Architects don’t need to be mechanical engineers, but we do need to understand what to look for when reviewing our consultants’ HVAC drawings. This checklist is designed to help you evaluate your mechanical consultant’s deliverables at each phase of design: Schematic Design, Design Development, and Construction Documents.
By breaking it down by phase, you can focus on what matters most at each stage, whether it’s major equipment placement, duct routing, coordination with architectural systems, or integration of life safety and sustainability requirements. Check out our other post: Working with MEP/FP Consultants
Schematic Design (SD) Mechanical Checklist
By the end of Schematic Design, mechanical layouts should be developed enough to illustrate system concepts, major equipment locations, and preliminary shaft and riser zones. Drawings should support early coordination with architecture and structure and identify major spatial or code-related constraints.
1. Title Block
Confirm the title block, specific project name, date and milestone/issuance all match the architectural drawings.
2. Code & General Notes
Review code references and general notes for accuracy and alignment with the project’s jurisdiction and scope. Confirm that any statements referencing the architect or architectural intent are appropriate and correctly represented.
3. Floor Plans
Confirm that floor plan backgrounds align with the architectural drawings, including column grid references. Ensure plans are graphically clean, with unnecessary worksets, duplicate grids, or reference layers turned off to maintain clarity and consistency.
4. Duct Risers
Confirm that the locations of ductwork risers are generally coordinated with the architectural and structural drawings. Verify that all risers are clearly tagged and that identifiers match those shown on the mechanical riser diagrams.
5. Dampers
Confirm dampers are documented on the plans or riser diagrams and are generally coordinated with wall types and shafts.
6. Plan Layouts
Confirm duct and piping layouts are coordinated with architectural drawings and free of major conflicts. Ensure plans include duct dimensions, clear notations and that all louver locations are coordinated with the building envelope.
7. Mechanical Equipment Rooms
Verify equipment layouts allow for required access and egress paths. Confirm layouts align with structural loading diagrams and reflect coordinated equipment placement.
8. Riser Diagrams
Confirm diagrams reflect the correct number of floors, including mezzanines, and are labeled consistently with the floor plans. Ensure all ducts, piping, fans, dampers, and key dimensions are shown and clearly labeled.
9. Noise & Vibration
Check for annotations addressing noise mitigation (e.g., sound attenuators) and vibration control measures (e.g., isolators) near sensitive areas such as offices and auditoriums.
10. Review Outline Specs
Confirm that narratives align with the architectural intent and clearly describe system types, preliminary equipment selections, and design criteria for the building and its program spaces.
Design Development (DD) Mechanical Checklist
By the end of Design Development, mechanical documents should be generally complete, showing coordinated system layouts, equipment selections, and riser and shaft locations. Drawings must support verification of spatial fit, code compliance, and integration with architectural and structural design.
1. Clash Detection and Model Coordination
Verify all MEP/FP risers and above-ceiling infrastructure are fully coordinated in the BIM/Revit model. Use clash detection software or visual review to confirm that systems avoid conflicts with beams, columns, trusses, ceiling systems, and lighting layouts.
2. Plan Readability and Graphic Clarity
Confirm all floor plans show ductwork and piping with legible dimensions, annotations, and to-scale representations. Eliminate duplicate grids, worksets, or visual clutter from views.
3. Risers
Ensure all risers are tagged, fit within shafts or chases, and, if not offset, align vertically floor to floor. Riser diagrams must be complete and consistent with floor plans in routing, labeling, and number of floors served. Confirm all slab penetrations for risers are sized to accommodate tolerances, firestopping, and ideally future capacity, and are clearly shown on both structural and mechanical plans.
4. Dampers and Fire-Rated Assemblies
Verify all required fire and smoke dampers are provided per code and wall type. Confirm labeling, accessibility, and alignment with architectural and fire-rated assemblies.
5. Acoustic Control Measures
Ensure mechanical ductwork and piping include acoustic treatments such as sound attenuators and vibration isolators in noise-sensitive areas. Confirm measures are documented in drawings and specifications.
6. Louvers, Sizing and Placement
Check all louvers meet free area requirements, AMCA requirements, and are located to avoid obstructions, are coordinated with fire separation distances, and property lines. Confirm mounting heights and alignment with exterior wall.
7. Plenum and Louver Connection Details
Verify that plenums are detailed with drainage provisions, proper slope, and secure connections to louvers and walls. Interior finishes and insulation must comply with code for concealed spaces.
8. Roof Equipment Curbs, Dunnage, and Flashing
Confirm all rooftop equipment includes properly sized curbs and structural dunnage, coordinated with the roofing consultant. Details must show flashing, clearances, anchorage, and compatibility with the roofing system and equipment base requirements.
9. Containment Around Fuel and Emergency Systems
Areas with fuel oil tanks, generators, or similar systems must show containment curbs and appropriate floor finishes. Confirm coordination with slab edge plans.
10. Rated Enclosures for Fuel Lines
Ensure horizontal and vertical fuel lines are routed through fire-rated enclosures as required. Confirm supports match rating of enclosure. Verify this in sections and reflected ceiling plans.
11. Drip Pan Coordination
Confirm the need for and location of drip pans under mechanical equipment, particularly in interstitial or ceiling-mounted units. Coordinate drainage routes and tie-ins.
12. IDF/MDF Mechanical Clearances
Confirm that mechanical systems serving IDF/MDF rooms maintain appropriate clearances around units and overhead. Coordinate with IT consultant layouts, ceiling heights, and cable tray routing to avoid conflicts with ductwork, piping, or access zones.
13. Structural Coordination of Mechanical Loads
Verify mechanical equipment locations, weights, and anchorage requirements are coordinated with structural drawings. Check for adequate support and loading capacity at each level.
14. Response to Air Entrainment Studies
Ensure mechanical designs and louver placements reflect recommendations from air entrainment or wind analysis studies. Verify mitigation measures are implemented where required.
15. LEED and WELL Filter Requirements
Confirm filter selections meet sustainability standards for MERV ratings and carbon filtration if pursuing LEED or WELL certification. Verify compliance in specifications and equipment schedules.
16. AHU Access Door Clearance
Check that air handling unit access doors are not blocked by walls, columns, or adjacent equipment. Maintain manufacturer-recommended service clearances on all sides.
17. Double-Tiered AHU Access Provisions
If double-stacked AHUs are used, verify access between levels is provided via ladders or platforms. Annotate dimensions and access zones clearly on plans.
18. Access Platforms
Ensure mechanical equipment requiring regular service is provided with access via ladders, catwalks, or platforms. Access areas must be sized for maintenance and part replacement, meet OSHA requirements, and be fully coordinated with architectural and structural plans.
19. Seismic Restraint Provisions
Verify seismic bracing and restraints are included for applicable mechanical systems based on project seismic zone. Details must be provided and referenced in specifications.
20. Exhaust and Quench Vent Clearances
Confirm clearances around exhaust stacks, grease ducts, and quench vents per mechanical code and fire department regulations. Check setbacks from intakes, openings, and adjacent buildings.
21. Separation of Intake and Exhaust Louvers
Verify that supply and exhaust louvers meet minimum separation distances and are located to avoid cross-contamination. Coordinate with code and mechanical engineer requirements.
22. Diffuser Model and Trim Coordination
Review diffuser schedule to ensure specified models and trim types match architectural ceiling design and finish intent. Adjust ceiling details if diffuser depth or shape requires accommodation.
23. Fan Coil Unit Integration
Confirm selected fan coil units meet the architectural intent, whether recessed into walls, concealed in soffits, or exposed. Validate unit size, trim, and service access requirements with ceiling and wall layouts.
24. Post Fire Smoke Purge
If required based on the building type, size, or height per Chapter 4 of the IBC, confirm that a dedicated post-fire smoke purge system is documented in the mechanical drawings. If designed as a separate ducted exhaust system, verify that duct routing is coordinated in the BIM/Revit model with floor openings, ceiling zones, and structural elements. Confirm that the system layout allows for integration with fire alarm controls and other life safety systems.
25. Outline Specifications Review
Confirm that mechanical outline specifications are included and coordinated with the architectural scope. Review sections requiring architectural input, such as fan coil units, diffusers, registers and grilles, chilled beams (if applicable), unit heaters, convectors, and radiant panels. Verify that the acoustician has reviewed duct silencers, acoustic treatments, and vibration control components. Confirm that sustainability requirements for LEED, WELL, or other certification targets are incorporated as directed by the sustainability consultant.
Construction Documents (CD) Mechanical Checklist
By the end of Construction Documents, all mechanical systems must be fully coordinated with final equipment selections, access provisions, and structural support clearly documented. No new scope should be introduced. All prior SD and DD expectations apply, and any value engineering (VE) decisions must be fully incorporated into the drawings and specifications.
1. Contractual Requirements
Confirm that all mechanical system requirements outlined in Owner/Architect and Architect/Consultant agreements are incorporated into the documents. Coordinate scope language, deliverables, and performance expectations with project contracts.
2. Documentation Completeness
Verify that mechanical drawings and specifications are complete, legible, and fully coordinated. Confirm no missing layouts, schedules, legends, or system details.
3. Clash Detection and Final Coordination
Perform final clash detection in the BIM model and resolve all conflicts that cannot reasonably be deferred to contractor coordination. Address any layout shifts or system adjustments required by late-phase consultant coordination.
4. Value Engineering (VE)
Ensure all accepted VE decisions from earlier phases are fully incorporated into the final documents. Update related notes, specifications, and performance data as needed.
5. Review Comment Incorporation
Confirm that all mechanical-related comments from prior reviews—whether from the client, construction manager, peer reviewers, or internal QA/QC, have been addressed and incorporated into the final documentation.
6. Mechanical Room Layouts
Confirm that mechanical rooms are accurately sized and support required egress and maintenance access. Coordinate acoustical treatments per the final acoustical report, including wall types, absorption, and STC ratings.
7. Stack Effect Mitigation
Ensure stack effect mitigation measures are implemented where required, including vestibules, dampers, pressurization strategies, and heating near entrances.
8. Final Acoustical Coordination
Confirm all final recommendations from the acoustical consultant are included in the mechanical design. Verify vibration isolation details and mounting systems for equipment are shown and specified.
9. Final Air Entrainment Response
Ensure final air entrainment study recommendations are implemented, particularly for louver placement, intake protection, and exterior air management.
10. Controls Coordination
Confirm all thermostats, sensors, and control devices are shown on mechanical drawings and coordinated with architectural plans. Check for conflicts with millwork, ceiling types, finishes, and room layouts. Coordinate device locations with electrical and IT consultants where applicable.
11. Exhaust Systems Confirmation
Confirm that all required exhaust systems (e.g., toilet rooms, food service areas, locker rooms, janitor closets, storage) are complete, routed, and meet applicable code and clearance requirements.
12. Temperature and Humidity Requirements
Verify that temperature and relative humidity setpoints for each zone are clearly documented and reflected in AHU sizing and equipment schedules.
13. Filtration Requirements
Confirm that mechanical schedules and notes reflect required air filtration levels, including MERV, carbon, or HEPA filters where applicable. Review these selections against sustainability goals and any health-related concerns, such as WELL certification or enhanced filtration for airborne pathogen mitigation.
14. Clear Equipment Tagging and Schedules
Confirm that all mechanical equipment is tagged consistently between floor plans, riser diagrams, details, and schedules. Ensure schedule data aligns with final selections and load requirements.
15. Labeling, Notation, and Abbreviations
Ensure all plans use consistent and clearly defined abbreviations, symbols, and system labels. Provide a legend and standard nomenclature throughout the document set.
16. MEP Specification Cross-Check
Cross-check Division 23 specifications against the final drawings to confirm alignment of product types, performance data, and installation requirements. Remove legacy specs from earlier design options or alternates.
17. Equipment Access Zones
Confirm that floor plans and sections show adequate service clearances around mechanical equipment. Coordinate access pathways and verify they align with architectural layouts and structural obstructions.
18. Roof Coordination Finalization
Confirm all rooftop mechanical equipment, dunnage, curbs, and penetrations are fully coordinated with the roofing system and documented in architectural and structural plans. Verify flashing, drainage, and wind/seismic restraint details are included.
19. Fire and Life Safety Coordination
Confirm that fire/smoke dampers, shaft wall types, and rated enclosures for ductwork and piping are clearly indicated on mechanical and architectural drawings. Check alignment with the life safety plan and code summary.
20. Final Specifications Review
Confirm that mechanical specifications are complete and coordinated with architectural documents. Verify that architecturally integrated equipment is fully addressed and that acoustical and vibration control requirements are incorporated. Confirm all sustainability-related criteria for LEED, WELL, or other certifications are included per the consultant’s direction.
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