by David Stutzman | Dec 4, 2018 | Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Specifications, Uniformat
When starting a new design project, what is actually known? Very little. The relevant design decisions must be made as the project progresses. So how can projects be effectively documented before all decisions are made? UniFormat™! Design teams are conditioned to...
by Elias Saltz | Sep 17, 2018 | Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Specifications
Successful construction projects rely on complete, accurate, timely, and understandable communication; maximizing all of these reduces the likelihood for disputes to arise. Unfortunately, many project teams fall short of proper communication, and that’s why...
by David Stutzman | Jun 18, 2018 | Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Specifications
First published at Young Architects Forum Connection 16.01. Construction contract documents consist of four items: the agreement, the conditions of contract, the drawings, the specifications, addenda, and modifications[i]. Each of the first four serves a distinct...
by Elias Saltz | Mar 19, 2018 | BIM, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Specifications
As part of their work, architects learn to interpret 2D plans, sections and elevations and get a pretty good idea what a space will look like when it’s completed. Our clients lack the experience of looking at hundreds of drawings and need help to understand...
by David Stutzman | Mar 30, 2015 | Design Considerations, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Quality Assurance, Specifications
Specifiers may be one of the best kept secrets on the design team. Specifiers, especially independent specifiers, typically interact with the architectural team, only. Even then, the interaction may be limited to project architects and project managers. It is rare...
by David Stutzman | Dec 1, 2014 | CSI, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Specifications
Have you made the connection yourself? Connecting data to make it available and useable for each team will improve efficiency and reduce risk for every construction project. The focus has been on inserting data into BIM to describe the objects the design team includes...
by David Stutzman | Sep 15, 2014 | Bidding, Design Considerations, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice
It’s a process, not just technical requirements. During design-assist, the architect of record, asks the contractor (usually a specialty subcontractor) to help develop system details and confirm system performance to meet project requirements. Typically...
by David Stutzman | Aug 4, 2014 | BIM, CSI, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Specifications
Construction specifications are arranged by MasterFormat’s 50 divisions and thousands of section numbers and titles – everyone knows that. There is a recent trend, at least with our architect clients, toward specifying complete systems and assigning...
by David Stutzman | Apr 28, 2014 | Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Specifications
Design and construction projects require an enormous number of participants to complete each facility. The basic teams include owners, architects, contractors, and suppliers. The lines of communication are well defined, especially after the construction contract is...
by David Stutzman | Apr 21, 2014 | AIA, Bidding, CSI, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice
When is the architect required to prepare an estimate of the Cost of Work according to AIA Document B101 Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect? A. Never B. SD Phase C. DD Phase D. CD Phase E. Bidding Phase Not to keep you in suspense, the answer is B,...
by David Stutzman | Mar 24, 2014 | BIM, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Specifications
Traditional construction documents were drawings and specifications – both published in paper form. The industry is trending to more electronic means of representing the construction contract requirements. Building information models are touted as the repository...
by David Stutzman | Dec 16, 2013 | CSI, Outline Specs, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Specifications
The construction industry in general and the architectural profession specifically, seem to enjoy the same challenge on every project. You would think the challenge is about the design – trying to optimize the response to the owner’s program and the...
by David Stutzman | Dec 9, 2013 | AIA, BIM, CSI, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Specifications
Is this a trick question? Everyone knows that construction contract documents consist of the agreement, the conditions of the contract, the specifications and the drawings. Just check all the standard AIA agreements. Of course, preliminary project descriptions (PPDs)...
by David Stutzman | Oct 21, 2013 | CSI, Outline Specs, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD)
Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD) are a formal method of presenting construction project data in a consistent, organized fashion. PPDs are arranged by element name, functional requirements, and system components – using the same organization as preliminary...
by David Stutzman | Oct 7, 2013 | CSI, Outline Specs, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Specifications
The perception persists. I had this discussion again (lost track of how many times over the years) just last week. Contractors distribute selected specifications and drawings to subs and material suppliers – not the entire set. So the subs and materials...
by David Stutzman | Sep 30, 2013 | CSI, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Specifications
Though recorded in 1964 by Bob Dylan as the title track for the album by the same name, The Times They Are A-Changin’ applies today as well as it did 50 years ago. Ira Bloomenthal, the CSI national convention keynote speaker used Dylan’s song title to...
by David Stutzman | Sep 16, 2013 | BIM, CSI, Outline Specs, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Specifications
Technology provides a means to connect data. Standards provide the organizations that make the data connections meaningful. BIM – Building Information Model using Revit software Specs – Construction Specifications using MasterFormat® organization PPD...
by David Stutzman | Aug 12, 2013 | AIA, CSI, Outline Specs, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Specifications
Construction specifications contain data, lots of data. These data must be easily found by the hundreds of individuals involved in any construction project – not just the architect and contractor, but the subcontractors, materials distributors, suppliers,...
by David Stutzman | Jul 15, 2013 | Outline Specs, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Specifications
It’s linear – just like design! Start at the beginning and finish at the end. Straight line. No sidesteps. No circling back. No changed minds. Smooth sailing start to finish. It’s Not Quite that Simple Writing specifications is straightforward....
by David Stutzman | Apr 1, 2013 | CSI, Design Considerations, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice
An idea is formed. A new product or service is required. A need for a building emerges. What is the next step – a napkin concept sketch of a building form? Initial ConsiderationsThe first steps should be to define the owner’s requirements. What people,...
by David Stutzman | Mar 18, 2013 | AIA, BIM, CSI, Design Considerations, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Specifications
The promise of BIM (Building Information Modeling) is that project data can reside in the model and can be extracted by anyone in a form for every purpose. The reality is that useful data extraction is entirely dependent on valid data input. Models Start Generically...
by David Stutzman | Feb 18, 2013 | Construction Administration, CSI, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Specifications
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, and...
by David Stutzman | Feb 11, 2013 | Outline Specs, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Specifications
Building design starts with a concept, a sketch at a macro scale. At the first stroke of the designer’s hand, there is no concern for concrete strength, nor concrete as a building material. The initial sketch may be a simple massing study to determine what a...
by David Stutzman | Dec 31, 2012 | Design Considerations, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice
Short Answer: PPDs document the architect’s intended project quality. Understanding an architectural design and determining the estimated construction cost requires two pieces of information: The type and quantity of products shown on drawings and The quality...
by David Stutzman | Oct 8, 2012 | CSI, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Specifications
You’ve seen them. You’ve been required to comply with them. You’ve been required to implement them. You may have written them. As a designer, you’ve probably complained about them because: They require a different approach than your norm; They...
by David Stutzman | Jun 4, 2012 | BIM, CSI, Outline Specs, Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Specifications
David Bishton, RA, CSI, CCS, CCCA, as Southwest Region CSI Editor, asks: “But how the heck does a contractor or supplier or installer of materials know what the intent is when they are bidding or building a project, unless it is carefully explained?”...
by David Stutzman | Jun 7, 2010 | Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPD), Professional Practice, Specifying Practice Group
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...
