Ask the Experts

Q: Why is Section 231123 - Facility Natural Gas Piping included in Division 23 as an HVAC Section in lieu of Division 22 as a Plumbing Section? Natural gas piping is almost always part of the Plumbing Contractor’s scope of work for most projects.

A: In many jurisdictions, fuel piping (fuel oil and natural gas) is considered to be part of the plumbing contractor’s (subcontractor’s) work. However, in the deliberations of the CSI MasterFormat Expansion Task Team (MFETT), which included representatives from Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA), the conclusion was to include these subjects in the Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning division (Division 23) instead of the Plumbing division (Division 22). Part of the rationale was that the majority of the equipment served by fuel piping is HVAC equipment and therefore part of the overall HVAC systems. It was discussed passionately in great detail and not arbitrarily decided. Additionally, MasterFormat does not assign subject matter according to trade jurisdictions, even though it appears to have done so with “Fire Suppression,” “Plumbing,” and “HVAC” as division titles. Nevertheless, these titles are identifying distinctive items of work, whoever performs them. The representatives from MCAA researched and discovered that in some jurisdictions, the plumber’s unions claim fuel piping work. In other jurisdictions, the pipe fitters of the mechanical trades claim it. The MFETT concluded that there was no clear and consistent delineation of work assignments across the country, so even if the MFETT wanted to assign work according to trade jurisdictions, it was impractical to do so.

Q: Can we simply change the number to move it back to the Plumbing division?

A: Not advisable. First of all, it is not as simple as just changing the number on the fuel piping Sections. Most mechanical and electrical Sections depend on other Sections for complete units of work. This requires careful and accurate cross-referencing. So, if you change the fuel piping Sections from Division 23 to Division 22, you must also search for and revise occurrences where these fuel piping Sections are cross-referenced in other Sections, including kitchen equipment and other Sections not in the Mechanical/Electrical libraries. Finally, ARCOM recommends that MasterSpec Licensed Users follow MasterFormat for consistency and standardization within the construction industry for location of subject matter. ARCOM made a commitment that MasterSpec would comply with the MasterFormat 2004 numbering scheme, which is considered a construction industry standard and a “standard of care” for specifications organization. Doing so achieves a goal of standardization, which promotes ease of retrieval of information from among the vast amounts of requirements contained within Construction Documents.

Michael J. King, FCSI, CCS
ARCOM Vice President of
Engineering Specifications