The 16 Divisions of construction, as defined by the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI)'s MasterFormat, is the most widely used standard for organizing specifications and other written information for commercial and institutional building projects in the U.S. and Canada. In 2004, MasterFormat was updated and expanded to 50 Divisions.[1] It provides a master list of divisions, and section numbers and titles within each division, to follow in organizing information about a facility's construction requirements and associated activities.[2] Standardizing the presentation of such information improves communication among all parties involved in construction projects.[2]
The following are the sixteen divisions listed in the Master Format 1995 Edition.[3]
All spec divisions higher than 16 are placed in Division 17 - Others. Also use Division 17-Others for any spec-shaped material not easily classified (e.g., geotechnical, pre-bid notes, etc.)