Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Introduction page 2
Part B - General clauses common to building services, plant and equipment page 4
Part C - Particular technical sections for building services, plant and equipment
page 4
2
Introduction
The model specifications set standards for mechanical, electrical and public health engineering in the
National Health Service.
They have been produced and refined over the past 20 years under the guidance of NHS Estates (an
Executive Agency of the Department of Health). During this time they have been successfully used in
the NHS capital building programme, including refurbishments.
Although primarily written for NHS projects, the concept and technical content is equally suitable for
commercial or industrial use (protected by Crown copyright).
The basic concept of the model specification is the provision of a set of documents which can be used
to specify particular engineering applications found in NHS properties. The documents are intended
to be quoted in contract documents in the same way that British and European Standards are quoted.
The object has been to write the clauses in as concise a manner as possible in order to convey to the
reader exactly what is required.
When used for building procurement, detailed building service specifications can be produced from
the models to cover:
• major projects:
• minor works;
• all forms of contract with or without bills of quantities;
• pre-tender enquiries for major plant and equipment items;
• specialist services.
They should be read in conjunction with the relevant Health Technical Memorandum and Health
Guidance Notes.
Part A refers to the contractual agreement and the model specifications are Parts B and C. Part D is
work-specific (see page 4).
3
Objectives of the specifications
These are:
• to set the minimum acceptable engineering standards which can be used with
confidence knowing that the installations will be within stringent NHS cost limits as
well as meeting the special requirements imposed on health buildings;
• to discourage the proliferation of unique standards by NHS trusts and authorities and
the engineers working for them, so that designers, contractors, manufacturers,
operators and maintenance staff can benefit from one national standard.
The general procedure adopted by the National Health Service is to have buildings and building
services, plant and equipment provided by appointed contractors following the acceptance of
competitive tenders based upon a set of documents and drawings which have been drawn up to
accurately specify the NHS trust or authority's requirements.
The model specification consists of Parts B and C. These parts join with Parts A and D to form the
complete specification as follows:
4
The model specifications parts B and C are intended to be referenced in contract documents in the
same way that British and European Standards are used.
Parts B and C in the tender documentation need therefore only be a list of the relevant sections for the
works.
All those receiving the contract documents for tendering, installation or manufacture are expected to
have their own licensed parts B and C, they must not be copied except for use on the licensee's
premises.
Most users insist on their own documents for this important part of the contract. A guide for NHS
requirements is given in Part A.
This part has been written to avoid repetition, in the various Part C documents, of clauses that are
common to all installations.
Part C Particular technical sections for building services, plant and equipment
There are a number of Sections in Part C, each covering a specific service in which elements describe
a proven and acceptable basic standard of technical requirement. Standards include type, materials,
construction, quality and installation requirements.
The clauses include references to British or European Standards where they apply, and to which the
components must conform as a minimum requirement.
The designer does not therefore need to write clauses for these basic requirements each time he draws
up a specification.
Only the Part C sections appropriate to the project should be referred to in the contract documentation
and in some instances, as in Section C01 Common services - Mechanical (which covers a range of
piped services), those service elements and tables of materials which will not be required for the
project must be deleted by a clause in Part D.
It must be emphasised that the specifications are 'models, and that they do not relieve the designer of
this responsibility for the complete specification.
Each section has a companion set of 'designer's notes' which will assist in making selections of
options, and providing supplementary information in Part D.
The designer must write this document to suit the project and to take into account the NHS trust or
authority's policies.
5
An appropriate level of specification must be selected for the health building being designed, with
particular reference to the guidelines contained in HTMs, HGNs and Building Notes. However, other
factors such as the proposed life of a building or refurbishment must be taken into account. Costed
options, with advantages, disadvantages, capital and revenue consequences, must be discussed and
agreed with the client.
Part D must refer to the selected Part C documents and should contain at least the following basic
technical information together with any special requirements not contained in the model
specifications:
Much of this information can be provided in the form of data schedules, thereby reducing the number
of lengthy technical clauses.
This layout of the data schedules should be such that all necessary technical requirements are covered
in a standard form and none are overlooked.
The schedules should require the tenderer to complete any details to match their tender and should
provide the data for setting-to-work, commissioning and acceptance data.
There are advantages if Part D is numbered to correspond with the relevant Part C documents.
Parts
There are four parts, and Part C for example contains the particular technical specifications.
Sections
The list of the technical sections in Part C is given at the front of this guide. For example, Section 7
of Part C is Heating, hot and cold water systems equipment (C07).
Elements
6
Each section is split into elements. For example, Element 04 of C07 is Cold water storage vessels.
Clauses
Each element is split into clauses. For example, Clause 15 is Ball float valves, and this is broken
down into paragraphs.
Designer's notes
As a guide to the interpretation and use of the specifications each section has companion 'Designer's
notes'.
The notes draw the designer's attention to certain clauses and explain important points. They also
advise the designer of certain information to be included or augmented in Part D. The design notes,
however, must not be included in the contract documentation.
Feedback of information
As with all specifications, there will be an ongoing need for updating. A database is held for changes
to be made at the next licence issue.
Users are encouraged to submit comments using the forms in the binders.
7
Specifications issued with the 1998 licence
The specifications together with their associated designer's notes appear in four binders
as follows:-