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..

Coordination, coordination, coordination! The better construction documents are coordinated, the better the outcome for the owner - not to mention the design and construction teams. Imagine the perfect set of construction documents: no bidder's..

Construction specifications define work results. The results are divided among Divisions and Sections according to CSI's MasterFormat, the industry's organizational standard. Complying with MasterFormat allows specification readers to find information..

How can an owner be sure construction produces the quality the owner desires? There is likely no way to be absolutely certain. But specifiers rely on several techniques to help ensure work results meets the owner's project requirements.

Friday, an architect asked for help researching a question about metal stud installation for interior partitions. The question was the result of a site visit. The resolution needed to be speedy. Monday the contractor planned to install gypsum board,..

Why does the code require trademarks to distinguish the various plywood types? All plywood is not the same. Panels may be suitable for specific applications. The trademarks give basic information about expected performance and allowable use. Know and..

It's a debate. The debate is evidenced in all the commercial guide specifications and even CSI's SectionFormat™. Related Requirements is an article heading near the beginning of specification sections. This article gives specifiers an opportunity to list..

Is the contractor permitted to submit substitutions or propose comparable products? Not if the spec is closed, he is not. Be careful if you think you know, just from reading a technical section of the specifications. The manufacturer and product..

A program at the Philadelphia AIA Design on the Delaware annual conference last week, discussed the legal aspects of green building. The panelists used an outlandish hypothetical case to explore where the design pitfalls may lie. Issues ignored by the..