What Is CSI Code?

Organize your construction specs and project information

"Material Bidders uses CSI as the link used to match the requested tenders of buyers with the corresponding suppliers. Material Bidders has chosen CSI for its widespread use in the specifications of projects worldwide."

Herein a brief on what is CSI and its different sections.

MasterFormat is a coding system for organizing construction documents, contracts, design specifications, and operational manuals. It uses specific numbers and associated titles that make up a universal indexing system. MasterFormat is also a publication created and maintained by the Construction Specification Institute (CSI) and Construction Specifications Canada (CSC). It is widely used in the construction and operation of buildings and systems in a variety of industries and projects, from hospitals and public infrastructure to schools and residential construction.

Advantages of Using MasterFormat

One of the most important benefits of MasterFormat is improved communication between project groups, most notably between the design and construction teams. It allows all team members to refer to specific sections of any document using the universal coding system. This facilitates coordination and communication between project owners, architects, contractors, and suppliers, minimizing the time spent organizing documents.

For industries with complex operations, such as health care, MasterFormat helps communicate and organize critical operational information among designers, builders, operations managers, and facility owners. In addition, as these and many other industries are increasingly using building information modeling, or BIM, MasterFormat can be used by modeling software to enhance data interoperability and improve BIM adoption.

The MasterFormat system can be used to organize many types of project documents, including:

  • Design specifications
  • Project manuals
  • Drawings (keynotes)
  • Product literature/data filing
  • Facility management and maintenance
  • Project integration and communication
  • Detailed cost estimating/project accounting
  • Building information modeling
MasterFormat Divisions and Subgroups
MasterFormat includes a group of "39 divisions" of construction information. Each division has its own number.

+ 02 00 00 Existing Conditions
+ 02 30 00 Subsurface Investigation
+ 02 40 00 Demolition and Structure Moving
+ 02 50 00 Site Remediation
+ 02 60 00 Contaminated Site Material Removal
+ 02 70 00 Water Remediation
+ 02 80 00 Facility Remediation
+ 03 00 00 Concrete
+ 04 00 00 Masonry
+ 05 00 00 Metals
+ 06 00 00 Wood, Plastics, and Composites
+ 07 00 00 Thermal and Moisture Protection
+ 08 00 00 Openings
+ 09 00 00 Finishes
+ 10 00 00 Specialties
+ 11 00 00 Equipment
+ 12 00 00 Furnishings
+ 13 00 00 Special Construction
+ 14 00 00 Conveying Equipment
- 21 00 00 Fire Suppression
+ 21 01 00 Operation and Maintenance of Fire Suppression
- 21 05 00 Common Work Results for Fire Suppression
+ 21 06 00 Schedules for Fire Suppression
+ 21 07 00 Fire Suppression Systems Insulation
+ 21 08 00 Commissioning of Fire Suppression
+ 21 09 00 Instrumentation and Control for Fire-Suppression Systems
+ 21 10 00 Water-Based Fire-Suppression Systems
+ 21 11 00 Facility Fire-Suppression Water-Service Piping
+ 21 12 00 Fire-Suppression Standpipes
+ 21 13 00 Fire-Suppression Sprinkler Systems
+ 21 16 00 Fire-Suppression Pressure Maintenance Pumps
+ 21 20 00 Fire-Extinguishing Systems
+ 21 21 00 Carbon-Dioxide Fire-Extinguishing Systems
+ 21 22 00 Clean-Agent Fire-Extinguishing Systems
+ 21 23 00 Wet-Chemical Fire-Extinguishing Systems
+ 21 24 00 Dry-Chemical Fire-Extinguishing Systems
+ 21 30 00 Fire Pumps
+ 21 31 00 Centrifugal Fire Pumps
+ 21 32 00 Vertical-Turbine Fire Pumps
+ 21 33 00 Positive-Displacement Fire Pumps
+ 21 40 00 Fire-Suppression Water Storage
+ 21 41 00 Storage Tanks for Fire-Suppression Water
+ 22 00 00 Plumbing
+ 23 00 00 Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
+ 25 00 00 Integrated Automation
+ 26 00 00 Electrical
+ 27 00 00 Communications
+ 28 00 00 Electronic Safety and Security
+ 31 00 00 Earthwork
+ 32 00 00 Exterior Improvements
+ 33 00 00 Utilities
+ 34 00 00 Transportation
+ 35 00 00 Waterway and Marine Construction
+ 40 00 00 Process Interconnections
+ 41 00 00 Material Processing and Handling Equipment
+ 42 00 00 Process Heating, Cooling, and Drying Equipment
+ 43 00 00 Process Gas and Liquid Handling,
+ 44 00 00 Pollution and Waste Control Equipment
+ 45 00 00 Industry-Specific Manufacturing Equipment
+ 46 00 00 Water and Wastewater Equipment
+ 48 00 00 Electrical Power Generation