Schematic Design
Easily create riser diagrams and schematic plans with enhanced schematic tool palettes that logically group commonly used tools. In addition, the Properties palette provides easier schematic object configurations. Convert existing AutoCAD blocks to schematic symbols for quick use in schematic design.

Working with Systems
In AutoCAD MEP, a system is a network of connected parts representing a real-world building system, maintaining the same layers, colors, and relationships. New parts inherit the current system’s property defaults, such as size and shape, providing a fast and consistent method of laying out a design. Systems also make it easier to modify connected parts by simultaneously applying changes to the entire network of parts.

Properties Palette
The Properties palette provides a central location for viewing and modifying the properties of an MEP object. Review information or change styles, dimensions, locations, property set data, and other important characteristics. Change basic properties or the object itself. Easy access to equipment parts and the ability to easily modify available equipment and devices help to enhance accuracy and improve productivity.

Templates
Templates are drawings with defined settings used to create new drawings. AutoCAD MEP includes metric and imperial unit templates containing specified drawing units, drawing scales, layout tabs, and typical plotting setups. The templates also contain a set of display configurations specific to working with mechanical, electrical, and plumbing objects. The templates help you get up to speed and use AutoCAD MEP to quickly increase productivity.

Discipline-Specific Tool Palettes
Tool palettes are logical tool groups used to add objects to drawings. AutoCAD MEP offers a large inventory of both common and discipline-specific tool palettes, including annotation and call-out tools for documentation and tools for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and schematic design.

Designing with Dynamic Input and Grips
Make precise and accurate modifications to your mechanical, electrical, and plumbing designs directly in the drawing area with dynamic input and grips. Add commands at the cursor instead of the command prompt. “Heads-up- display” helps you focus on the screen instead of the keyboard to increase productivity.

Project Navigator—Drawing Management
Manage project drawings, easily creating coordinated views based on design parameters. Create and manage project drawing sheet sets for all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing construction documents. All design team members access the most current documents from a centralized project directory, from project templates to sections and elevations.

Edit-in-View
Improve design productivity and modify mechanical, electrical, plumbing system design with multiple views. Choose to work in a specific area of the design, not only in plan view.

Work with AutoCAD Commands
All the familiar AutoCAD commands are also available in AutoCAD MEP software. Copy, move, and array your duct, pipe, conduit, or cable tray, and then automatically snap in the desired orientation and view. Enhanced AutoCAD MEP commands enable you to copy, move, and align all in one easy step.

Construction Annotation
Annotate once for all scales. Annotative text enables you to set text height and changes for each view based on its scale. Annotative symbols automatically adjust based on the scale of the view. Hidden lines and hatch-on objects make it easier to interpret design intent. Display the schematic view, rather than the model-generated view of an object.

Work with Catalog-Based Content
The AutoCAD MEP parts catalogs provide an extensive collection of parts for use during design. Query the parts catalogs to assist with part selection and retrieve parts for integration into your designs. Store parts you create in a catalog for future use. Choose parts from multiple catalogs to increase design selection.

Convert AutoCAD Blocks and Symbols to AutoCAD MEP Content
Individually convert or batch-convert single or multiple AutoCAD blocks, MvBlocks, or MvParts to a device or schematic symbol. Extrude standard 2D blocks to create a 3D solid, and then add connectors to create AutoCAD MEP content to be used with your mechanical, electrical, and plumbing designs.

AutoCAD and AutoCAD Architecture Support
Work on flat 2D AutoCAD floor plans or AutoCAD® Architecture geometric model floor plans. Reference architectural floor base plans developed in any AutoCAD-based software application for better design and documentation coordination.

Design to Fabrication
With the seamless integration of EastCoast tools into AutoCAD MEP software you no longer need to redraw models for fabrication, enabling design to fabrication in just a few clicks. Using design models in the fabrication of sheet metal, plumbing, and piping makes it easier to create shop drawings in the EastCoast application.

Create Manufacturer-Specific Content
Using content templates, create manufacturer-specific content for ducts, fittings, pipe, and pipe fittings. Content can then be brought back into AutoCAD MEP and added to the catalog. Devise piping and HVAC designs according to manufacturer specifications, resulting in more accurate design of mechanical and piping systems.

Import/Export to gbXML
Import to and from AutoCAD MEP using industry-standard green building extensible markup language (gbXML) file format.

Single/Double-Line Duct Design
Create construction documents efficiently with single line for design development and convert to double line for construction documents. Lay out mechanical systems in single line with unsized parts early in the design process, and then use duct-sizing tools and convert the layout to double line. Enhanced sizing tools help to increase drafting productivity when going from design development to construction documentation.

Seamless Sections and Elevations
You no longer need to wait until the end of your design process to create sections and elevations. With AutoCAD MEP you can quickly create sections and elevations at any time. When your design changes, all sections and elevations update automatically, virtually eliminating manual updates. Sections help to ensure that the design is accurate and add clarity to construction documents.

Faster Scheduling
Create schedules faster than you can with traditional CAD drawing processes. Engineers, designers, and drafters can schedule engineering system data, calculate values, and use new table styles to lay out room and analysis schedules. Schedules are automatically updated as the design changes, reducing errors. Create schedules as you lay out your design, and see the schedule populate automatically, saving time.

Single/Double-Line Piping
Draw pipe systems that include multiple levels of size and complexity, and accurately represent physical systems. Use both single-line and double-line drawing within the same design, with small pipe shown as single line and larger pipe as double line for clarity. Custom fittings mean you can design unique layouts on the fly. New water/wastewater content eases creation of relevant facilities. All piping is based on current piping standards and specifications. With easy-to-use routing solutions, you can lay out your piping design according to specifications.

Circuit Manager
Use a single location to manage and edit circuit information. Automatic prompts notify users of potential overloads based on conductor size, reducing errors and minimizing the need for rework. In addition, the Circuit Manager reads the circuits from multiple fixtures and devices across multiple floor plans. View linked panels and loads together in the Circuit Manager, which uses the space/room tag information to enter descriptions for all circuits.

Spaces and Zones
Assign engineering spaces from existing 2D architectural floor plans or design drawings. Room measurements are automatically calculated, including square footage, meters, and volumes per area. Use AutoCAD MEP together with industry-leading analysis applications to automatically calculate load capacity and airflow rate requirements per area. Space and zone information are used when exporting to gbXML for import into third-party analysis programs. The analysis can then be used to properly design the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC); lighting; and power for each space and zone.

Electrical Layout
Lay out electrical design based on your workflow. Circuit the devices as you lay them out or later in the design process. Automatically generate wiring to increase productivity and create accurate construction documents.

Plumbing Design
AutoCAD MEP accurately calculates the slope of the plumbing lines. Add invert elevations anywhere along a plumbing run. Size the sanitary system plumbing lines based on fixture units that are read directly from the plumbing fixtures themselves. Easily modify the plumbing fixture unit table based on local standards.

Engineering Display Themes
Use display themes to graphically present and analyze design intent. Check your HVAC design calculations based on friction loss or velocity to validate performance for a particular area or room. Also use the display theme By Pressure Class to visually show the high, medium, and low pressure per piping class to easily identify potential design flaws. Display themes are depicted as color-filled displays complete with legends.