David G. Axt, CCS, CSI ,SCIP
Senior Member
Username: david_axt
Post Number: 1534
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, December 01, 2016 - 06:39 pm: |    |
ANSI/AWI Standards Update
By Ashley Goodin, AWI Technical Manager
The Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) continues to move forward in its mission to "Create, publish, and continually improve the architectural woodwork industry standards."
Through AWI's ANSI-approved standards writing process, the AWI Technical Committee and volunteer subject expert review teams will develop a multi-section suite of Standards that harmonize with other relevant ANSI industry standards. By doing so, differing interpretations and conflicts surrounding the Standard will be minimized.
AWI's new Standard's content will be determined through balanced input between standards users, woodwork producers, and general interest industry stakeholders.
How is the Next Generation of Woodwork Standards radically different and highly effective?
Each section of the ANSI/AWI Standard will be concise, short and to the point regarding Materials, Performance Measures and Aesthetic Measures. To meet the Standard, the woodwork must meet the performance and aesthetic measures — period.
If the ANSI/AWI format is short, where does all that great woodwork general information go?
Most of the informational content that has been included as part of AWI's standards initiatives over the past 30 years will be removed from the ANSI/AWI architectural woodwork standard.
The collective knowledge base of woodwork education and information will be re-purposed, updated and migrated into a digital resource book about architectural woodwork and today's high tech manufacturing environment, and should well serve as a hub where selections of various products can be featured to help inform design professionals about various options for developing their own unique specification requirements.
We envision the education component and companion to our Standard to be interactive; contain links to related information sources; it may contain video clips to help better explain a process; and will interact largely as an online "Woodwork Information App" of sorts.
How will this new standard be formatted?
The ANSI/AWI Standard will be formatted as stand-alone independent sections related to subject matter. Doing so allows for a more fluid development process where subject experts, stakeholders, and affiliated associations are able to collaborate and create standards that are focused and concise.
How will the subject matter be identified and numbered in the ANSI/AWI Standard?
The numbering system for the new ANSI/AWI Standard subject matter will follow the Construction Specifiers Institute's (CSI) Master Format. The CSI Specification Section numbering system is comprehensive and subject specific in its sub-divisions.
When will the new standards be released?
Drafts are currently in the development stage right now. The first sections of the new generation of AWI Standards are targeted for release to canvas in 2018 and other sections to follow in 2019 and beyond.
What standard will AWI recognize as our prevailing Standard document in the interim?
The Architectural Woodwork Institute and the AWI Quality Certification Program both continue to provide support and services based on the Architectural Woodwork Standards, Edition 2, 2014. This also remains the standard of reference for ARCOM/MasterSpec.
Additionally, both the Woodwork Institute and AWMAC continue to provide services for the Architectural Woodwork Standards, Edition 2, 2014. AWI and QCP continue to collaborate on an advisory basis for any issues that may arise related to conflicts and interpretations of the AWS Edition 2.
What about the North American Architectural Woodwork Standards, Edition 3, 2016 (NAAWS)?
The NAAWS was developed jointly by the Woodwork Institute and the Architectural Woodwork Manufacturers Association of Canada. This standard was released in May of 2016 and adopted by the Woodwork Institute on July 1, 2016. As of November 10, 2016, the NAAWS has not been adopted by AWMAC. The Architectural Woodwork Institute does not endorse this standard and as such, Quality Certification Program (QCP) services are not available based on this standard.
AWI suggests that all architects and design professionals continue to use and specify the Architectural Woodwork Standards, Edition 2, 2014 in order to access the largest pool of qualified manufactures for their projects as well as have the option of receiving services from the quality assurance programs of all three organizations.
Questions, concerns...want to discuss and learn more?
Contact:
Ashley Goodin, CAE
AWI Technical Services Manager
agoodin@awinet.org
David G. Axt, CCS, CSI, SCIP
Specifications Consultant
Axt Consulting LLC |
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