CPI System of Coding ~ the Co-ordinated Project Information
initiative originated in the 1970s in response to the need to
establish a common arrangement of document and language
communication, across the varied trades and professions of the
construction industry.
However, it has only been effective in recent years with the
publication of the Standard Method of Measurement 7th edition
(SMM 7), the National Building Specification (NBS) and the Drawings
Code. (Note: The NBS is also produced in CI/SfB format.)
The arrangement in all documents is a coordination of alphabetic
sections, corresponding to elements of work, the purpose being to
avoid mistakes, omissions and other errors which have in the past
occurred between drawings, specification and bill of quantities
descriptions.
The coding is a combination of letters and numbers, spanning 3
levels:-
Level 1 has 24 headings from A to Z (omitting I and O). Each
heading relates to part of the construction process, such as
groundwork (D), Joinery (L), surface finishes (M), etc.
Level 2 is a sub-heading, which in turn is sub-grouped numerically
into different categories. So for example, Surface Finishes is sub-
headed; Plaster, Screeds, Painting, etc. These sub-headings are then
extended further, thus Plaster becomes; Plastered/Rendered
Coatings, Insulated Finishes, Sprayed Coatings etc.
Level 3 is the work section sub-grouped from level 2, to include a
summary of inclusions and omissions.
As an example, an item of work coded M21 signifies:-
M † Surface finishes
2 † Plastered coatings
1 † Insulation with rendered finishThe coding may be used to:-
(a) simplify specification writing
(b) reduce annotation on drawings
(c) rationalise traditional taking-off methods
CPI System of Coding