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Many projects will require electrical and mechanical drawings. The interior designer or architect will provide the electrical, mechanical engineer with their reflected ceiling plan design. The engineer will add the required information such as circuitry, duct placement, etc. A reflected ceiling plan is a drawing of a room or building, looking down at the interior ceiling. This view will show the location of light fixtures, drywall or t-bar ceiling patterns and any items that may be suspended from the ceiling. RCP is an acronym for the reflected ceiling plan.This drawing is typically part of the set of construction drawings.
The plan shows all components, new and/or existing, that appear on the ceiling of an interior room or space.
It is referred to as “reflected” as the ceiling is drawn as if the image of it was reflected onto a mirror on the floor. It is not a view of the ceiling looking up at it. An alternative approach is to imagine the ceiling is transparent. The view is looking down from above through the ceiling to the floor below. This method of drawing ensures that the reflected ceiling plan and the floor plan associated with it have the same orientation. Both plans are drawn at the same scale.
A reflected ceiling plan is drawn to scale. This means that the plan is measured down proportionately to a size that will fit on a drawing sheet. A reflected ceiling plan will most often be at the same scale as the floor plan. A common scale is one quarter of an inch is equal to one foot (scale: ¼” = 1’-0”). The reflected ceiling plan will be titled with the scale noted below. This view will show the location of light fixtures, drywall or t-bar ceiling patterns and any items that may be suspended from the ceiling.
Many projects will require electrical and mechanical drawings. The interior designer or architect will provide the electrical, mechanical engineer with their reflected ceiling plan design. The engineer will add the required information such as circuitry, duct placement, etc. It is referred to as ‘reflected ‘ as the ceiling is drawn as if the image of it was reflected onto a mirror on the floor. It is not a view of the ceiling looking up at it. An alternative approach is to imagine the ceiling is transparent. The view is looking down from above through the ceiling to the floor below. This method of drawing ensures that the reflected ceiling plan and floor plan associated with it have the same orientation. Both plans are drawn to the same scale
The following items will also appear on some reflected ceiling plans. Most of these items apply to commercial work, however some will also apply to residential. Whether these items apply depends on the design/ function of a space, as well as the size and location of the project and code requirements.
- Emergency lighting, exit signs
- Exhaust fans or exhaust hoods
- Air diffusers and vents
- Access panels
- Speakers from stereos or other communication devices
- Sprinkler heads
- Smoke alarms or fire alarm devices
- Seismic information and/or details
- Expansion joints and/or details
- Any item decorative or structural, which touches the ceiling
Dimensions are added to the perimeter of the plan to provide the overall size. Dimensions are also used to indicate the exact location of ceiling items when their position is not easily determined. A light fixture in a suspended ceiling (t-bar) can easily be located by counting tiles. A light fixture in a drywall ceiling requires dimension to indicate the exact placement. The electrical contractor installing the lights on the ceiling knows exactly where to place them. A reflected ceiling plan is drawn to scale. This means that the plan is measured down proportionately to a size that will fit on a drawing sheet. A reflected ceiling plan will most often be at the same scale as the floor plan. A common scale is one quarter of an inch is equal to one foot (scale: ¼” = 1’-0”). The reflected ceiling plan will be titled with the scale noted below.
Above is an example of a Each light fixture has an identification letter. A light fixture legend is included on the actual drawing sheet. In the legend, each fixture is listed with its letter and a specification. The numbers in the hexagon shape are keynotes. They describe items on the ‘rcp.’ For example: number 2 would list the specification for the t-bar ceiling. Ceiling heights are noted in the oval shape.
The following is an example of a lighting legend.
The following is an example of an RCP with notes added directly to the plan.
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