One of the significant reasons for the existence of specifications is to describe the level of quality to the products and work that go into a building project. Specifications establish the performance of the products and assemblies and their..
The Right and Wrong Time to Review Installers' Qualifications
by Elias Saltz | May 29, 2018 | bidding, Construction, Construction Administration, contract documents, Professional Practice, Quality Assurance, Specifications
Preventing Construction Failures
by Elias Saltz | Apr 12, 2018 | Bad Specs, Code Requirements, Construction, Design Considerations, failures, Product Failures, Specifications
Looking at the recent history of construction, we find that it is littered with a spectrum of failures, from minor cosmetic types up to and including those that are truly catastrophic. The former may include mere annoyances - cracked finishes and the..
Practical Learning You Can Put to Use Today
by David Stutzman | Feb 18, 2013 | BIM, Construction, Construction Administration, CSI, CSI Academies, Design, IPD, PPDFormat, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Rosetta Stone, Specifications, Specifier
The CSI Academies brought expert instructors and students together, a total of about 140 individuals, for 13 hours of advanced education and learning over 3 days. The program was arranged in three tracks: Construction Specifier, Product Representative,..
Why are Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPDs) Important?
by David Stutzman | Dec 31, 2012 | Construction, Design, Design Considerations, Designer, Drawings, Estimate, Estimator, PPD, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Architect, VE
Short Answer: PPDs document the architect's intended project quality.
How Can Owners Protect Their Interests?
by David Stutzman | Sep 17, 2012 | AIA, Construction, Contractor, Design-build, IPD, OPR, Owner, Professional Practice, Project Delivery, Architect, Specifications, Specifier, VE
Building owners contract with architects, contractors, design-builders, or integrated project delivery (IPD) teams to create the owners' facilities. These players are responsible for design and construction. There is an underutilized member of the design..
Which Contract Document is Most Important?
by David Stutzman | Sep 3, 2012 | agreement, AIA, Construction, contract documents, CSI, Design, Professional Practice, Architect, Specifications, SPECtember
Construction contract documents include the Agreement, the Conditions of Contract, the Drawings, and the Specifications. Because of the legal implications, owners produce the Agreement and the Conditions. Architects are responsible for producing the..
Is it a Product or a Building?
by David Stutzman | Jul 30, 2012 | BIM, Building Types, Construction, Design Considerations, Life Cycle, Manufacturing, Modular Construction, Professional Practice, sustainability, Technology
The manufacturing industry mass produces many of the same, or essentially the same, items offered for sale to industry or the general public. Optimization in manufacturing is key to returning the greatest profits. Time spent exploring optimum solutions..
CSI Certification - It's Worth the Effort
by David Stutzman | Jan 2, 2012 | Certification, Construction, Construction Administration, contract documents, CSI, Education, Professional Practice, Specifications, Specifier, United States Army Corps of Engineers
I heard specs mentioned once in school. It was in one class of the professional practice course - the 30 hour course to teach students everything they need to know about running an architecture business, including writing specs. Still I had never seen a..
Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive
by David Stutzman | Nov 30, 2011 | Conspectus, Construction, Professional Practice, New York City, Specifications
Recently, I have been struck by the pervasive, negative attitude - not just about the construction industry but generally in news, blogs, and other media I follow. The architectural billing index is down, unemployment is stuck at a high rate,..
