History
After World War II, building construction specifications began to expand, as more advanced materials and choices were made available. The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) was founded in 1948, and began to address the organization of specifications into a numbering system. In 1963, they published a format for construction specifications, with 16 major divisions of work. A 1975 CSI publication used the term MasterFormat. The last CSI MasterFormat publication to use the 16 divisions was in 1995, and this is no longer supported by CSI. In November 2004, MasterFormat expanded from 16 Divisions to 50 Divisions, reflecting innovations in the construction industry and expanding the coverage to a larger part of the construction industry. Updates were published in 2010, 2012, and 2014.
Current MasterFormat Divisions (April 2014)
The current MasterFormat Divisions are:
PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS GROUP
- Division 00 — Procurement and Contracting Requirements
SPECIFICATIONS GROUP
General Requirements Subgroup
- Division 01 — General Requirements
Facility Construction Subgroup
- Division 02 — Existing Conditions (Ex. Alterations to existing natural conditions)
- Division 03 — Concrete (Ex. Footings)
- Division 04 — Masonry (Ex. Concrete block and brick work)
- Division 05 — Metals (Ex. Steel framing)
- Division 06 — Wood, Plastics, and Composites (Ex. House framing)
- Division 07 — Thermal and Moisture Protection (Ex. Insulation and water barriers)
- Division 08 — Openings (Ex. Doors, windows, and louvers)
- Division 09 — Finishes
- Division 10 — Specialties
- Division 11 — Equipment
- Division 12 — Furnishings
- Division 13 — Special Construction
- Division 14 — Conveying Equipment
- Division 15 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
- Division 16 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
- Division 17 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
- Division 18 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
- Division 19 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
Facility Services Subgroup:
- Division 20 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
- Division 21 — Fire Suppression
- Division 22 — Plumbing
- Division 23 — Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning
- Division 24 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
- Division 25 — Integrated Automation
- Division 26 — Electrical
- Division 27 — Communications
- Division 28 — Electronic Safety and Security
- Division 29 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
Site and Infrastructure Subgroup:
- Division 30 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
- Division 31 — Earthwork
- Division 32 — Exterior Improvements
- Division 33 — Utilities
- Division 34 — Transportation
- Division 35 — Waterway and Marine
- Division 36 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
- Division 37 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
- Division 38 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
- Division 39 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
Process Equipment Subgroup:
- Division 40 — Process Interconnections
- Division 41 — Material Processing and Handling Equipment
- Division 42 — Process Heating, Cooling, and Drying Equipment
- Division 43 — Process Gas and Liquid Handling, Purification and Storage Equipment
- Division 44 — Pollution and Waste Control Equipment
- Division 45 — Industry-Specific Manufacturing Equipment
- Division 46 — Water and Wastewater Equipment
- Division 47 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
- Division 48 — Electrical Power Generation
- Division 49 — RESERVED FOR FUTURE EXPANSION
Pre-2012 MasterFormat Divisions
MASTERFORMAT 2004 EDITION
Same as MasterFormat 2014, except the following:
- Division 40 — Process Integration
MASTERFORMAT 1995 EDITION
Before November 2004, MasterFormat was composed of 16 Divisions:
- Division 1 — General Requirements
- Division 2 — Site Construction
- Division 3 — Concrete
- Division 4 — Masonry (Ex. Concrete block)
- Division 5 — Metals (Ex. Beams)
- Division 6 — Wood and Plastics
- Division 7 — Thermal and Moisture Protection
- Division 8 — Doors and Windows
- Division 9 — Finishes
- Division 10 — Specialties
- Division 11 — Equipment
- Division 12 — Furnishings
- Division 13 — Special Construction
- Division 14 — Conveying Systems
- Division 15 — Mechanical (Ex. Plumbing and HVAC)
- Division 16 — Electrical
MASTERFORMAT 1988 EDITION
Same as MasterFormat 1995 except the following:
- Division 2 — Sitework
_________________________
Note: The 16-Division CSI format is still popular in many BOQs here in the Middle East. For varying sub-categories of these divisions, sign-in to your membership account with OFWP6PLANNERS Web Forum.
