The Construction Specifier Express

July 12, 2022

Chicago firm modifies big box store for adaptive reuse

Create sleek and sophisticated outdoor spaces with Soreno slabs from Unilock

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Washington whiskey facility Phase 2 incorporates sustainable softwood

Quincy, Washington’s newly rebuilt Woodinville Whiskey facility warehouses marry contemporary technology with traditional rustic style, using sustainably sourced softwoods which underwent a process to gain sturdy, hardwood-like properties.

Middletown riverfront master plan to create new inclusive city district

Middletown, Connecticut’s new riverfront development master plan will transform an 89-ha (220-acre) stretch of land along the Connecticut River into an accessible new city district.

New Kevin Roche scholarship to support next generation of architects

The Connecticut Architecture Foundation (CAF) has founded a new scholarship fund in honor of prolific Irish-American architect Kevin Roche and his wife, Jane, to support students as they step into architecture and design careers.

Features

Masonry construction: Solving for thermal bridging

When it comes to longevity, masonry construction has an impressive track record. One of the world’s oldest construction types, masonry continues to be among the most common construction methods used in modern-day enclosures around the globe.

Specifying building wrap for moisture management and drainage

Among the many performance characteristics expected of today’s building wraps (also referred to as weather-resistive barriers, water-resistive barrier, or housewrap), draining bulk water is increasingly important.

DISCUSSIONS OF THE WEEK

MANUFACTURER DETAILS AND UNIFORMAT

Both the PDPG and National CAD Standard section 1.4.1.1.1 mention the coordination of library files with MasterFormat and UniFormat. Are there any in-practice examples of manufacturer standard details organized in this format? Based on my own observations, technical collateral is fairly inconsistent from manufacturer to manufacturer, and any standards are generally ignored. UniFormat specifically seems to be tailored for the organizing of manufactured product/assembly documents, so I’m curious why it isn’t implemented more.

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HARD DATA ON THE COST OF SPECIFICATION ERRORS

I’m working to put together a presentation to share with architects about the dangers of failing to take sufficient care in preparation of specification. I’d like to present some data and/or specific examples, but I’m having a hard time tracking down such data. Does anyone have specific examples they could share of costly errors which resulted from things like lack of coordination, failure to understand how to prepare or use Division 00 sections, or any other failures to understand how to prepare specifications—or does anyone know a source that might be helpful?

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