Abbreviations and Acronyms in the Design Industry

Architects and Interior Designers have their own language. Administrative personnel without prior experience in a construction or design related office can be mystified by the terms and acronyms that roll off their tongue. Here is a list of commonly used acronyms and what they mean. If I missed some or if you've heard something and not quite sure what they meant, let me know by leaving a comment.

ADA  Americans with Disabilities Act

AE or A/E  Architecture and Engineering (usually in reference to a firm)

AFF  Above Finished Floor

AHJ  Authority Having Jurisdiction

AHU  Air Handling Unit

AIA  American Institute of Architects

AIAS   American Institute of Architecture Students

ANSI   American National Standards Institute

ARE   Architectural Registration Exam

ASHRAE   American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers

ASI   Architect's Supplemental Instructions

ASID   American Society of Interior Designers

ASLA   American Society of Landscape Architects

BIM   Building Information Model

BNor B&N   Bidding and Negotiation

BUR   Built Up Roof

C of O   Certificate of Occupancy

CA    Construction Administration; Contract Administration

CAD   Computer Aided Drafting or Computer Aided Design

CCD   Construction Change Directive

CD   Construction Documents; Contract Documents; Construction Drawings

CIDA   Council for Interior Design Accreditation (formerly known as FIDER or "Foundation for Interior Design Education and Research"

CO   Change Order

COP   Change Order Proposal

CP   Change Proposal

CPR   Change Proposal Request

CRM   Construction Risk Management

CSI   Construction Specification Institute

DD   Design Development

DR   Door

EIT   Engineer in Training

EPDM   Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (a rubber-like material)

FAIA   Fellow of the American Institute of Architects

FAR   Floor Area Ratio

FF   Finished Floor

FFE   Two distinct meanings. You must know the context because it could mean (1) Finished Floor Elevation or (2)Furnishings, Fixtures and Equipment

FIDER   Foundation for Interior Design Education and Research (name changed to "Council for Interior Design Accreditation" January, 2006)

GC   General Contractor

Gyp. Bd.   Gypsum Board (Sheetrock is USG's brand name for gypsum board)

HC   Handicapped

HDRE   Hardware

HVAC   Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning

IBC   International Building Code

ICBO   International Conference of Building Officials

IIDA   International Interior Design Association

IDP   Intern Development Program

LEED   Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

MEP   Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing

MPE   Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical

MOB   Medical Office Building

NCARB   National Council of Architectural Registration Boards

NCIDQ   National Council for Interior Design Qualification

NTS   Not to Scale

RA   Registered Architect

RFI   Request for Information

RFP   Request for Proposals

RFQ   Request for Qualifications

PE   Professional Engineer

SD   Schematic Design

Specs   Specifications

TBAE   Texas Board of Architectural Examiners

TFO   Tenant Finish Out

TSA   Texas Society of Architects

USG   United States Gypsum

USGBC   United States Green Building Council

VE   Value Engineer, Value Engineering