KAST 2D Coordination (Overlay) Process

General Information

On projects not utilizing 3D modeling for trade coordination, 2D (overlay) MEP Coordination allows all discipline specialists & trades to coordinate the layout of their material before work commences on the project or in an area. This helps mitigate clashes and conflicts between trades and eliminates the amount of rework in the field.

Stages of MEP Coordination

• Review Drawings (Engineer drawings & trade shop drawings)
  • Compare Arch with Struct - finding consistencies with floor plans, columns, foundations, etc.
  • Familiarize yourself with the project schedule.
    • Typically, you should complete coordination on floors several weeks before the date work is expected to begin on that floor (This is a good time to draft an "MEP Coordination Schedule)
  • Create a coordination schedule
    • Include all coordination floors or areas
• Arrange first meeting with Project Team, Subcontractors, and Design team to set up expectations and schedules.
  • Gather responsible contractor information.
  • Discuss and confirm "Flying Zones" (Which trades will install above or below another)
  • Confirm a recurring date and time for MEP Coordination meetings
  • Set expectations for all parties participating in the MEP Coordination process.
    • Set time allowances for Shop Drawings, RFI drafts, submittals, etc)
  • Confirm that all trades will be designing and lay out from established control lines
    • Additionally, setting the expectation for subcontractors to create their shop drawings with scales that match the Architectural and MEPF drawings will help expedite the overlay process and potentially eliminate any issues with overlaying.
• Create 2D Overlays
  • For 2D: Download all respective drawings (Architectural, MEPF, Shop Drawings) for Underground, All Floors, Roof
    • Overlay respective drawings and review for conflicts (see below)

Coordination Meetings

• Keep Procore Meeting Minutes of all coordination meetings
  • It is critical to confirm and document attendance!
  • Document any areas where coordination cannot move forward due to design issues, and link to the relevant RFI
• Begin meetings with updates on the coordination process, current work in place, and work commencing shortly.
• Discuss Clashes in meetings (Coordination Issues)
  • Discuss clashes and coordinate with Subcontractors for possible re-route or solutions to MEPF trades to allow material to fit within shared spaces (soffits, chase walls, riser locations)
    • Clashes that cannot be solved or need AOR/EOR input should be elevated to an RFI.
      • Utilize the Coordination Issues (CI) tool in Procore to generate a CI for each clash or outstanding item to track. (Coordination Issues can be elevated to RFI's and will automatically update status when RFI responses are marked official)
    • All resolved clashes should be reflected on Subcontractor Shop Drawings and Consultant Design Drawings.
• Produce coordinated drawings
  • The trades will use these "fully baked" drawings in the field for installation and buildout.
  • Trades must submit shop & field drawings via Procore where required by contract, and/or
    • Fire Protection drawings
    • Ductwork drawings
    • Any delegated design drawings
    • Slab Penetration Drawings
• Signing Off on Areas
  • Utilize the Procore Action Plans - [MEPF COORD] 02 Area Plan (Sign-Off) templates to gather all key dates, logs of unresolved RFI's and Coordination Issues, and Coordination Team Sign-Off's for the specified area.

Typical Order of Coordination - Areas

• Underground

  • Confirming Underground trades and elevations
    • Review any possible conflicts between MEPF systems and
      • foundation footings
      • drainage wells
      • Civil point of connection
        • Compare plumbing, fire, and (if applicable) Mechanical piping connection locations to those shown on Civil or Site drawings.
        • Calculate the fall for any sloped pipe to verify that the vertical points of connection are within the requirements.s
      • Power point of connections
        • Compare electrical connections at the building exterior with those shown on the civil drawings, and confirm both with the power company layouts or proposed points of connection.

• Level 01 and Up

  • Confirm flying zones for trades and perform clash detection of overhead trades (trades that will be installing in soffit ceilings, chase walls, exposed ceilings
    • Confirm ceiling heights and soffit cavity space by calculating the bottom of the slab to the top of the ceiling framing
      • confirm framing size with contract documents and Prime Contract Q&A (which governs over drawings & specifications!)
    • Overlay the following drawings to look for areas of conflict (utilized subcontractor shop/field drawings where possible)
      • Architectural Reflected ceiling plan(s)
        • Check for the existence of ID drawings and include them if applicable
      • Mechanical drawings (pipe AND duct)
      • Electrical drawings (lighting AND power)
      • Fire protection drawings 
      • structural drawings for the floor above
      • plumbing plan(s) for the floor above
    • Confirm X-Vent locations and if they are within code compliance (this is a common issue that often goes unchecked)
      • Minimum distance requirements between the Exhaust and Intake vents
      • Location of X-Vents with window/slider openings
• Cases where a project has numerous buildings:
  • Best practice is to coordinate building in the order that work will commence (Buildings that will be constructed first should be coordinated first, and later buildings to follow)