TS 12787

TS 12787 is a professional standard for the draftsperson for building, defining the occupation and setting the framework for how competence in this field is assessed. Building drafting is concerned with preparing plans, sections, elevations, and details in a form that can be used for construction and implementation. This standard addresses not only the occupational definition, but also the minimum tools and equipment used in the job and the measurement and evaluation of the technical abilities expected from the title holder.

What building drafting covers

In general technical terms, building drafting turns architectural and construction information into precise graphical documents. That work relies on core principles such as dimensioning, line conventions, scale usage, geometric accuracy, and legibility of the drawing. The source scope indicates that this standard provides a definition and classification approach for the profession; machine, electrical, electronic, and survey drafting are explicitly outside its scope.

Tools and competence assessment

In standards of this type, the basic drawing tools and equipment required for the job are considered together with the way professional competence is evaluated. In general practice, drafting boards, straightedges and set squares, measuring and transfer tools, and supporting equipment for technical drawing form the practical basis of the profession. The evaluation aspect focuses on the ability to apply technical drawing rules correctly, present drawings in an orderly way, and sustain the workflow expected in professional drafting.

For that reason, TS 12787 is more than a job title definition: it brings together the work area, basic equipment, and competence criteria for building draftspersons in a single reference. Accuracy and standardization in building drawings are essential for consistency between design documents and on-site construction.