Another dilemma, well not really a dl...

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Author Message Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 638 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 09:48 am:    ...I finally bit the bullet, and agreed to prepare specs for a project in Abu Dhabi...what have I gotten myself into? Any suggestions, tips, learned lessons for preparing specs in the middle east to avoid pulling any more hair out of my head would be greatly appreciated...one advantage I have is the developer has accepted the use of American standards for the construction...and it is not a mega highrise. Randall A Chapple, AIA, SE, CCS, LEED AP Senior Member Username: rachapple Post Number: 23 Registered: 12-2005 Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 11:35 am:    I am writing specification in Abu Dhabi and we are using American standards as you have said. The environment there is not a mature as in the US and the applicable codes are still up for debate. One thing to keep in mind is that the climate there is different from anything in the US. It is more corrosive than even South Florida. We use 316 stainless steel as a minimum. Sand is a consideration with everything. There are a lot of politics and producers in the area will required consideration for products in your specification. It is also a world market that draws on China as well as Europe and the US. Hope this helps. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 639 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 12:00 pm:    Randall, I have another question for you, pertains to a job we may be doing in Mt prospect, can you provide your email address or send me an email at lazarcitec@msn.com, thanks. Wayne Yancey Senior Member Username: wayne_yancey Post Number: 158 Registered: 01-2008 Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 12:10 pm:    Jerome, Get a good handle in local construction practices and preferred materials. For example, in our middle east projects, steel studs and gypsum board is not used for interior demising walls. The custom is terracotta bricks or blocks. Wayne Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 640 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 12:31 pm:    yes Wayne, we are specifying ACC block pretty much everywhere, no metal studs, no steel, limited gypsum board - using plaster and this Thermocromex product that I still need an education on. Interested on what joint sealants are recommended for exterior applications, we always specify silicone or polyurethane, but for some reason we have been told to consider polysulfide? And of course roofing? Tracy Van Niel, FCSI, CCS Senior Member Username: tracy_van_niel Post Number: 272 Registered: 04-2002 Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 11:14 am:    Do all the measurements, thicknesses, etc., need to be in metric? Tracy L. Van Niel, FCSI, CCS Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 643 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Thursday, February 12, 2009 - 09:25 am:    Tracy, yes in deed, all metric is required, this thankfully we are used to having done several projects in Caribbean countries that follow metric measure. (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 03:06 pm:    On a related note, I too am working on project in Abu Dhabi, but request IS to convert specs to British Standards. Does anyone know of someone with that type of expertise/knowledge? Oh, BTW, and get it done in less than a week? Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 649 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 03:21 pm:    unregistered guest identify urself...I like to know who I'm talking to... Craig Mount (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 04:07 pm:    I have exactly the same questions as "unregistered guest" about converting our specs to British Standards. We are looking for a consultant or method to accomplish this expeditiously. Any help would be most appreciated. Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 650 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Tuesday, February 24, 2009 - 04:23 pm:    look at http://www.thenbs.com/ Phil Kabza Senior Member Username: phil_kabza Post Number: 367 Registered: 12-2002 Posted on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 - 08:57 pm:    British BS, German DIN, and European EN standards do not necessarily translate directly to or from US ASTM and ANSI standards. When we did a project in the UAE several years ago, we wrote non-proprietary specifications using US standards, and let the contractor's procurement people obtain what they could from US and European markets and review it in submittals. They're used to that, and it seemed to work well enough. Randall A Chapple, AIA, SE, CCS, LEED AP Senior Member Username: rachapple Post Number: 25 Registered: 12-2005 Posted on Monday, March 02, 2009 - 05:51 pm:    I have a related question to the ones above that deal with plaza area on supported slabs in this part of the world. Typically for an occupied plaza I would specify open jointed pavers on pedestals over a sloped waterproof membrane. The pavers would be dead level and water would go through the joints and flow to the drains. However in this environment sand fills and clogs any openings making open jointed pavers a maintenance nightmare. If the pavers are grouted, then the plaza needs to slope to drains and this is not a desirable situation for occupied plaza. Has anyone else had this problem and what was the solution?