AIA Layer Standards
AIA Layer Standards
AIA Layer Standards
1
© 2005. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BUILDING SCIENCES
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U.S. NATIONAL CAD STANDARD FOR ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, & CONSTRUCTION (A/E/C) VERSION 3.1
© 2005. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BUILDING SCIENCES
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U.S. NATIONAL CAD STANDARD FOR ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING, & CONSTRUCTION (A/E/C) VERSION 3.1
© 2005. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BUILDING SCIENCES
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
Overview.................................................................................. CLG-1
A Brief History of CAD Layer Guidelines ........................................ 1
New in Version 3.0 .......................................................................... 3
LAYER LIST
Drawing View Layer List ......................................................... CLG-9
Annotation Layer List.................................................................... 11
General Layer List ......................................................................... 13
Hazardous Materials Layer List .................................................... 15
Survey and Mapping Layer List..................................................... 17
Geotechnical Layer List ................................................................ 23
Introduction
Overview
Virtually all vector-based CAD systems support the concept of layers. This function allows
building design information to be organized in a systematic fashion, facilitates the visual display
of the information on a computer screen, and allows the information to be efficiently converted to
the conventional print media of drawings. Efficient use of layers can reduce document
preparation time and improve document coordination. Organizing data by layers allows a single
CAD file to contain a wealth of information about a building or facility. By turning selected
layers on or off, data can be created, reviewed and edited according to a hierarchy that simulates
the physical organization of building systems, the relative position of building elements, or the
sequence of construction.
In July 1997, the AIA agreed to incorporate CAD Layer Guidelines into the emerging U.S.
National CAD Standard (U.S. NCS), a project of the National Institute of Building Sciences
(NIBS). The AIA and NIBS were joined in that effort with the Construction Specifications
Institute (CSI) and the (then-known) Tri-Service CADD/GIS Technology Center of the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers. CSI and Tri-Service agreed to incorporate their own publications into
the U.S. NCS, the Uniform Drawing System and the Plotting Guidelines, respectively. These four
INTRODUCTION CLG-1
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constituent publishers, as they came to be known, were joined by a number of building design and
construction industry organizations in developing and publishing the U.S. NCS.
In March 1999, the U.S. National CAD Standard Project Committee formally accepted CAD
Layer Guidelines, Second Edition (with minor amendments) as a constituent document of the U.S.
National CAD Standard, Version 1.0, published in July 1999. The U.S. NCS Project Committee
immediately set to work on publication of Version 2.0, which was published in 2002.
Considerable confusion resulted from the lack of “alignment” between the “Second Edition” of
CAD Layer Guidelines and “Version 1.0” of the U.S. National CAD Standard. Because CAD
Layer Guidelines, Second Edition was published before, and later incorporated into, the U.S.
National CAD Standard, Version 1.0, this could not be avoided. With publication of the U.S.
National CAD Standard, Version 2.0, this problem was corrected by giving the constituent
document an entirely new name. For the first time, “AIA” became part of the title of the
publication, and the numbered “editions” were abandoned. As a result, this publication is known
as AIA CAD Layer Guidelines: U.S. NCS Version 2.0. No doubt some confusion will still arise
between the U.S. NCS Version 2.0 and the old CAD Layer Guidelines, Second Edition, but the
problem should be resolved with the publication of the new U.S. NCS, Version 3.0.
Version 2
AIA CAD Layer Guidelines, version 2, was designed and formatted to match its companion
document, CSI's Uniform Drawing System. It was also carefully coordinated with that document,
so that the two function as a whole.
INTRODUCTION CLG-2
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New in Version 3
Highlights of revisions and additions to Version 3 include the following:
• User-defined Minor Group field codes may now be four alphabetic and/or numeric
characters (0–9) and/or “~”.
• Additions to the Process Layer List allow users to define layers by individual systems or
groups of systems.
• Expanded the Landscape Layer List.
• New Major and Minor Groups added to the Equipment, Mechanical, and Interior Layer
Lists.
• Equipment layer added to the Fire Protection Layer List.
INTRODUCTION CLG-3
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There are four defined layer name data fields: Discipline Designator, Major Group,
two Minor Groups, and Status. The Discipline Designator and Major Group fields are
mandatory. The Minor Group and Status fields are optional. Each data field is separated from
adjacent fields by a dash (“-”) for clarity.
The complete U.S. NCS layer name format, showing the Discipline Designator, the Major
Group, two Minor Groups, and the Status fields.
A I - W A L L - F U L L - D I M S - N
Note that for conceptual conformance to ISO 13567, Organization and Naming of Layers for
CAD, the layer name format and length must be the same for all layers on a given project. See
“Commentary: U.S. NCS and ISO 13567” (p. 91) at the end of AIA CAD Layer Guidelines for
detailed information about ISO conformance.
For a complete list of Discipline Designators, see Appendix A of UDS Module 1 beginning on
page UDS-01.35.
Major Group
A typical layer name showing the The Major Group is a four-character field that identifies a major building system. The prescribed
required data fields only.
Major Group field codes (four-character abbreviations) shown on the Layer List are logically
The mandatory Major Group grouped with specific discipline designators. However, any Major Group may be combined with
field is highlighted:
any prescribed Discipline Designator, provided that the definition of the Major Group remains
unchanged. Therefore, any reasonable combination of the prescribed Discipline Designators and
A - WA L L Major Groups is permitted.
The prescribed Minor Group field codes (four-character abbreviations) shown on the Layer List
are logically grouped with specific Major Groups. However, any Minor Group may be used to
modify any Major Group, provided that the definition of the Minor Group remains unchanged.
Therefore, any reasonable combination of the prescribed Major and Minor Groups is permitted.
NOTE: User-defined Minor Group field codes are permitted. They must contain four alphabetic
and/or numeric characters and/or “~”, and must be fully documented on the U.S. NCS
Compliance Disclosure Statement for the project on which they are used.
NOTE: For conceptual conformance to ISO 13567, Organization and Naming of Layers for
CAD, the use of certain Minor Group field codes is restricted. See “Commentary: U.S. NCS and
ISO 13567” (p. 91) at the end of AIA CAD Layer Guidelines for detailed information about ISO
conformance.
Status (Phase)
A typical layer name showing the
location of the optional Status field: The status field is an optional single-character field that distinguishes the data contained on the
layer according to the status of the work or the construction phase. The prescribed field codes for
A - WA L L - F U L L - T E X T - N this field are as follows:
Note that for conceptual conformance to ISO 13567, Organization and Naming of Layers for
CAD, this field may be used to denote either “Status” OR “Phase,” but not BOTH. See
“Commentary: U.S. NCS and ISO 13567” (p. 91) at the end of AIA CAD Layer Guidelines for
detailed information about ISO conformance.
The Drawing View field codes are specialized codes for layers that are Layer Name Description New
organized primarily by drawing type, rather than by major building
system. The field codes DETL, ELEV, and SECT may also be used as -DETL Detail
Minor Group field codes to modify a major building system.
-ELEV Elevation
For data sets that are organized by drawing type, an optional -SECT Section
alphanumeric Minor Group field code, ANNN, is prescribed to further - -ANNN Drawing View Major Group: optional
distinguish drawings within a single CAD file. This Minor Group may be number (A = letter, NNN = number
used ONLY to modify the prescribed Drawing View Major Groups; it between 001 and 999)
may not be used to modify any other Major Group. The format of ANNN - -ANNN-MCUT Drawing View Major Group: optional
is also prescribed. It must consist of a single alphabetic character number: material cut by the view
followed by a three-digit number between 001 and 999. The definition of - -ANNN-MBND Drawing View Major Group: optional
ANNN is not prescribed; it must be defined by the user. The definition number: material beyond cut
must be documented on the U.S. NCS Compliance Disclosure Statement - -ANNN-PATT Drawing View Major Group: optional
for the project on which it is used. number: textures and hatch patterns
- -ANNN-IDEN Drawing View Major Group: optional
The Minor Group field codes MCUT, MBND, PATT, and IDEN may be number: component identification
used to modify any Major or Minor Group in the Layer List. The numbers
definitions of these prescribed field codes cannot be changed. See page
- -ANNN-OTLN Drawing View Major Group: optional
CLG-8 for rules and options governing the use of field codes. number: outline of object drawn
V -BLDG Buildings and primary structures V -BLDG-PRCH Buildings and primary structures:
V -BLDG-DECK Buildings and primary structures: porch (attached, roof overhead)
outdoor decks (attached, no roof V -BNDY Political boundaries
overhead) V -BNDY-BORO Political boundaries: borough
V -BLDG-OTLN Buildings and primary structures: V -BNDY-CITY Political boundaries: city
outline
V -BNDY-CNTY Political boundaries: county
V -BLDG-OVHD Buildings and primary structures:
overhead (overhang) V -BNDY-CORP Political boundaries: corporation
V -BNDY-NATL Political boundaries: national
P -ACID Acid waste systems P -DOMW-CPIP Domestic water systems: cold water
P -ACID-EQPM Acid waste systems: equipment piping
P -ACID-PIPE Acid waste systems: piping P -DOMW-EQPM Domestic water systems: equipment
P -ACID-VENT Acid waste systems: vents P -DOMW-HPIP Domestic water systems: hot water
piping
P -DOMW Domestic water systems
P -DOMW-RISR Domestic water systems: hot and cold
water risers
T - -1LIN Any major group: one-line diagrams T - -RISR Any major group: riser diagrams
T - -DIAG Any major group: diagrams T -ALRM Alarm system
T - -EQPM Any major group: equipment T -BELL Bell system
T - -JACK Any major group: jacks T -CABL Cable systems
T - -JBOX Any major group: junction boxes T -CABL-COAX Cable systems: coax cable
TELECOMMUNICATIONS LAYER LIST CLG-77
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Field Codes
The U.S. NCS and ISO 13567 differ in one important respect. The U.S. NCS prescribes
TWO STANDARDS OR ONE?
the valid alpha-numeric field codes that can appear in each data field, and the definitions
of the field codes (e.g., EQPM = equipment). Users of ISO 13567 must determine, for
each project, the valid field codes for that project and their definitions. ISO 13567 users
are required to document this information in a metadata file known as a layer naming
• The U.S. NCS offers users an opportunity to
system definition file that must accompany the project data files. In its simplest form, this
comply with both U.S. and ISO CAD
standards. By adhering to the guidelines in is nothing more than a tab-delimited text file.
this commentary, summarized in ten (10) There are valid reasons for both approaches. The prescriptive approach of the U.S. NCS
steps on the last page, the U.S. NCS relieves users of the task of developing and documenting field codes for every project.
becomes a “country-specific” implementation However, in order to accommodate all possible users, the list of prescribed NCS field
of the ISO CAD Standard. codes must be comprehensive. By not prescribing field codes, ISO 13567 allows the ISO
layer format to be applied uniformly without having to define all possible field codes in
• For design firms doing international work, advance.
using the U.S. NCS can simplify the ISO-
mandated task of preparing the layer naming
Field Codes and Language
system definition file that must accompany
the project data files on every project. By not prescribing field codes, ISO 13567 also allows the ISO layer format to be applied
uniformly without regard to language. Users may, if they wish, develop codes endowed
• A default ISO Layer Naming System with language-specific meaning. Citing our earlier example, English users might use the
Definition File based on the U.S. NCS is field code “EQPM” to represent the [major building] element “equipment,” while users in
available at: another language group might use another field code that has similar mnemonic
association to the word for “equipment” in that language.
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While the field codes themselves might differ, the category of information contained in
Users may customize this file for specific any given field is defined by the standard, facilitating translation of the actual content. In
projects. practice, ISO 13567 users tend to favor numeric codes to define the content of data fields.
This eliminates any need to “translate” the field codes themselves. If, for example, the
field code “720” is prescribed to mean “equipment,” then only the definition, and not the
code itself, would need to be translated. This eliminates the need for “translating” the
actual file or layer name.
A1B2 1 0 _ D NB 1 0 1 3 1 F RC ISO 13567 anticipates that groups of users or national standards bodies might not only
[Building] Element wish to prescribe a list of valid field codes (as the U.S. NCS has done), but might also
wish to vary from the specified ISO layer format. 13567-3 is explicitly designed “to
A1B2 1 0 _ D _ NB 1 0 1 3 1 F RC allow national standards bodies (or projects where agreement is reached between the
Presentation parties) to implement layer naming conventions which satisfy the requirements of the
(Optional Fields) [ISO] standard while using alternative and more convenient layer naming structures
and codes.”
A1B2 1 0 _ D _ NB 1 0 1 3 1 F RC
Status To permit this, ISO 13567-3 establishes rules for modifying the layer format itself. As
with the field codes, users are required to fully document layer format modifications in
A1B2 1 0 _ D _ NB 1 0 1 3 1 FRC the layer naming system definition file. CAD data sets that adhere to these rules are
Sector defined by ISO as being in conceptual conformance with the ISO standard, an approved
alternative to default conformance.
A1B2 1 0 _ D _ NB 1 0 1 3 1 F RC
Phase The rules for conceptual conformance specify that the mandatory data fields must
always be used, but the order of all fields in the layer name (both mandatory and
A1B2 1 0 _ D _ NB 1 0 1 3 1 F RC optional), the number of optional fields used, and the number of characters in each field
Projection can vary from the default ISO layer format. Additionally, the names of the fields can
differ from the names specified, as long as the conceptual definition of each field
A1B2 1 0 _ D _ NB 1 0 1 3 1 F RC conforms to the ISO standard. All modifications to the default layer format must be
Scale applied uniformly throughout the project. Layer names must all be of the same length,
use the same set of mandatory and optional fields in the same order, and have the same
A1B2 1 0 _ D _ NB 1 0 1 3 1 F RC number of characters per field.
Work Package
These rules allow data sets created in conceptual conformance with ISO 13567 to be
mapped to the ISO 13567 default layer format. However, ISO does not require users to
actually “map” or otherwise convert the data into the default layer format.
NCS Field Name ISO Field Name Though the specified field names in the U.S. NCS layer format differ from the specified
field names in the ISO layer format, the definitions of the field names are conceptually
Discipline Designator Agent Responsible the same (with one important exception, discussed in the next paragraph below). This
allows NCS-compliant data to meet the principal ISO 13567 criterion for conceptual
Major & Minor Groups Element
conformance. The Field Name Comparison Table at left highlights additional rules that
Annotation Minor Group* Presentation must be followed to create data that is in conformance with both the U.S. NCS and ISO
13567.
Status** Status
“Discipline Designator” vs. “Agent Responsible”
(none) Sector
ISO 13567 defines Agent Responsible as “the construction specialist responsible for
* ISO compliance requires that the last NCS
the data.” Regrettably, ISO 13567 does not further define the terms “construction
Minor Group field be reserved for annotation. specialist” and “responsible for.”
** ISO compliance requires that this field be “Construction specialist” could be interpreted to mean “design professional,” “design
reserved for status OR project phase, but not drafter,” or even “skilled tradesperson or contractor.” Though the text of ISO 13567 does
both; duplicate use of the field is not permitted. not define which of these individuals is the “agent responsible,” one can reasonably infer
*** ISO compliance requires that Drawing View from the sample layer naming system definition file shown in Annex A of ISO 13567-3
field names not appear in the same fields as that “construction specialist” is defined as the design professional.
Major or Minor Group fields that define major
building elements. If both annotation and “Agent Responsible” and Professional Liability
drawing view are to be included in any layer
names, one Minor Group Field must be Identifying the design professional as the “construction specialist” still allows
reserved for Annotation and the other for
considerable room for interpretation of the definition for “agent responsible.” It could be
Drawing View.
interpreted to mean either “design professional who is professionally liable for the
In the U.S., however, use of the imprecise ISO definition for agent responsible might
possibly expose design professionals to professional liability for data over which they had
no oversight.
contained in the drawing file or layer is “mechanical systems,” the mechanical engineer is
likely to be the design professional under whose supervision the data was created.
U.S. NCS Field Code Restrictions
(for conceptual conformance to ISO 13567) Users who wish to produce data that is in conformance with the U.S. NCS and in
The field code “ANNO” may NOT be used, because conceptual conformance with ISO 13567 can do so by establishing a rule for their
“annotation” is not a major building “element:” projects that data will be created only under the supervision of the design professional
typically responsible for the subject matter. In this way, the conceptual definition for the
A I - ANNO - T E X T - N data field can be BOTH “category of subject matter contained in the file or layer
Major Group (Element) designated” AND “construction specialist responsible for the data.” Implementation of
The Annotation Minor Group field codes MAY be used, this rule can help reduce the risk of professional liability by minimizing the likelihood of
provided the field is reserved for these codes. Two conflicts that might arise when different elements of the same building system are
allowable formats are shown: designed by more than one design professional.
If Drawing View field codes are used (Figure 2), the Minor Group field in which they
Two allowable formats for Status field codes.
appear must likewise exclude any other field codes.
A - WA L L - E L E V - T E X T - N If the Status field is used (Figure 3), the allowable field codes must be restricted to the
(Status) Status specified letters (to correspond to the ISO field “Status”) or to the specified numbers (to
correspond to the ISO field “Phase”) but not both.
A - WA L L - E L E V - T E X T - 2
(Phase) Status
Figure 3 - “Status” field codes COMMENTARY: U.S. NCS AND ISO 13567 CLG-92
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Example U.S. NCS Layer Formats U.S. NCS and ISO 13567 Implementation Options
(in conceptual conformance to ISO 13567)
The examples shown here illustrate two possible U.S. NCS layer formats that are in
conceptual conformance with ISO 13567. Note that ISO 13567 does not use dashes as
field delimiters. For purposes of ISO conformance, the dashes in the NCS layer format
A I - WA L L - F U L L - T E X T - N are defined as an additional character of the field preceding it.
Level 2 Discipline Designator (Agent Responsible)
Example 1 shows the optional two-character U.S. NCS Level 2 Discipline Designator;
A I - WA L L - F U L L - T E X T - N together with the dash that follows it, this field is defined as three (3) characters in length.
Major, Minor Group (Element) A Major and one Minor Group are defined as corresponding to the ISO field [Building]
“Element.” The field is ten (10) characters in length. The second Minor Group is reserved
A I - WA L L - F U L L - T E X T - N for Annotation field codes, corresponds to the ISO field “Presentation,” and is five (5)
(Presentation) Annotation characters in length. The final field is Status, which corresponds to the ISO field of the
same name, and is one (1) character in length.
A I - WA L L - F U L L - T E X T - N
(Status) Status Example 2 shows the U.S. NCS required Level 1 Discipline Designator only, and is
Example 1 defined as two (2) characters in length. The Major Group is defined as corresponding to
the ISO field [Building] “Element,” and is five (5) characters in length. The first Minor
Group is reserved for Drawing View field codes, corresponds to the ISO field
“Projection,” and is five (5) characters in length. The second Minor Group is reserved for
A - WA L L - E L E V - T E X T - 2 Annotation field codes, corresponds to the ISO field “Presentation,” and is five (5)
Level 1 Discipline Designator (Agent Responsible) characters in length. The final field is reserved for Phase field codes, corresponds to the
ISO field “Phase,” and is one (1) character in length.
A - WA L L - E L E V - T E X T - 2
Major Group (Element)
Note that for ISO conformance, the total length of the layer name must be the same for all
layers on a given project. Layer names that do not require a certain field, such as
A - WA L L - E L E V - T E X T - 2 “Annotation,” must use placeholders (usually dashes or underscores) to maintain the
Drawing View (Projection) length of the layer name and the relative position of the fields.
While the ISO 13567 rules for conceptual conformance allow the fields to appear in any
A - WA L L - E L E V - T E X T - 2
order, this is not permitted by the U.S. NCS. The fields must be in the order of Discipline
(Presentation) Annotation
Designator, Major Group, Minor Group 1, Minor Group 2, Status. If a Minor Group field
A - WA L L - E L E V - T E X T - 2 is used to modify the “building element” shown in the Major Group, that Minor Group
(Phase) Status must appear immediately following the Major Group.
Example 2
Required Use of Placeholders U.S. NCS and ISO 13567 Implementation Guidelines
(for conceptual conformance to ISO 13567)
The information in this Commentary is summarized in the following steps for preparing
Layers in which reserved field codes are not used must documents with layer names in conformance with the U.S. NCS and in conceptual
have placeholders in the reserved fields.
conformance with ISO 13567. While these guidelines are intended to aid U.S. NCS users,
adherence to these rules in some form would be required by ISO 13567 whether or not
A - WA L L - E L E V - _ _ _ _ - N
the U.S. NCS layer format were used.
1. Require that all documents be prepared only under the supervision of the design
A - WA L L - E L E V - T E X T - N professional typically responsible for the subject matter contained in the documents.
Figure 4 2. Do not use the field code “ANNO” in any layer name.
3. Determine whether the Discipline Designator will be one character (Level 1) or two
characters (Level 2) in length.
4. Determine whether the “building element” will consist of a Major Group only, or of a
Major Group and one Minor Group.
5. Determine whether a Minor Group is to be reserved for Drawing View field codes,
and fix its position in the sequence of fields.
6. Determine whether a Minor Group is to be reserved for Annotation field codes, and
fix its position in the sequence of fields.
7. Note that only two Minor Groups are available. Of the three options described in 4,
5, and 6 above, only two can be exercised on a given project.
8. Determine whether to include the Status field in the layer name and whether to use
the specified letters to denote “Status,” or the specified numbers to denote “Phase.”
9. For layer names in which one or more fields are not required, use placeholders
(dashes or underscores) to maintain consistent layer name length and the relative
positions of fields (Figure 4).
10. Prepare a layer naming system definition file in accordance with ISO 13567-3 that
defines the selected layer format for the project.