Specifications Educational Townhall

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Author Message Melissa Finch, CSI, CDT Intermediate Member Username: melgfinch Post Number: 4 Registered: 02-2024 Posted on Wednesday, March 06, 2024 - 02:54 pm:    Sorry to create another new thread, but I need some input. If you had the opportunity to teach ~50 architects and designers about specs, what all would you say? What topics would you find most important to cover, that the designers & architects need to know, without getting too deep into the weeds about specs and things they don't really need to know since they aren't the folks writing specs? Some topics I'm going to be covering include how to enforce the specs through submittal reviews, how to read specs/the 3 parts, etc. Any input would be appreciated! David L. Heuring, AIA, CCCA Senior Member Username: daveh Post Number: 16 Registered: 04-2020 Posted on Wednesday, March 06, 2024 - 03:08 pm:    Excellent idea! Everyone could use this as a guide for educating young architects at our respective companies! I will post more on this, but here is a start for a list to compile: 1. They are a construction document, so what is edited and written is important, and legally binding. 2. Follow a style guide 3. Use- Do Not use words/phrases that are coordinated with your professional liability insurance carrier 4. Be consistent in format (3-part?) 5. Have a Division 1 Master Format Spec 6. Compile these section by section as the design and DD/Cd's progress instead of trying to edit a Spec Book from another job the last 2-3 weeks of the CD phase. David L. Heuring, AIA, CCCA, LEED AP, NCARB Dennis C Elrod Senior Member Username: delrodtn Post Number: 33 Registered: 04-2010 Posted on Wednesday, March 06, 2024 - 03:36 pm:    1. Everyone on the design team should learn Masterformat Numbers & Titles so give them all a handout. 2. If their firm has a library of products, both core & shell, and/or interiors, label the product shelves with the CSI Masterformat Division Numbers to aid architects and interior designers in learning the system. 3. Focus on Part 2 Products. Thats all most designers care about anyway. 4. Coordinate drawing note language with the Spec Sections. Remember the Four C's = Clear, Concise, Complete & Correct, and, "say it once, and in the right place". Dennis C. Elrod, AIA Liz O'Sullivan Senior Member Username: liz_osullivan Post Number: 269 Registered: 10-2011 Posted on Wednesday, March 06, 2024 - 03:44 pm:    Discuss substitutions - what requirements go into the Division 01 Section "Substitution Procedures," what requirements go into the individual spec sections regarding substitutions, how to proceed during bidding/procurement and construction (how to enforce the rules). Discuss the salient characteristics of products, discuss "equals" and comparable products. Discuss how these substitution procedures and definitions may vary based on different owner-clients that you have. David G. Axt, CDT, CCS, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: david_axt Post Number: 2072 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Wednesday, March 06, 2024 - 04:42 pm:    Peter Jordan has a PowerPoint presentation and has given a talk titled, "What Specifiers Wish Architects Knew". I recommend speaking to him about his talk. David G. Axt, CDT, CCS, CSI, SCIP Specifications Consultant Axt Consulting LLC Melissa Finch, CSI, CDT Advanced Member Username: melgfinch Post Number: 5 Registered: 02-2024 Posted on Wednesday, March 06, 2024 - 04:43 pm:    Thanks everyone! Great input so far and looking forward to seeing what else everyone else says as well. I am the sole Specifications Writer for my arch firm and doing a presentation next week for the firm. I've almost got it completed but it feels to be missing some components so this will be very helpful in completing that. David L. Heuring, AIA, CCCA Senior Member Username: daveh Post Number: 17 Registered: 04-2020 Posted on Wednesday, March 06, 2024 - 05:04 pm:    One I forgot to mention- coordinate the keynote number/name descriptions that are used on the DD/CD drawings with the Spec section numbers/titles that are used in the Project Manual David L. Heuring, AIA, CCCA, LEED AP, NCARB Dennis C Elrod Senior Member Username: delrodtn Post Number: 34 Registered: 04-2010 Posted on Wednesday, March 06, 2024 - 05:25 pm:    The most difficult task as a Specifier, is to get product information from the design team, in a timely fashion. We developed a Master TOC from our Office Masters and review it with the Core & Shell Team, and then the Interiors Team(s) periodically as the project progresses. We also developed an Exterior Materials Spread Sheet that is updated as the project progresses, and is what is used to initiate Specs, whether it be an SD PPD, or 3-Part Sections for the Project Manual in DD's and CD's. Dennis C. Elrod, AIA Melissa Finch, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: melgfinch Post Number: 6 Registered: 02-2024 Posted on Wednesday, March 06, 2024 - 06:10 pm:    David Axt, I was actually able to find that presentation/program on his LinkedIn page as well. Thanks for the recommendation! If anyone else wants to take a look: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanconsultants/ Keep them coming! Thanks everyone. Dennis C Elrod Senior Member Username: delrodtn Post Number: 35 Registered: 04-2010 Posted on Wednesday, March 06, 2024 - 06:28 pm:    Awesome! Thank you for sharing, I plan to share the link internally. Dennis C. Elrod, AIA Peter Jordan (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Thursday, March 07, 2024 - 01:14 pm:    Thanks to Melissa for referencing the presentation I did more than 20 years ago. Although some of the details are dated (it is pre-MasterFormat 2004), there is still some good information. ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 1615 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Thursday, March 07, 2024 - 02:50 pm:    Best of luck to you. Short list: Include the need to consider the in-house Specifier as an integral team player, not as a consultant. Include the Specifier early in the Project when making design decisions as the Specifier may be aware of other options not considered, including limitations of products being used. Communication is key. If the team doesn't communicate information to the Specifier, the Contractor will certainly not know what is in the Project. If the team can't communicate with the Specifier, chances are the Drawings are not communicating well with the Contractor either. When making changes, let the Specifier know. Don't think that the Specifier will somehow know or will notice the changes to the Drawings. A one minute conversation saves many hours of RFI's later. Create a Product Data subfolder in each Project folder broken down according to MasterFormat. One subfolder per Division. Keep it current. Include an archive folder so that when a product is no longer being used it goes into the archive folder. You never know when it may come back, plus no one will remember a deleted file. Archiving provides a date stamp for when the product was removed from design. Melissa Finch, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: melgfinch Post Number: 7 Registered: 02-2024 Posted on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 - 05:03 pm:    Peter Jordan, definitely still great information!! Thank you for sharing your expertise. Ken H., this is very helpful. I'm the in-house Spec Writer for my firm (who I'm doing this presentation for tomorrow) and they actually value my opinion and input!! I'll let you all know how it goes.