Cascadia MEP — B1 — NY DOB Filings for Commercial MEP

Question B1 — Permitting & Filings

NY DOB Filings for a Typical Commercial MEP Installation

"What NY DOB filings does my crew need for a typical commercial MEP install (TR-1, TR-8, MEA, PW-series)?"

Short Answer

For a standard commercial MEP scope in NYC — say, a 5,000 sf tenant fit-out with new HVAC, plumbing, and electrical — Cascadia (as MEP subcontractor of record under a NYC-licensed filing professional) is involved in six filing categories through DOB NOW: Build: PW1 work permit application, TR-1 technical reports for controlled inspections, the trade work permits themselves (PL, EL, MD), the equipment-use registration for fans/refrigeration over threshold, and post-construction TR-1 sign-offs. NYC Admin Code §28-105 1 RCNY §101-07.

Filing Map — Who Files What, When

Form	Purpose	Filed By	When
PW1	Work permit application — describes scope, job size, occupancy	Filing Rep / RA / PE	Before any work
PW2	Permit issuance once PW1 approved	DOB NOW system	After plan approval
PW3	Cost affidavit	Owner/agent	With PW1
TR-1	Technical Report — Controlled Inspections statement	RA or PE of Record	With PW1 + at sign-off
TR-8	Energy code progress & final inspection	RA / PE / RDP	With PW1 + at sign-off
PL — Plumbing Work Permit	Per-trade plumbing permit	Master Plumber of Record	Before plumbing rough-in
EL — Electrical Work Permit	Per-trade electrical permit (DOB or DOB-delegated EBC)	Master Electrician of Record	Before electrical rough-in
MD — Mechanical / Sprinkler / Fuel Gas	Per-trade mechanical permit	Filing PE/RA	Before mechanical install
MEA / OTCR	Material/equipment acceptance (legacy MEA replaced by OTCR Approval)	Manufacturer / Filing Rep	Before use of non-NYC-standard equipment
Equipment Use Reg.	Cooling towers (Local Law 77), boilers, refrigeration over thresholds	Filing Rep + Owner	Before equipment placed in service

Controlled Inspections — Where Cascadia Owns the Risk

Under NYC BC §1704, the following MEP-adjacent items require Special / Progress / Final Inspections documented on TR-1:

Mechanical / HVAC systems — air balancing, duct leakage, fire dampers
Fuel oil & fuel gas piping — pressure tests, leak tests
Sprinkler systems — hydrostatic, flow tests
Standpipe systems — same
Smoke control systems — commissioning
Energy code progress — TR-8 sign-off required at every stage

Cascadia exposure. Even though TR-1/TR-8 are signed by the PE/RA of Record, Cascadia provides the field evidence: pressure-test records, balance reports, conductor megger results. Missing or sloppy documentation is the #1 reason DOB issues an L2 violation against the trade.

DOB NOW: Build — The Workflow

Pre-Filing. NYC-licensed Master Plumber / Master Electrician of Record is identified. Cascadia provides scope, equipment list with model numbers, and Oregon-PE'd shop drawings for review.
PW1 Submission. Filing Rep enters scope into DOB NOW. TR-1 and TR-8 statements attached identifying the PE/RA of Record and the controlled-inspection inspectors.
Plan Examiner Review. Standard plan exam — typically 15-30 business days for Pro-Cert filings, longer for objections.
Approval & Permit Issuance (PW2). Trade permits (PL/EL/MD) issued in parallel once PW1 approved and trade fees paid.
Field Work. Cascadia executes scope. All controlled inspections logged in real time; daily reports retained.
Sign-Off. Final TR-1, TR-8, and trade sign-offs filed in DOB NOW. Equipment-use registrations issued. Letter of Completion / Final Certificate of Occupancy follows.

Common Failure Modes (Plan For Them)

Failure	How It Bites	Mitigation
Foreign-PE seal not accepted	NYC requires NY-licensed PE or RA of Record on filings	Engage NY PE early or partner with a NY firm
Equipment lacks NYC approval	Out-of-state spec'd equipment may need OTCR approval	Verify each piece of equipment vs OTCR database before order
TR-1 sign-off missed	Final CofO blocked; rework charged back to Cascadia	TR-1 inspection log is a daily-required PM artifact
Cooling tower not registered (LL 77/76)	Owner fined; chargeback to Cascadia per subcontract	Include LL 77 registration in scope letter

Decision & Owner

Decision: Standardize a Cascadia Filing Packet template that pre-lists every form, controlled inspection, and equipment-use registration before bid submittal. Owner: Operations Manager. Target: template ready before first NY bid.