Architectural Specifications

Architectural specifications are essential to the realization of the project design. While drawings communicate form and quantity, specifications communicate materials and quality. The primary goals of this course are to:Examine the organization of the construction documents of a project Understand the creation and structure of specifications in supporting the design processLearn the fundamentals of product selection and specification writingThe best designers and project architects use specifications to manage the construction process, and not be managed by the competing demands of design, cost, quality, value engineering and schedule. Course content includes the following:The Design and Construction ProcessExpectations of design professionalsThe project team and participantsProject conceptionProject deliveryDesign and documentationIntroduction to the Project Manual ConceptBidding information and requirementsContract forms, bonds, and certificatesConditions of the contractGeneral requirementsArchitectural specificationsEngineering specificationsFundamentals and FormatsSpecification formatsClassification systemsMasterFormat divisionsSection formatPage formatSpecification Writing, Production and ApplicationMethods of specifyingInformation delivery systemsEffective communicationLanguage and writing styleGreen/LEED Specifications and Product SelectionSpecifications for sustainabilityGreen product checklistsGreen product specificationsGreen resources and websitesLEED in specificationsTextbooks: Project Resource Manual – CSI Manual of Practice, and portions of the AIA Handbook for Professional Practice.