LIBRARY // MEP COORDINATION

Running Effective MEP Coordination Meetings

A coordination meeting can resolve dozens of issues in an hour, or go round in circles all afternoon.

Coordination meetings bring the design team together to resolve MEP issues. Run well, they move coordination forward quickly. Run poorly, they repeat the same discussions week after week. A clear structure makes the difference.

Who attends

• Architect
• Structural engineer
• MEP engineers or subcontractors
• BIM coordinator
• Contractor representatives, during construction phases
• Specialists, such as fire or facade consultants, when needed

Keep attendance focused on the issues being discussed.

Prepare in advance

• Update models or drawings before the meeting
• Run clash detection and group results
• Prepare an issue list with priorities
• Share the agenda

Preparation lets the meeting focus on decisions rather than discovering problems.

A typical agenda

1. Review actions from the previous meeting
2. Review new and open issues by area or system
3. Discuss priority clashes and design questions
4. Agree decisions and owners
5. Confirm next steps and deadlines

Review by area

Working through the building area by area, such as floor by floor or zone by zone, keeps discussions organised. Focus on congested areas first.

Use the model

On BIM projects, reviewing the federated model on screen helps everyone see the problem. Saved viewpoints for each issue make it quick to navigate.

Make decisions

Record actions

Follow up

Share actions soon after the meeting. Check progress before the next meeting.

Escalate when needed

Some issues need decisions from the client or project manager, such as changes affecting cost or programme. Escalate them promptly.

Keep meetings regular

Regular meetings, such as weekly during intense coordination periods, keep momentum. Adjust frequency as coordination progresses.

Avoid common problems

• Models not updated before meetings
• Too many people attending
• No clear decisions
• Actions not followed up
• Design changes not shared

Review progress

Track the number of open issues over time. A falling trend shows coordination is progressing.

Keep a consistent format

Using the same agenda structure and issue log format every meeting makes progress easy to follow. Everyone knows where to find open items and what's expected of them.

1. 01Who attends
2. 02Prepare in advance
3. 03A typical agenda
4. 04Review by area
5. 05Use the model
6. 06Make decisions

Share visuals

Screenshots or saved viewpoints for each issue help people who couldn't attend understand decisions quickly.

Well-run coordination meetings turn clash reports into decisions and keep the project on track.

If your team needs extra production capacity for work like this, take a look at our Architectural production services, or tell us about your project.