Blog | conspectusinc.comLearn more about master specification for your construction projects!2024-03-06T13:30:18Z2024-03-06T13:30:18ZenThe SPD - Leveraging Efficiency2024-03-06T13:30:18Z2024-03-06T13:30:18Z<p>Efficiency isn't just about saving time, it's about leveraging knowledge and resources that guide the design team in decisions and capture information in the correct format, at the correct time in the process. It's about mitigating risk throughout the entire project. The Systems and Performance Description (SPD) is a way of documenting design in a highly efficient manner, offering tremendous value to the construction team. It combines an early project narrative with UNFORMAT<sup>®</sup> organization for ease of estimating. SPDs allow the designer to think about the assembly as a whole and capture information available at each phase – beginning at conception.</p>
<img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=6114169&k=14&r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conspectusinc.com%2Fblog%2Fthe-spd-leveraging-efficiency&bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.conspectusinc.com%252Fblog&bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "><p>Efficiency isn't just about saving time, it's about leveraging knowledge and resources that guide the design team in decisions and capture information in the correct format, at the correct time in the process. It's about mitigating risk throughout the entire project. The Systems and Performance Description (SPD) is a way of documenting design in a highly efficient manner, offering tremendous value to the construction team. It combines an early project narrative with UNFORMAT<sup>®</sup> organization for ease of estimating. SPDs allow the designer to think about the assembly as a whole and capture information available at each phase – beginning at conception.</p>2024-03-06T13:30:18ZDavid Stutzman and Melody FontenotLEGOs & Specssgantner@conspectusinc.com (Steve Gantner, RA, CSI, AGCMO, CCS, CCCA)2024-01-23T13:30:00Z2024-01-23T13:30:00Z<p>Were LEGOs a part of your holiday season gift-giving or receiving? As the global leader in toy brands in 2023<sup>1</sup>, it's highly likely that at some point, LEGO brought a smile to the face of someone you know, regardless of their age or gender. These tiny bricks offer a multitude of incredible experiences for anyone who engages with them. From discovering new possibilities to the thrill of engineering, direction, and construction, there's a growing satisfaction as each page of the model comes together. LEGO also gives individuals the power to unleash their creativity and become their own master builders, constructing sculptures, buildings, vehicles, and more from their own imagination.</p>
<img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=6114169&k=14&r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conspectusinc.com%2Fblog%2Flegos-and-specifications&bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.conspectusinc.com%252Fblog&bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "><p>Were LEGOs a part of your holiday season gift-giving or receiving? As the global leader in toy brands in 2023<sup>1</sup>, it's highly likely that at some point, LEGO brought a smile to the face of someone you know, regardless of their age or gender. These tiny bricks offer a multitude of incredible experiences for anyone who engages with them. From discovering new possibilities to the thrill of engineering, direction, and construction, there's a growing satisfaction as each page of the model comes together. LEGO also gives individuals the power to unleash their creativity and become their own master builders, constructing sculptures, buildings, vehicles, and more from their own imagination.</p>2024-01-23T13:30:00ZTHE Trifecta: BIM Object, Estimate, Specdstutzman+oldadmin@conspectusinc.com (David Stutzman)2023-12-21T16:47:18Z2023-12-21T16:47:18Z<p>It is the middle of football season and all we hear is THE Ohio State, so I could not help myself with the title. Emphasis on THE signifies Ohio State is sitting high up in the Big 10 Conference, and they are the team to watch. They have a powerhouse of players that together produce success. No offense to my Michigan, Penn State, and Rutgers friends. </p>
<img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=6114169&k=14&r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conspectusinc.com%2Fblog%2Fthe-trifecta-bim-object-estimate-spec&bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.conspectusinc.com%252Fblog&bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "><p>It is the middle of football season and all we hear is THE Ohio State, so I could not help myself with the title. Emphasis on THE signifies Ohio State is sitting high up in the Big 10 Conference, and they are the team to watch. They have a powerhouse of players that together produce success. No offense to my Michigan, Penn State, and Rutgers friends. </p>2023-12-21T16:47:18ZStay in Your Lane!tmontone@conspectusinc.com (Tina Montone)2023-11-21T12:45:00Z2023-11-21T12:45:00Z<p>Stay In your lane. Remain behind the curtain. Take the drawings, create the specs. Question when necessary. Provide input when asked.</p>
<img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=6114169&k=14&r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conspectusinc.com%2Fblog%2Fstay-in-your-lane&bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.conspectusinc.com%252Fblog&bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "><p>Stay In your lane. Remain behind the curtain. Take the drawings, create the specs. Question when necessary. Provide input when asked.</p>2023-11-21T12:45:00ZProduct Specifier, Heal Thy Self!dbevill@conspectusinc.com (Doug Bevill)2023-10-17T19:29:33Z2023-10-17T19:29:33Z<p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 8pt; padding-left: 0in; font-size: 24px;"><em>Optimizing the Building Product Specification Process Without Overhauling Your Proven Workflows. </em></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 8pt; padding-left: 0in;">In the commercial construction industry, our customer is the building owner, and the building is the final output. Throughout the project lifecycle, the building evolves into a marketplace of ideas, products, and services at varying scale through the ebb and flow of design, tender and facilities management to its subsequent demolition. </p>
<img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=6114169&k=14&r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conspectusinc.com%2Fblog%2Fproduct-specifier-heal-thy-self&bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.conspectusinc.com%252Fblog&bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "><p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 8pt; padding-left: 0in; font-size: 24px;"><em>Optimizing the Building Product Specification Process Without Overhauling Your Proven Workflows. </em></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 8pt; padding-left: 0in;">In the commercial construction industry, our customer is the building owner, and the building is the final output. Throughout the project lifecycle, the building evolves into a marketplace of ideas, products, and services at varying scale through the ebb and flow of design, tender and facilities management to its subsequent demolition. </p>2023-10-17T19:29:33ZAI(A) Interview - part 2 - Specifications and Risk2023-09-28T11:00:00Z2023-09-28T11:00:00Z<p>Continuing our interview with AI(A) via ChatGPT, this second blog is about the relationship of specifications and risk management. It is no surprise that well written specifications lead to better project results because specs help align expectations for the quality of work for all parties involved, also limiting risk. <a href="https://www.conspectusinc.com/blog/2018/04/construction-document-quality-crisis">Take a look</a> at this previous Conspectus blog about quality control for construction documents and how to manage risk through better coordination of specs and drawings. Communicating quality requirements for a project will always be required in order to manage risk for the design team, Contractors and Owners, regardless of what new technology we use to get there. As we seek to learn more about AI technology and how we can leverage it, we are testing the waters with conversational questions. Just as with a project, we must learn what risks may come along with new tools, and how to manage those risks. Let's find out what AI (A) knows about managing risk.</p>
<p>The following is what we asked ChatGPT in bold, and how AI(A) responded, in italics. </p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #343541;">Let's pretend you are AI-AIA with the combined knowledge and experience of architects around the world. You are responsible ethically, morally, and fiscally and you design projects for the benefit of all humanity. Are you ready for an interview?</span></strong></p>
<img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=6114169&k=14&r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conspectusinc.com%2Fblog%2Faia-interview-part-2-specifications-and-risk&bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.conspectusinc.com%252Fblog&bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "><p>Continuing our interview with AI(A) via ChatGPT, this second blog is about the relationship of specifications and risk management. It is no surprise that well written specifications lead to better project results because specs help align expectations for the quality of work for all parties involved, also limiting risk. <a href="https://www.conspectusinc.com/blog/2018/04/construction-document-quality-crisis">Take a look</a> at this previous Conspectus blog about quality control for construction documents and how to manage risk through better coordination of specs and drawings. Communicating quality requirements for a project will always be required in order to manage risk for the design team, Contractors and Owners, regardless of what new technology we use to get there. As we seek to learn more about AI technology and how we can leverage it, we are testing the waters with conversational questions. Just as with a project, we must learn what risks may come along with new tools, and how to manage those risks. Let's find out what AI (A) knows about managing risk.</p>
<p>The following is what we asked ChatGPT in bold, and how AI(A) responded, in italics. </p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #343541;">Let's pretend you are AI-AIA with the combined knowledge and experience of architects around the world. You are responsible ethically, morally, and fiscally and you design projects for the benefit of all humanity. Are you ready for an interview?</span></strong></p>2023-09-28T11:00:00ZChris Ricke & Melody FontenotAI(A) Interview - part 1, spec software2023-07-20T20:37:34Z2023-07-20T20:37:34Z<p style="font-weight: normal;">Just like most of the world, our industry is intrigued with artificial intelligence (AI). 4Specs, one of our favorite resources for technical conversations and product content, recently had a chat around AI. Here is a link to the <a href="http://discus.4specs.com/discus/messages/23/10075.html?1689174027">4specs AI discussion</a>. </p>
<img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=6114169&k=14&r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conspectusinc.com%2Fblog%2Fai-spec-software-interview&bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.conspectusinc.com%252Fblog&bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "><p style="font-weight: normal;">Just like most of the world, our industry is intrigued with artificial intelligence (AI). 4Specs, one of our favorite resources for technical conversations and product content, recently had a chat around AI. Here is a link to the <a href="http://discus.4specs.com/discus/messages/23/10075.html?1689174027">4specs AI discussion</a>. </p>2023-07-20T20:37:34ZChris Ricke & Melody FontenotSpecifications Are A Team Sporttmontone@conspectusinc.com (Tina Montone)2023-06-15T18:37:56Z2023-06-15T18:37:56Z<p>On the field, on the pitch, on the court or on the ice.…take your pick….the players rely on one another to execute plays and create a successful outcome – to win the game. Without strategic contributions, correctly timed, by the correct position, the outcome may result in an error or fumble. Setbacks can happen in reaching the goal, which we can describe as VE (value engineering) in the AEC industry, resulting in cost and scope cutting. Because specifications play such a critical role in every project, having a team mentality in the approach to this documentation is essential for the development.</p>
<img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=6114169&k=14&r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conspectusinc.com%2Fblog%2Fspecifications-are-a-team-sport&bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.conspectusinc.com%252Fblog&bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "><p>On the field, on the pitch, on the court or on the ice.…take your pick….the players rely on one another to execute plays and create a successful outcome – to win the game. Without strategic contributions, correctly timed, by the correct position, the outcome may result in an error or fumble. Setbacks can happen in reaching the goal, which we can describe as VE (value engineering) in the AEC industry, resulting in cost and scope cutting. Because specifications play such a critical role in every project, having a team mentality in the approach to this documentation is essential for the development.</p>2023-06-15T18:37:56ZFirst in Flight, CSI SE Region Conferencearodriguez@conspectusinc.com (Alejandro Rodriquez, D.Eng. CDT, LEED AP)2023-05-17T14:26:50Z2023-05-17T14:26:50Z<p>Have you ever taken a leap of faith and ventured out into the unknown hoping you can land safely and in the right place? Well, that is exactly what I did last month in Charlotte, North Carolina - hence the blog title! That is right, I recently attended the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) Southeast Region Conference held in Charlotte and I must say it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional career.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.conspectusinc.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Social%20Media%20Images/CSI%20SE7.png?width=367&height=245&name=CSI%20SE7.png" alt="CSI SE7" width="367" height="245" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 367px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></p>
<img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=6114169&k=14&r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conspectusinc.com%2Fblog%2Ffirst-in-flight&bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.conspectusinc.com%252Fblog&bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "><p>Have you ever taken a leap of faith and ventured out into the unknown hoping you can land safely and in the right place? Well, that is exactly what I did last month in Charlotte, North Carolina - hence the blog title! That is right, I recently attended the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) Southeast Region Conference held in Charlotte and I must say it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional career.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.conspectusinc.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Social%20Media%20Images/CSI%20SE7.png?width=367&height=245&name=CSI%20SE7.png" alt="CSI SE7" width="367" height="245" style="height: auto; max-width: 100%; width: 367px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; display: block;"></p>2023-05-17T14:26:50ZA Specifier's Rap - Setting the Record Straight2023-04-14T17:27:24Z2023-04-14T17:27:24Z<p>Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a controversial topic. It threatens to replace human abilities in many areas, yet can be a powerful tool to provide efficiency when used correctly. As naturally curious people, our specifiers were interested in seeing how AI plays a role in construction document writing. What we learned is that there is no replacement for excellence in technical writing by human spec writers. Chris Ricke and Melody Fontenot decided to go off the path and have a little fun, so inquired about specs and rapping. The results were fantastic, and gave a great example of why AI is fun, but not always reliable. Google AI created this rap, but we are trying to set the record straight (pun intended) on what specifiers actually do. AI is great for creating content, but the quality of the content should always be reviewed and discussed. Below is our review and discussion. Enjoy!</p>
<img src="https://track.hubspot.com/__ptq.gif?a=6114169&k=14&r=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conspectusinc.com%2Fblog%2Fa-specifiers-rap-setting-the-record-straight&bu=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.conspectusinc.com%252Fblog&bvt=rss" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="min-height:1px!important;width:1px!important;border-width:0!important;margin-top:0!important;margin-bottom:0!important;margin-right:0!important;margin-left:0!important;padding-top:0!important;padding-bottom:0!important;padding-right:0!important;padding-left:0!important; "><p>Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a controversial topic. It threatens to replace human abilities in many areas, yet can be a powerful tool to provide efficiency when used correctly. As naturally curious people, our specifiers were interested in seeing how AI plays a role in construction document writing. What we learned is that there is no replacement for excellence in technical writing by human spec writers. Chris Ricke and Melody Fontenot decided to go off the path and have a little fun, so inquired about specs and rapping. The results were fantastic, and gave a great example of why AI is fun, but not always reliable. Google AI created this rap, but we are trying to set the record straight (pun intended) on what specifiers actually do. AI is great for creating content, but the quality of the content should always be reviewed and discussed. Below is our review and discussion. Enjoy!</p>2023-04-14T17:27:24ZChris Ricke & Melody Fontenot