Standards

Standard Sheet Organization

Understanding the NCS (National CAD Standard) and AIA CAD Layer Guidelines for construction document organization. Learn why sheets are named A-101, S-201, or M-301.

Anatomy of a Sheet Number

A301
A
Discipline Designator
Architectural
3
Sheet Type
Sections
01
Sheet Sequence
First section sheet

Sheet Type Numbers

0
General
1
Plans
2
Elevations
3
Sections
4
Large Scale / Details
5
Schedules
6
Diagrams
7
User Defined
8
User Defined
9
3D Views

Discipline Designators (NCS)

G
General
Project-Wide

Project information applicable to all disciplines. Includes cover sheets, indexes, general notes, code summaries, and project-wide legends.

G-001 Cover SheetG-002 Drawing IndexG-003 Symbols & Abbreviations
H
Hazardous Materials
Environmental

Hazardous material surveys, abatement drawings, and remediation plans. Common on renovation projects with asbestos or lead paint.

H-001 Abatement PlanH-002 Remediation Details
V
Survey / Mapping
Civil/Survey

Existing conditions surveys, topographic mapping, and property boundary documentation.

V-001 Boundary SurveyV-002 Topographic SurveyV-003 ALTA Survey
B
Geotechnical
Geotechnical

Subsurface investigation data, boring logs, and geotechnical recommendations.

B-001 Boring LocationsB-002 Soil Profiles
C
Civil
Civil Engineering

Site work including grading, paving, utilities, stormwater management, and erosion control.

C-101 Site PlanC-201 Grading PlanC-301 Utility Plan
L
Landscape
Landscape Architecture

Landscape design including planting, hardscape, irrigation, and site furnishings.

L-101 Landscape PlanL-201 Planting PlanL-301 Irrigation Plan
D
Demolition
Architectural

Demolition scope for renovation projects. Shows elements to be removed, protected, or relocated.

D-101 Demolition PlanD-102 Selective DemoD-201 Demo Elevations
A
Architectural
Architecture

Building design including floor plans, elevations, sections, details, and finish schedules.

A-101 Floor PlanA-201 ElevationsA-301 Building Sections
I
Interiors
Interior Design

Interior design including furniture layouts, interior elevations, millwork, and finish selections.

I-101 Furniture PlanI-201 Interior ElevationsI-301 Millwork Details
Q
Equipment
Various

Specialty equipment layouts for kitchens, labs, medical facilities, and other specialized spaces.

Q-101 Equipment PlanQ-201 Kitchen LayoutQ-301 Lab Equipment
S
Structural
Structural Engineering

Structural systems including foundations, framing, connections, and reinforcing details.

S-101 Foundation PlanS-201 Framing PlanS-301 Roof Framing
M
Mechanical
Mechanical Engineering

HVAC systems including ductwork, piping, equipment, and controls.

M-101 HVAC Floor PlanM-201 Piping PlanM-301 Equipment Schedules
P
Plumbing
Plumbing Engineering

Plumbing systems including domestic water, sanitary, storm, and natural gas.

P-101 Plumbing Floor PlanP-201 Riser DiagramsP-301 Details
FP
Fire Protection
Fire Protection

Fire suppression systems including sprinklers, standpipes, and fire pumps.

FP-101 Sprinkler PlanFP-201 Riser DiagramFP-301 Details
E
Electrical
Electrical Engineering

Electrical systems including power distribution, lighting, and emergency systems.

E-101 Lighting PlanE-201 Power PlanE-301 Panel Schedules
T
Telecommunications
Low Voltage

Low voltage systems including data, voice, AV, and structured cabling.

T-101 Telecom PlanT-201 Riser DiagramT-301 Data Room Layout
R
Resource
Various

Reference and resource materials, often used for specifications or product information.

R-001 SpecificationsR-002 Product Data
X
Other Disciplines
Varies

Disciplines not covered by standard designators, or project-specific special systems.

X-101 Acoustical PlanX-201 Security Plan

Typical Drawing Set Order

G
H
V
B
C
L
D
A
I
Q
S
M
P
FP
E
T
R
X

Sheets are organized from general to specific, and from site to building to systems. Civil and site work come before architecture, which comes before structure and MEP.

Common Sheet Number Quick Reference

A-101
First Floor Plan
A-201
Exterior Elevations
A-301
Building Sections
A-501
Door Schedule
S-101
Foundation Plan
S-201
Framing Plan
M-101
HVAC Floor Plan
E-101
Lighting Plan

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Based on the U.S. National CAD Standard (NCS) and AIA CAD Layer Guidelines. Individual firms may use variations. Always check project-specific standards.