Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing

Air Force Corporate Standards

Design high performance and sustainable buildings with efficient mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP) and fire protection systems coordinated into the overall design. Balance life-cycle cost, energy efficiency and occupant comfort with maintaining and operating MEP systems.

Follow UFC 3-410-01 for HVAC system design requirements and criteria, which also establishes indoor temperature/humidity and ventilations requirements. Ensure maximum flexibility of systems.

Design complete MEP systems including materials, fixtures and equipment to safeguard health and property. Ensure systems provide economy and reliability. Provide simple, functional designs and systems.

Provide adequate and efficient exterior lighting to promote good visibility. Reduce glare and over-illumination by balancing the light level with surface reflectivity.

Meter all utilities for new facilities and major renovations. Comply with UFGS Sections 26 27 13.10 30, 26 27 14.00 20, 33 12 33.00 30, and 33 51 13.00 30.

Sustainability

Following UFC 1-200-02, evaluate site and building components to determine whether passive and natural design strategies and features are cost effectively incorporated before the active and mechanical systems are designed. Passive thermal comfort methods are allowed and encouraged when shown to be effective at maintaining required interior conditions/requirements and achieving lower life cycle cost than other methods. Consider semi-passive or renewable energy systems, such as ground-source heat pump, to reduce energy use following a life-cycle cost analysis.

Use a collaborative, integrated planning and design team, composed of user, government support staff and appropriate professionals to optimize energy performance and energy efficiency. Protect and conserve water for both indoor water and outdoor water following reduction strategies in UFC 1-200-02. The use of potable water for landscape irrigation is prohibited.

Implement renewable energy generation projects where life cycle cost effective and when there are no adverse effects on base wide electrical systems.

MEP systems should enhance indoor environmental quality and must meet thermal, humidity and ventilation requirements of UFC 3-410-01. Material specifications should include consideration of environmentally preferable products, products with recycled content, as well as low-emitting and biobased products.

Resilience

Address drought, desertification and ecosystem shifts with acceptable dust mitigation strategies for exterior and interior systems and equipment.

Appraise energy generation infrastructure, facilities, systems, and equipment and consider renewable energy technologies and energy savings performance contracts following AF guidance when upgrading, standardizing or replacing these. Eliminate single points of failure to critical assets or mission-critical facilities, such as by providing dual feed.

General
UFC 1-200-01 General Building Requirements
https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dod/unified-facilities-criteria-ufc/ufc-1-200-01

UFC 1-200-02 High Performance and Sustainable Building Requirements
https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dod/unified-facilities-criteria-ufc/ufc-1-200-02

UFC 3-400-02 Design: Engineering Weather Data
https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dod/unified-facilities-criteria-ufc/ufc-3-400-02

USAF/DOE Design Guide for Military Family Housing - Energy Efficient Revitalization and New Construction
https://www.wbdg.org/FFC/AF/AFDG/milfam.pdf

Mechanical
UFC 3-410-01 Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Systems
https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dod/unified-facilities-criteria-ufc/ufc-3-410-01

UFC 3-410-02 Direct Digital Control for HVAC and Other Building Control Systems
https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dod/unified-facilities-criteria-ufc/ufc-3-410-02

UFC 3-410-04 Industrial Ventilation
https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dod/unified-facilities-criteria-ufc/ufc-3-410-04

Plumbing
UFC 3-420-01 Plumbing Systems
https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dod/unified-facilities-criteria-ufc/ufc-3-420-01

UFC 3-440-01 Facility-Scale Renewable Energy Systems
https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dod/unified-facilities-criteria-ufc/ufc-3-440-01

AFI 32-1067 Water and Fuel Systems
https://www.wbdg.org/FFC/AF/AFI/afi_32_1067.pdf

Electrical
UFC 3-501-01 Electrical Engineering
https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dod/unified-facilities-criteria-ufc/ufc-3-501-01

UFC 3-530-01 Interior and Exterior Lighting Systems and Controls
https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dod/unified-facilities-criteria-ufc/ufc-3-530-01

AFMAN 32-1062 Electrical Systems, Power Plants and Generators
https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a4/publication/afman32-1062/afman32-1062.pdf

AFI 32-1064 Electrical Safe Practices
https://www.wbdg.org/FFC/AF/AFI/afi_32_1064.pdf

Fire Protection
UFC 3-600-01 Fire Protection Engineering for Facilities
https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dod/unified-facilities-criteria-ufc/ufc-3-600-01

UFC 3-601-02 Fire Protection Systems Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance
https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dod/unified-facilities-criteria-ufc/ufc-3-601-02

Communications
UFC 3-580-01 Telecommunications Interior Infrastructure Planning and Design
https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/dod/unified-facilities-criteria-ufc/ufc-3-580-01