofing assembly (see Below Grade Waterproofing); interior gypsum board assemblies with integral insulated framing (see Gypsum Board Assemblies); and sound attenuation batts or acoustical treatment specified solely for acoustic performance rather than thermal performance.
When to use: Single-ply low-slope membrane roofing systems using thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) membranes on new construction and roof replacement projects with roof slopes of 1/4:12 or greater and not exceeding 3:12. Covers mechanically attached, fully adhered, and ballasted attachment methods, polyisocyanurate and cover-board insulation, vapor retarder, all flashings and terminations, edge metal, wind-uplift and fire design, field testing, and manufacturer warranty requirements.
Not intended for: Below-grade or foundation waterproofing (Below Grade Waterproofing); steep-slope applications exceeding 3:12 (use tile, shingle, or standing-seam metal standards); liquid-applied or spray polyurethane foam roofing; vegetative (green) roof assemblies; modified-bitumen or built-up roof systems; thermal insulation design for above-grade walls (Building Thermal Insulation); architectural sheet metal flashings and copings beyond the scope of this standard (Sheet Metal Flashing And Trim).
When to use: Building wire and cable for power, lighting, branch circuit, and feeder applications rated 600V and below in commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings. Covers single conductors installed in raceways, Type MC metal-clad cable, and Type AC armored cable; conductor materials (copper and aluminum); insulation types (THHN/THWN-2, XHHW-2, RHW-2, USE-2); ampacity selection and derating; voltage drop; color coding and conductor identification; splicing connectors and terminations; pulling and installation; insulation resistance testing; and field acceptance.
Not intended for: Grounding electrode conductors and equipment grounding conductors (see Grounding And Bonding); raceway installation, support, and fill (see Raceways And Conduit); service-entrance conductors and metering equipment; medium-voltage (above 600V) cables, which require shielded cable design per IEEE 576 and separate specifications; motor control wiring, low-voltage control circuits, and instrumentation cable below 50V; communications, data, and low-voltage signal wiring; switchgear and switchboard internal wiring (see Low Voltage Switchgear); low-voltage panelboard internal wiring (see Low Voltage Panelboards).
When to use: Grounding and bonding of low-voltage (1000V and below) electrical systems for commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings. Covers the grounding electrode system, grounding electrode conductors, equipment grounding conductors, bonding of metallic systems, separately derived systems, ground bus and ground bars, connections and terminations, and field testing of installed grounding systems.
Not intended for: Lightning protection systems (see NFPA 780), the telecommunications bonding backbone beyond the point of connection to the building electrical grounding electrode system (see Telecommunications Bonding), medium-voltage substation ground grid design, cathodic protection systems, or grounding of systems over 1000V.
When to use: Lighting, appliance branch-circuit, and power distribution panelboards rated 600V and below for commercial, institutional, and industrial facilities. Covers single-phase and three-phase configurations, main breaker and main lug only (MLO) types, and both indoor and outdoor enclosures from 100A through 1200A main bus. Applicable to service-entrance rated equipment and downstream distribution panels.
Not intended for: Low voltage metal-enclosed switchgear or switchboards (see Low Voltage Switchgear, Low Voltage Switchboards), motor control centers (see Motor Control Centers), medium voltage equipment above 600V (see Medium Voltage Switchgear), residential load centers, or equipment in hazardous classified locations without application-specific modifications.
When to use: Conduit, tubing, and raceway systems that enclose and protect electrical power, lighting, and signaling conductors in commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings — including rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, electrical metallic tubing, flexible conduits, rigid PVC conduit, surface raceways, metal and nonmetallic wireways, and conduit fittings, boxes, and supports. Covers indoor and outdoor, exposed and concealed, wet and dry, and direct-burial raceway routing for branch circuits and feeders rated 1000V and below.
Not intended for: Underground concrete-encased duct banks and manhole/handhole structures (see Underground Ductbank), busway and busduct systems (see Busway), cable tray systems used as the primary support method for cable wiring (see Cable Tray), the conductors and cables installed within raceways (see Conductors And Cables), raceways for fire alarm and limited-energy systems where governed by separate project standards, and raceway systems in hazardous (classified) locations, which require application-specific seals and equipment beyond the scope of this standard.
When to use: Addressable and conventional fire alarm and signaling systems for commercial, institutional, industrial, and multi-family residential buildings. Covers the fire alarm control unit (FACU), initiating devices (smoke detectors, heat detectors, manual pull stations, waterflow switches, supervisory devices, and duct smoke detectors), notification appliances (audible, visible, and voice/alarm), signaling line circuits and notification appliance circuits, pathway survivability, primary and secondary power supplies, battery calculations, monitoring and transmission to a supervising station, wiring methods, sequence of operations, and acceptance testing per NFPA 72.
Not intended for: Mass notification systems (in-building emergency communications for non-fire threats, including MNS per NFPA 72 Chapter 24) — see Mass Notification Systems; fire pump monitoring and supervisory circuits — see Fire Pumps; automatic fire sprinkler systems, including the sprinkler design itself — see Wet Pipe Fire Sprinkler Systems; raceway and conduit installation methods — see Raceways And Conduit; wire and cable selection beyond the fire alarm circuit application — see Conductors And Cables; standalone single-station or multiple-station smoke alarms in dwelling units where a full protected-premises fire alarm system is not required by the authority having jurisdiction.
When to use: Automatic wet-pipe fire sprinkler systems for commercial, institutional, industrial, and multi-family residential buildings. Covers the complete above-ground sprinkler system from the water supply connection through the system riser, distribution piping, sprinklers, alarm and supervisory devices, and fire department connections. Addresses light hazard, ordinary hazard (Groups 1 and 2), and extra hazard (Groups 1 and 2) occupancies. Suitable for conditioned occupied spaces where the piping will not be exposed to freezing temperatures.
Not intended for: Dry-pipe systems where piping is in unheated spaces subject to freezing (see Dry Pipe Fire Sprinkler Systems); pre-action or deluge systems for high-value or special hazard applications; residential systems designed to NFPA 13R or NFPA 13D; underground fire service mains and yard piping (see Underground Fire Service Mains); fire pump installations (see Fire Pumps); standpipe and hose systems (see Standpipe Systems); or fire alarm and notification appliance circuits beyond the waterflow switch and valve supervisory connections (see Fire Alarm Systems).
When to use: Central station air handling units (AHUs) for commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings — both factory-built packaged units and field-erected built-up assemblies. Covers single-zone and multi-zone configurations, indoor and outdoor/weatherproof installations, constant-volume and variable-air-volume systems, and central-station units serving ductwork distribution. Applicable from small fan coil replacements through large mechanical room units.
Not intended for: Unitary rooftop packaged units with integral refrigerant systems rated below 20 tons (see Rooftop Packaged Units); fan coil units and terminal units (see Fan Coil Units); dedicated outdoor air systems covered separately when paired with terminal sensible cooling; ductwork beyond the AHU connections (Hvac Ductwork); variable frequency drives for fan motors (Hvac Variable Frequency Drives); hydronic heating and cooling piping connected to coils (Hydronic Piping); testing, adjusting, and balancing after installation (Testing Adjusting And Balancing); building automation system controls integration (Building Automation System).
When to use: Metal and flexible ductwork for low-pressure, medium-pressure, and high-pressure HVAC air distribution systems in commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings. Covers rectangular, round, flat-oval, and flexible duct; pressure and seal classifications; gauge and reinforcement; fittings and turning vanes; duct liner and external insulation; sealants; fire and smoke dampers; access doors; hangers and supports; leakage testing; and field verification. Applies to new construction and major renovation of supply, return, exhaust, and outside-air distribution systems.
Not intended for: Kitchen exhaust grease duct systems (see Kitchen Exhaust Systems); industrial process ventilation conveying particulates, corrosive gases, or high-temperature products; fume hood exhaust systems; pneumatic tube systems; chilled-water or hydronic piping insulation (see Building Thermal Insulation); air-handling unit casing and coil sections (see Air Handling Units); air terminal units (see Air Terminal Units); air distribution devices at duct outlets (see Hvac Air Distribution Devices); testing, adjusting, and balancing of the completed air distribution system (see Testing Adjusting And Balancing).
When to use: Pulse width modulated (PWM) variable frequency drives for variable-torque HVAC motor applications including supply and return fans, exhaust fans, chilled water pumps, condenser water pumps, hot water pumps, and cooling tower fans. Covers separately procured drives rated 600V and below from 1 HP through 500 HP. Includes harmonic mitigation, bypass, BAS communication, motor and cable compatibility, and input protection for drives installed in mechanical rooms, electrical rooms, penthouses, and outdoor locations.
Not intended for: Constant-torque or high-starting-torque applications such as positive displacement compressors, elevators, or process conveyors — those applications require drives with 150% or greater constant-torque overload rating (see Motor Control Centers). Medium voltage drives above 600V. Drives furnished as integral components of factory-packaged HVAC equipment such as chillers, packaged rooftop units, or factory-packaged air handling units — drive requirements for those units are governed by the respective equipment standards (see Air Handling Units). Drives for general industrial motor control outside HVAC service (see Motor Control Centers).
When to use: Closed-loop hydronic piping systems for heating hot water (HHW), chilled water (CHW), and condenser water (CW) in commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings. Covers pipe materials and joining by service and size, isolation and balancing valves, control valves, fittings, pipe insulation, hangers and supports, pipe anchors and guides, expansion compensation, air separation, expansion tanks, pressure testing, and system cleaning, flushing, and chemical treatment. Intended for systems operating within the pressure and temperature limits of ASME B31.9 — up to 160 psig and 250°F for hot water, and 150 psig for chilled and condenser water.
Not intended for: Domestic (potable) cold and hot water supply (see Domestic Water Piping); sanitary waste and vent piping (see Sanitary Waste And Vent Piping); fire protection piping (see Wet Pipe Fire Sprinkler Systems); steam distribution or steam condensate return piping; refrigerant piping (governed by ASME B31.5); high-temperature hot water systems above 250°F or above 160 psig (governed by ASME B31.1); or air-side equipment (see Air Handling Units and Hvac Ductwork). Pumps, water treatment systems, and variable frequency drives for pump motors are addressed in companion standards Hvac Pumps, Hvac Water Treatment, and Hvac Variable Frequency Drives.
When to use: Domestic potable water supply and distribution piping within commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings. Covers cold water, domestic hot water, and hot water recirculation piping from the building water service entrance through all interior distribution piping to plumbing fixture connections and equipment connections. Applies to new construction and renovation work on buildings served by a municipal water supply or on-site well.
Not intended for: Fire protection sprinkler piping (see Wet Pipe Fire Sprinkler Systems); hydronic heating, chilled water, or condenser water piping (see Hydronic Piping); sanitary waste, soil, and vent piping (see Sanitary Waste And Vent Piping); site water service mains upstream of the building water service entrance; medical gas and vacuum systems; steam and condensate systems; or water distribution systems for irrigation, hose bibs on exterior site, or industrial process water. Water heaters, mixing valves, expansion tanks, pressure reducing valves, and point-of-use treatment equipment are addressed in Water Heaters and are not within the scope of this standard.
When to use: Sanitary drain, waste, and vent (DWV) piping systems inside buildings from the point of connection at plumbing fixtures to the point of connection with the building sewer, including all above-grade and below-slab horizontal branches, vertical stacks, and vent piping. Covers pipe materials (hubless and hub-and-spigot cast iron, PVC DWV), drainage-pattern fittings, joints, cleanouts, floor drains, traps, hangers and supports, buried and below-slab piping, slope, and field testing. Applicable to commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings.
Not intended for: Storm or rainwater drainage systems (see Storm Drainage); grease waste piping downstream of grease interceptors requiring special materials or slope (see Grease Interceptors); domestic water supply distribution (see Domestic Water Piping); plumbing fixtures and fixture trim (see Plumbing Fixtures); building sewer from the five-foot point of connection to the public main (separate civil or site utility scope); medical gas or laboratory waste requiring special chemical-resistance materials; high-temperature or corrosive process waste requiring engineered specialty piping.
When to use: Metal-enclosed, low voltage power circuit breaker switchgear rated 600V and below for commercial, institutional, and industrial facilities. Covers indoor and outdoor configurations with drawout power circuit breakers.
Not intended for: Panelboards (see Low Voltage Panelboards), switchboards (see Low Voltage Switchboards), motor control centers (see Motor Control Centers), or medium voltage switchgear above 600V (see Medium Voltage Switchgear).
When to use: Earthwork for commercial, institutional, and industrial building projects covering site clearing and demolition, rough grading, mass excavation, structural excavation for foundations and slabs, trench excavation for utilities, classification of in-situ and imported materials, structural fill and backfill placement, compaction and moisture conditioning, subgrade preparation, dewatering, temporary excavation support and shoring, and erosion and sediment control. Intended to be read alongside the geotechnical investigation report and the civil grading drawings, both of which govern design-specific values throughout this standard.
Not intended for: Highway and roadway embankment construction governed by state DOT specifications; earthen dam and levee construction; contaminated soil remediation and hazardous material excavation (those require a project-specific remediation specification); deep foundation installation including driven piles and drilled shafts (see Cast In Place Concrete for caissons coordinated with structural concrete); aggregate base course and subbase under paved surfaces (see Aggregate Base Course); below-grade waterproofing of foundation walls (see Below Grade Waterproofing); or storm drainage piping and structures (see Storm Drainage).
When to use: Cast-in-place (CIP) concrete for structural elements including foundations, footings, grade beams, slabs-on-grade, elevated slabs, walls, columns, beams, and other monolithic structural concrete placed in its final location. Covers concrete materials, mix design, formwork, reinforcement coordination, placement, consolidation, joints, finishing, curing, tolerances, field testing, and repair. Applicable to commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings and structures.
Not intended for: Precast or prestressed concrete manufactured off-site, architectural or exposed decorative concrete requiring specialized finishes beyond basic formed or troweled surfaces, shotcrete, cellular lightweight concrete, mass concrete for dams, concrete paving or overlays, or concrete masonry units. Reinforcing steel detailing and fabrication are covered in Concrete Reinforcement. Below-grade waterproofing of concrete structures is covered in Below Grade Waterproofing. Thermal insulation of concrete assemblies is covered in Building Thermal Insulation.
When to use: Furnishing, fabricating, and placing steel reinforcement — deformed bars, plain bars, welded wire reinforcement, and mechanical splicing systems — for cast-in-place structural concrete elements in commercial, institutional, industrial, and multi-family residential buildings. Covers material selection, bar grades and coatings, fabrication and bending, placement and support, concrete cover, splices, welding, tolerances, and field inspection.
Not intended for: The concrete mix design, placing, or finishing operations themselves (see Cast In Place Concrete); post-tensioning or prestressed concrete strand and hardware; structural steel framing, steel decking, or composite framing (see Structural Steel Framing); masonry joint reinforcement or masonry anchor ties (see Unit Masonry); reinforcement for precast or tilt-up concrete elements unless adopted by reference in the applicable precast specification; or fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bar reinforcement, which requires a separate performance specification.
When to use: Hot-rolled structural steel framing for commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings. Covers wide-flange beams and columns, hollow structural sections (HSS), channels, angles, plates, anchor rods, and all connection materials. Addresses fabrication, erection, bolted connections (bearing and slip-critical), welded connections, high-strength bolt pretensioning, shop and field coatings, surface preparation, camber, tolerances, special inspection, and nondestructive examination. Applicable to buildings in all seismic design categories; seismic-specific requirements follow AISC 341 where triggered.
Not intended for: Cold-formed light-gauge steel framing (see Cold Formed Metal Framing), open-web steel joists and joist girders (see Steel Joists), steel deck (see Steel Deck), pre-engineered metal building systems with manufacturer-designed frames (see Metal Building Systems), miscellaneous metals and architectural metalwork (see Miscellaneous Metals), spray-applied fireproofing (see Fireproofing), or stainless steel structural members.
When to use: Structural and architectural unit masonry for commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings. Covers concrete masonry units (CMU), clay and facing brick, mortar, grout, joint reinforcement, vertical bar reinforcement, wall ties and anchors, flashing and weeps, control and expansion joints, cold and hot weather construction, cleaning, field testing, and tolerances. Applies to both load-bearing and non-load-bearing masonry walls, exterior and interior, grouted and ungrouted construction.
Not intended for: Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) masonry units (different material properties and installation requirements), glass unit masonry panels, adhered masonry veneer less than 1 inch thick, cast-in-place concrete walls (see Cast In Place Concrete), stone masonry, or refractory brick. Structural reinforcement design is governed by the structural engineer of record; this standard covers the materials and construction quality requirements but not the structural calculations themselves.