All new construction and renovation projects shall comply with all applicable Federal, Departmental, State, and local regulations, codes, and standards. The Federal and State/local codes and standards and Departmental regulations must be followed without exception for the design of systems that have a direct impact on offsite terrain or utility systems.

5.1 Code Editions: The current edition of the NIH Design Policy and Guidelines, and each applicable code and standard in effect at the time of design contract award, shall be used throughout the project’s design and construction period.

5.2 Code Requirements for Renovations: Building systems affected by renovation shall be upgraded to correct deficiencies identified by the NIH, unless the entire building is being renovated. All new work is required to meet the standards required for new construction.

5.3 Conflicts Between NIH Requirements, Codes, and Standards: All conflicts between the NIH Design Policy and Guidelines and national and/or State/local codes or standards shall be brought to the immediate attention of the NIH Project Officer for resolution.

5.4 Metric Standards: All final drawings and specifications for new construction shall be expressed in metric units. Where possible, renovations should be in metric units. The General Services Administration Metric Design Guide (PBS-PQ260), latest edition, and the Metric Guide for Federal Construction (first edition) shall be used for guidance on how drawings, specifications, and other elements of metric implementation are to be addressed. The submission of drawings and specifications during the design process may be submitted
with standard English units in parenthesis for ease of review.

Exceptions to the exclusive use of metric units occur in several technical sections of the General Design Guidelines volume. Where only English units have been indicated, there is no acceptable metric equivalency. Dual dimensioning may be indicated where pipes, valves, fittings, and equipment are not available in metric sizes.

5.5 CAD Drawings: All drawings shall be created using the latest version of AutoCAD Architectural Desktop and associated Building system software, and shall be drawn in 3D to create building models. Drawings shall be in compliance with latest Industry Foundation Classes (IFCs), and latest NIH CAD standards. The drawings submissions shall be accessible for view by all reviewers using a centralized electronic drawing management system.