Purpose of this Seminar
To provide the staff responsible for the creation of the STD
15A with background information relating to the transition
from STD 11B to STD 15A.
To ensure that the staff responsible for the creation of the
STD 15A are in a position to explain the transition, and the
need for the transition, from STD 11B to STD 15A to the
specification writers within their respective Departments,
prior to the replacement of STD 11B with STD 15A.
To provide a detailed record of the physical transition from
STD 11B to STD 15A so that specification writers are fully
aware of how the files that made up STD 11B were
transposed into the new structure of STD 15A.
Table of Contents
What is MasterFormat
Why is MasterFormat Important
MasterFormat 1995 V 2004
Conversion Tables
Why Upgrade to 2004
Dar MTDs - STD 11B & STD 15A
What is MasterFormat
MasterFormat is a standard for organizing specifications and other written
information for commercial and institutional building projects in the U.S. and
Canada. Sometimes referred to as the "Dewey Decimal System" of building
construction, MasterFormat is a product of the Construction Specification
Institute (CSI) and Construction Specifications Canada (CSC). In November 2004
MasterFormat expanded from 16 Divisions to 50 Divisions, reflecting innovations
in the construction industry. It provides a master list of divisions, and section
numbers and titles within each division, to follow in organizing information about
a facility’s construction requirements and associated activities.
CSI standard formatting is used throughout the construction industry to format
construction specifications in building contracts. The purpose of this format is to
assist the user in locating specific types of information. Information contained in
CSI’s MasterFormat is organized in a standardized outline form within 16 (pre-
2004) or 50 (post 2004) divisions. Each division contains a number of sections.
Each section is divided into three parts—"general," "products," and "execution."
Each part is organized by a standardized system of articles and paragraphs.
What is MasterFormat – Cont’d
Refer to the attached Quick Review of MasterFormat,
Section Format & Master Specifications by AMP
Netconnect – Prepared by Edward Coye in 2005.
Refer to the attached paper prepared entitled
“MasterFormat 2004 Impact on Construction
Organizations” prepared by Kevin R. Millar and Jay S.
Newitt.
Why is MasterFormat Important.
Standardizing the presentation of such information improves communication among all
parties involved in construction projects.
This standardization helps the project team deliver structures to Employers according to
their requirements, timelines, and budgets. An indication of the widespread acceptance of
MasterFormat is that the ASTM standard for sustainability assessment of building
products relies on MasterFormat to organize the data.
The CSI Masterformat is an integral component of the SpecsIntact system. SpecsIntact
(Specifications Kept Intact), is an automated specifications processing system for preparing
certain government facility construction projects using standard master specifications,
called Master Text or Masters, supplied by each of three government agencies.
SpecsIntact was developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
and designed for use by engineers, architects, interior designers, specification writers,
project managers and construction managers.
The Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) and the Army Corps of Engineers
(USACE) has also adopted SpecsIntact as their standard specifications system, greatly
facilitating the effort to standardize construction specifications throughout these agencies.
These services utilize MasterFormat from UFGS (United Facilities Guide Specification)
sections found on the Whole Building Design Guide website.
MasterFormat 1995 V 2004
MasterFormat 1995 1995 MasterFormat 2004
Equiv.
Division 0 - Procurement and Contracting 0 Division 00 - Procurement and Contracting Requirements
Requirements
Division 1 – General Requirements 1 Division 01 – General Requirements
Division 2 – Site Work 2 Division 02 – Existing Conditions
Division 3 – Concrete 3 Division 03 – Concrete
Division 4 – Masonry 4 Division 04 – Masonry
Division 5 – Metals 5 Division 05 – Metals
Division 6 – Carpentry 6 Division 06 – Wood, Plastics, and Composites
Division 7 – Moisture Control 7 Division 07 – Thermal and Moisture Protection
Division 8 – Doors and Windows 8 Division 08 – Openings
Division 9 – Finishes 9 Division 09 – Finishes
Division 10 – Specialties 10 Division 10 – Specialties
Division 11 – Equipment 11 Division 11 – Equipment
Division 12 – Furnishings 12 Division 12 – Furnishings
Division 13 – Special Construction 13 Division 13 – Special Construction
Conversion Tables
UFGS MasterFormat 1995 to MasterFormat 2004
Conversion Table dated April 2006.
Canadian Master Specification (CMS) MasterFormat 1995
to MasterFormat Numbering Matrix.
Why Upgrade to 2004
The 2004 edition of MasterFormat was intended to make the
document better serve its original purpose, as a classification
structure to organise project manuals used in construction. The
changes were made based on the following observations in the
industry:
A proliferation of various versions of “Division 17” were developed
in building automation and controls, information technology
systems, communications, railroad construction, subway
construction, and heavy civil engineering. This indicated that
MasterFormat 1995 was not meeting the needs to the industry.
MasterFormat 1995 was overcrowded in many Divisions such as
Division 15 and Division 16. In part because of this overcrowding,
MasterFormat 1995 was loosing the ability to adequately address
the needs to the building engineering and facility services.
Why Upgrade to 2004 – Cont’d
MasterFormat 1995 did not adequately address the
facility management and operations activities for the
whole life cycle of construction projects.
MasterFormat 1995 did not adequately address the
needs of construction other than building construction,
such as civil engineering or construction for process
engineering.
MasterFormat 1995 did not adequately address
electronic communications and controls.
MasterFormat 1995 had inconsistencies in its structure
and organization.
Dar MTDs - STD 11B & STD 15A
In the early to mid nineties it became apparent to Dar that
Employer’s were expressing a desire to adopt the AIA specifications.
Previously most of Dar’s specifications were based on the NBS.
Dar instigated the compilation of an MTD to cater for this demand in
the mid to late nineties. To achieve this, Dar made contact with a
specification publication house in the USA called ARCOM and
ARCOM have been providing our specification updates ever since.
STD 11A, subsequently updated to STD 11B, was Dar’s first MTD
based on the AIA specifications. STD 11B was based on the
MasterFormat 1995 (16 Division) structure and this MTD contains
approximately 370 files. Refer to the attached TOC for STD 11B. Also
attached is the MasterSpec 1995 TOC (16 Divisions) which includes
the list of files Dar receives from ARCOM on a regular basis.
Dar MTDs – Cont’d.
Once MasterFormat was radically altered to offer a 50 division structure in
2004, Dar decided this expanded structure would need to be adopted.
In 2009 Dar instigated the compilation of an MTD (STD 15A) based on this
expanded 50 division structure. STD 15A was completed in late 2010 and
was posted on Insidar in early 2011; this MTD contains approximately 380
files. Refer to the attached TOC for STD 15A. Also attached is the
MasterSpec 2004 TOC (Currently 33 Divisions) which includes the list of files
Dar receives from ARCOM on a regular basis.
The files currently included in STD 15A were created in one of two ways: (1)
STD 11B files were selected and manipulated to become STD 15A files (new
numbering and appropriate text introduced from the new ARCOM files) or
(2) STD 15A files were created from the ARCOM files by introducing
standard Dar Text and additional editing.
The updating of STD 15A files should be done by identifying changes in
subsequent ARCOM files and introducing these into the current STD 15A
files.
