MEP Coordination

Plan and review the integration of Mechanical (HVAC), Electrical, and Plumbing systems with architecture and structure. The goal: feasible routing, no clashes, correct clearances, and maintainable service spaces.

When to use

• Early design: allocating shafts, risers, and plant rooms
• Design development: reviewing MEP routing against structure and ceilings
• Checking coordination drawings / 3D federated model
• Resolving a specific conflict (duct vs beam, pipe vs. wall)

Workflow

1. Get the program of spaces and the service loads per space (HVAC tonnage/CFM, electrical panel loads, plumbing fixtures). Without loads, coordination checks are guesswork — request the MEP design basis.
2. Locate the services:
   • Riser shafts: stack plumbing, duct, and electrical vertically; avoid placing a shaft over an interior structural column or a stair well.
   • Plant rooms (mechanical rooms, electrical rooms, data rooms): size, door swing, service access, and code separation.
   • Ceiling zones: depth available vs. duct depth + lighting + sprinklers + structure.
3. Routing discipline (typical priority): gravity drain (plumb) → duct → pipe → conduit → cable tray → sprinkler. The lower-priority systems route around higher-priority ones; conflicts get resolved by the hierarchy.
4. Check clearances & access:
   • Duct-to-beam clearance, pipe-to-wall, panel front working space (NEC: 30" x 36" x depth for panels)
   • Equipment access & maintenance space (AHU filters, valve access, condensate drains)
   • Ceiling access panels for valves/dampers/lighting drivers
5. Cross-discipline checks:
   • Penetrations through rated assemblies need firestopping (coordinate with IBC Ch. 7)
   • Shafts need fire rating; duct penetrations need fire dampers
   • Structural: avoid notching beams/columns; check slab openings vs. rebar
   • Exterior: roof drains, gutter locations, equipment screens, PMT clearance
6. Output: conflict log + coordination notes, ranked by severity, each with a recommended resolution.

Output format

Coordination Log — L2, corridor ceiling zone (12" cavity)
ID   Type   Location                Conflict                              Resolution
C-1  High   Corridor, Grid B/2      ǫ24" duct vs ǫ24" beam @ 8'-6"        Route duct below beam, drop 12"
C-2  Med    Mech room, grid A/1     Panel board blocked by AHU piping     Relocate panel 3' east
C-3  Low    Restroom R-102          Sanitary vent crosses light fixture   Drop vent 6" at fixture

Edge cases & cautions

• Use actual sizes, not code minimums — a 24" duct and 12" duct have different impacts; always ask for (or estimate with stated assumption) real sizes.
• Slope matters — sanitary and storm drains need slope (1/8"–1/4" per foot typical); 100 ft of run costs 12–25" of vertical. In shallow plenums this decides the routing.
• "Clash-free" is not "coordinated" — code clearance, access, and firestopping requirements are separate from geometric clash.
• Don't move structural elements without the structural engineer: state "verify with structural" for any beam/column/opening modification.
• Ceiling-height claims — check actual finished ceiling height vs. the sum of structure + services + lighting; report the available plenum depth honestly.
• Maintenance access — flag any component that would require demolition for service access.

Files

• references/mep-cheatsheet.md — typical duct/pipe sizes, clearance requirements, and shaft/plant-room planning rules.