David Stutzman

Recent Actions

• Posted Submittals, Submittals, Submittals to SpecWords
  CSI's Specifying Practice Group met to debate why contractor submittals are required, how submittals are classified, and the A/E's responsibilities for submittals. Must the A/E require submittals to ensure the owner gets what is due? Will submittals help protect the...
• Posted "Right" or "Not Wrong" - Choose Your Specs Wisely to SpecWords
  "Limiting the scope of the spec writers may save a few thousand dollars during the design phase, but it can result in expensive conflicts after construction contracts are awarded." - Derek B. McCowan, PE, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc., Waltham,...
• Posted Competitive Construction Procurement - Bid Requirements to SpecWords
  Competitive Construction Procurement: What do I need besides the drawings and spec? Bidders need additional information about the bidding process to ensure their bids are responsive to the owner's needs and hopefully (for them) successful. Learn what documents are required...
• Commented on Floor Slab Flatness and Levelness
  Hassan, Thank you for the comment. F-numbers were conceived because of the in measuring floor flatness with a straightedge gave inconsistent, and sometimes meaningless, results. No standard existed for taking straightedge measurements. Without a standard, test results could not be...
• Posted SectionFormat and PageFormat 2008 to SpecWords
  Fifty-three members of CSI's Specifying Practice Group met August 5 to discuss the updates for two of CSI's formatting documents: SectionFormat and PageFormat. The meeting included wonderful discussion and interaction among the members while reviewing the specific updates. The power...
• Posted Give Me a Good Spec! to SpecWords
  I was reminded recently about a quote from our client that I first heard years ago. "I don't care what the drawings show. Give me a good spec and I will get what I want!"Paul Lyons, WATG, Director of Construction...
• Posted Floor Slab Flatness and Levelness to SpecWords
  Flatness, Levelness, F-Numbers, Straightedge: What do the numbers mean? Recent changes to ACI 117 provide new procedures for straightedge measurements for floor slab flatness. Under the revised standard, 1/8 inch in 10 feet is not a standard option. Learn what...
• Commented on Dimpled Metal Studs
  We are pleased to hear that our article was helpful. When you have your own technical questions feel free to contact us for help....
• Posted July News Bulletin to SpecWords
  This month Conspectus' News Bulletin highlights news about:Modification of Contract Documents - methods and terms matter.IBC 2009 Code Changes - selected highlights with substantial impact.Electronic Construction Submittals - web-based project management advantages.Submittal Lists - quickly checking the contractor's list.Visit our...
• Posted Collecting Project Spec Data - What Works? to SpecWords
  The July 1st CSI Specifying Practice Group meeting focused on how to collect project data required to write specifications. Group members Louis Medcalf, FCSI, CCS of Gresham, Smith & Partners and Patricia Gallup, RA, CSI, CCS of PSA-Dewberry, and group...
• Posted Dimpled Metal Studs to SpecWords
  Metal Studs: Smooth, Dimpled, and High Performance. Must you choose? Recent innovations in the design and manufacturing of steel studs have produced studs that use less steel yet perform as well and better than traditional smooth-faced studs. Learn how to...
• Posted PPD: Deliverable Document and Powerful Design Tool to SpecWords
  What do you use to describe your design projects? Will owners, lenders, estimators and others understand the design intent? Traditional methods rely on design narratives and outline specs to supplement drawings. Each design team develops their own method for presenting...
• Posted CSI Blog >> The Code Corner No. 31 (Spring 2010) - Portable Fire Extinguishers to SpecWords
  http://blog.csinet.org/default.asp?Display=216Here is an excellent resource article for architects and specifiers that explains the IBC 2009 code requirements for fire extinguishers - how to select, how to locate, and how many are required. Thanks to CSI for posting this thorough document....
• Posted Exterior Window Ratings to SpecWords
  What is an AW60 window and how will it perform? The window performance classes and performance grades set by the North American Fenestration Standard provide a simplified method for specifying the minimum performance for air infiltration, water penetration, and structural...
• Posted Interior Spray Foam Insulation to SpecWords
  Chapter 26 of the IBC 2006 building code requires foam insulations used inside the building weather barrier to be protected by a thermal barrier. The code defines thermal barriers as 1/2 inch thick gypsum wallboard or equivalent to limit the...
• Commented on Air Barriers
  Brian, thank you for the comments. Yes the 2006 IECC requires a vapor retarder for commercial construction framed walls, floors, and ceilings that are not ventilated. See IECC 502.5. Climate zones 1, 2, and 3 are listed as an exception...
• Commented on Air Barriers
  Todd, thank you for the comments. I am happy to see you discussing ASHRAE 189. I understand that this standard will be an alternative compliance path for the new International Green Construction Code. This will give even more importance to...
• Posted Air Barriers to SpecWords
  What functions must an air barrier perform? It may be more than the obvious. Learn about the types, functions, performance, difficulties, and details for air barriers to be effective. Air barriers must be carefully selected to provide the correct expected...
• Commented on Curtain Walls, Storefronts & Windows - Tech Tips Published
  Thank you for the comments. The definitions of these systems, while seeming so simple, continue to confuse. MasterFormat 2004, the industry standard for specifications, does not contain a number and title for specifying Window Walls, but does include numbers and...
• Posted Specifying Process to SpecWords
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• Commented on Outline Specs - Useful or Not?
  Don, Thank you for the comments. You are correct that both outline specs and preliminary project descriptions (PPD) can be useful when they are properly written and provide the details of the project intent. What we find is that outline...
• Posted Acoustic Ratings for Partitions and Floors to SpecWords
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• Posted Outline Specs - Useful or Not? to SpecWords
  Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} CSI's specifying practice group discussed the concept of...
• Posted Air and Moisture Barrier Applications to SpecWords
  Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Yesterday we had the pleasure of hosting Bill...
• Posted WATG-Designed Bardessono Achieves LEED Platinum Certification | WATG to SpecWords
  Conspectus wishes to congratulate our client, WATG, and the entire project team for achieving LEED Platinum Certification for the Bardessono Inn and Spa in Yountville, California.  Bardessono is one of only two hotels in the world to achieve LEED Platinum,...
• Posted Concrete Floor Surface Prep & Moisture Testing to SpecWords
  Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Successful floor finish installations depend on a proper...
• Posted The Specifier's Role for Construction Projects to SpecWords
  Today CSI's Specifying Practice Group discussed "What Can You Expect of a Specifier?" As an independent specifier, I presented the specifier's point of view and then opened the meeting for other opinions. The group was not bashful, thankfully, otherwise, the...
• Posted Profit from Quality Assurance Reviews to SpecWords
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• Commented on Slab on Grade Vapor Retarders
  Justin Henshell commented "Please refer to IBC par 1807.2.3, 1807.1.3, 1807.2 and 1807.3 which will mandate whether you will dampproof or waterproof." We wish to than Justin for his comment and we offer the following reply. Section 1807 of the...
• Posted Slab on Grade Vapor Retarders to SpecWords
  Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Vapor retarders, vapor barriers, waterproofing - there are...