ARCPE SEMINAR

26TH MAY 2018, GABORONE

STANDARDS, SPECIFICATIONS & DRAWINGS

Prepared by: SIANYINDA DAVID SICHOMBO

STANDARDS

________________________________________________

WHAT ARE STANDARDS?

A standard is an official publication that contains technical

specifications, requirements and recommendations about

the quality, safety, design, construction, methods, symbols or

other characteristics of a product. Standards are developed

by international and national standard organizations, as well

as professional and industry organizations.

EXAMPLES OF STANDARDS

1. Time Savers Standards for Urban Design

2. Time Savers Standards for Landscape Architecture

3. Time Savers Standards for Residential Developments

4. Time Savers Standards for Interior Design

5. Time Savers Standards for Architectural Design

6. Time Savers Standards for Building Types

7. Architectural Graphic Standards

8. Neufert Architects’ Data

9. Metric Handbook Planning and Design Data

Why Architecture Standards?

A well defined set of architecture standards as well as

an effective standards management practice is a key

asset for most organizations. Standards allow architects

to become more effective by aligning with goals such as

reusability of components and interoperability between

systems. Putting a standard in place should always have

a clear and explicit rationale which, in turn, should be

linked to one or more business drivers, such as

lowering maintenance costs or faster development of

new functionality.

How do Standards Realize Business Value?

As mentioned previously, each architecture standard should

be aligned with one or more business drivers. These drivers

are in their turn derived from the overall strategy as

declared by the relevant organization. Below is a list of

some benefits of a good architecture practice that directly

translate into business value. These examples are drawn

from what is seen in practice, the list is definitely not meant

to be complete.

1. Improve efficiency of processes

Architecture standards have an impact on key design

choices for new functionality. The earlier in the

development process these choices are made, the

better. You do not wait until the project is on site

before deciding on the standards for door openings or

windows for example.

2. Improve Interoperability

Think of electricity plugs for your electronic equipment.

If you do a lot of travelling, you know that you need a

whole bunch of converter plugs to be able to plug in

your laptop in all parts of the world. The

more standardized these interfaces are, the less

“converter plugs” are needed, the less costs for

maintenance, etc.

3. Reduce risk

Past success and experience with the standard

means that reusing it in a new project improves the

predictability of the result. This greatly reduces

project risk of all sorts. Take for example a standard

safety glass that can withstand a certain amount of

maximum impact.

It was proven in the past that this standard complies

with the required safety measures with respect to

impact against full height glazing. Reusing the

component in the development of a new application

assures us that the new application also complies with

the safety requirements. Hence the risk of injury

is reduced.

4. Lower Costs

Standardization will result in the reduction of the

number of irregular components in a building. This

means a reduction of the total cost of construction.

STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS

________________________________________________

Specification for construction

Specifications describe the materials and workmanship

required for a development. They do not include cost,

quantity or drawn information, and so need to be read

alongside other information such as quantities, schedules

and drawings.

Building specifications are an important group of documents

which forms part of the contract. Specifications vary

considerably depending on the stage to which the design

has been developed, ranging from performance

specifications (open specifications) that require further

design work to be carried out, to prescriptive

specifications (closed specifications) where the design is

already complete.

Having a prescriptive specification when a contract

is tendered gives the client more certainty about the end

product, whereas a performance specification gives

suppliers more scope to innovate and adopt cost effective

methods of work, potentially offering better value for

money.

Typically, performance specifications are written on projects

that are straight-forward and are well-known building types,

whereas prescriptive specifications are written for more

complex buildings, or buildings where the client has

requirements that might not be familiar to suppliers and

where certainty regarding the exact nature of the

completed development is more important to the client.

An exception to this might be a repeat client such as a large

retailer, where a specific, branded end result is required and

so whilst the building type is well known, the specification is

likely to be prescriptive.

A document that is important to have is the Ministry of

Works, Transport and Communication Standard

Specification of Materials and Workmanship for Building

Contracts April 1989, printed by Government Printing and

Publishing Services.

The first stage in the development of a specification is the

preparation of an outline specification. An outline

specification is a brief description of the main components

to be used in construction. They should be described in

sufficient detail to allow the cost consultant to prepare

some approximate quantities.

Components might include:

•Substructure

•Superstructure

•Cladding (including

external windows and doors)

•Roofing

•Internal walls and partitions.

•Internal doors

•Ceilings

•Flooring

•Finishes

•Building services (including

lighting, heating, ventilation and air

conditioning, water supply

and drainage and other special

installations)

•Fixtures and fittings (such as

sanitary fittings)

•Landscape

When writing architectural specifications getting the basics

in place from the start will help you build a document

suitable to your needs. Listed below are some basic rules

to follow when writing your next specification:

1. Always edit your specification to reflect your appointment and the selected procurement route.

2. Always start from a solid baseline document. Do not take the last project you prepared a specification for and change the headers and footers. Mistakes such as naming the wrong project, specifying incorrect materials and other basic errors will creep into your documents.

I have seen some documents where the roof specification is concrete tiles as well as Metal Sheet Roofing for the same roof.

3. Avoid using the term “or similar approved” in

a specification. If you approve it you are

assuming liability for it. Instead use the term ‘or acceptable

equivalent’. By accepting an alternative the responsibility

for Fitness for Purpose moves to the contractor and

the architect's acceptance is for design intent only. If the

architect approves, they take back that responsibility.

Normally alternatives are offered for program or cost

reasons and the contractor is responsible for the fact that

they are providing a different product that must be at least

as good quality-wise as the one specified by the architect. If

the architect is specifying by description only, the

contractor is obliged to provide the technical solution

which again they have to be responsible for in terms

of quality, performance, appearance and fitness for purpose.

4. Remove unfinished clauses and terms such as “if

required”. If you are specifying a specific technical

solution then you have to specify everything.

5. Do not highlight particular clauses by using bold or

underlining, as this indicates that the clause is of special

importance and there is no such thing in a specification,

as by default it indicates that everything else is not so

important.

6. Always allow time to have your specifications proof read.

GENERIC SPECIFICATIONS AND USE OF BRAND NAMES

Generic Specifications are specifications that gives the required characteristics

and performance requirements of the items specified without limiting the

Contractor's options to a single manufacturer/ supplier or very narrow range

of manufacturers/ suppliers.

Brand Name Specification in construction contracts, is a specification that cites

a particular brand, model number (or some other identification) as a

requirement for the item to be supplied or used.

A brand-name-or-equal specification cites one or more brand-names,

model numbers, or other designations that identify the specific products of a

particular manufacturer as having the characteristics of the item desired.

REINFORCED CONCRETE SLAB

As per Structural Engineers detail with 40 mm 1:4 or 25 mm cement screed to a smooth even finish (where falls are indicated, a minimum of 35 mm screed must be

supplied). F.F.L. per plans.

GENERAL

The Screed must be a power floated or with a cement/sand screed of 40 mm or 25 mm nominal thickness, covering the whole floor surface up to the outside face of the

inner leaf of the external wall.

TOLERANCE

Maximum deviation from datum level 10 mm.

Maximum deviation from straight line 3000 long, joining two points on the surface, 5 mm.

PREPARATION OF THE CONCRETE SLAB FOR SCREEDING

Concrete slabs must be prepared with a surface that is uniformly hard, clean and free of dust, oil or other contamination directly before the screed is laid.

The whole of the surface must be chipped and/or scabbed with power operated tools. All debris must be removed and the final surface cleaned with an industrial vacuum

cleaner.

The structural Engineer must be notified to inspect and approve this preparation before the screed may be laid.

BONDING OF THE SCREED

The surface must be prepared with an approved proprietary-bonding agent or with a cement-sand grout.

If a grout is used, it must consist of 1:1 Portland cement and fine sand and must be applied according to the Portland Cement TECHNICAL NOTE, Sand-Cement Floor

Screed

THE SCREED

Concrete sand with max. 5mm particles should be used but a mix of sands to give good grading will be accepted.

The mix must be 1:4 Portland cement and sand by mass, with a slump of about 30 mm and be prepared in mechanical mixer.

Should it be necessary for workability and low water content, a suitable admixture may be used.

All mixed screed should be used up within 45 minutes.

Screed to be level (falls where indicated) with not more than 3 mm deviation over an areas of 3 metres. This must be strictly complied with where vinyl sheet flooring is

to be installed.

LAYING AND CURING

Areas as large as possible should be laid in one operation and joints in the slab must continue through the screed. At no stage during the laying or trowelling of the

screed must neat cement or sand-cement be added to the surface. The screed must be cured by covering it immediately after finishing with plastic sheeting for not less

than 7 days.

TESTING

COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH TO BE 30MPA

Fourteen Days after laying, the screed must be tested with a BRE SCREED TESTER for each 25 m2 of surface and a maximum indentation of 4 mm must be achieved.

Testing by PCI or approved concrete service laboratory. Screed must be tested for adhesion three weeks after laying by tapping with a steel rod.

Unsatisfactory screed must be removed and re-laid.

F2.1.3 NORAMENT 925 GRANO OR E & A

Norament 925 Grano Uni rubber sheet flooring to provide

Homogeneous Flooring Structure 12 m roll 1220 wide x 2.0 mm thick.

One-coloured reflection breaking surface.

Colour Code: 1593.

All joints to be hot welded according to the recommendations of the

flooring manufacturer. To be laid on sand cement screed laid to

smooth and level finish.

F2.2 CARPET COVERINGS

F2.2.1 CARPET FLOOR TILES- BERBER POINT OR E & A

600 x 600 mm x 4 mm Carpet Floor Tiles. Heavy Duty, Anti Static with

backing loose laid onto. Raised Access Flooring or Concrete Screed

Surface. Belgotex Berberpoint Code 920 Heavy Duty with NECBAC

backing

Colour: BLUE HULL or E & A.

F2.2.2 SUPERWEAVE BELGOTEX CARPET OR E & A.

Super weave belgotex carpet laid on an underfelt to manufactures specification

or E & A.

Colour: TARTAN or E & A

ROOFING MATERIALS

Profiled Roof Steel Sheeting for Other Buildings

IBR 686

The trapezoidal flute design offers the optimum strength mass and load

span characteristics compared to alternative profiles.

Colomet Paint Finish to Roof Sheets:

The paint system incorporates an epoxy primer coat and a tough 30%

Silicone Modifier polyester finish coat which is applied under controlled

factory conditions to various pre-treated metal substrates, (galvanised

steel, galvalume coated steel, aluminium and stainless steel) by means

of a technically advanced continuous coil coating process.

Schematic of coating layers

1.Metal substrate

2.Zinc coating

3.Pre-treatment and zinc surface conversion

4.Epoxy urea formaldehyde resin based primer (5-7 microns)

5.30% Silicone modified polyester baked enamel coating (20 microns)

Specification :

Robertson IBR 686 profile steel sheeting colomet finish, oneside (light

grey),fixed strictly as per manufacturers instructions & fixed with

thermaclip roofing system and ridge closer accessories & underside Iso

Board insulation 50mm thick with tongue & groove edge profile laid over

steel purlins. Horizontal sheet cladding to underside of canopy truss to

match the roofing.

DRAWINGS

Technical drawing or drafting (draughting) is the act and

discipline of composing drawings that visually communicate

how something functions or is constructed. Architects and

Architectural Technicians are trained to be able to prepare

documents that include drawings and specifications that

detail buildings and their components for construction.

Technical drawing is essential for communicating ideas in

industry, architecture and engineering. To make the drawings

easier to understand, people use familiar symbols,

perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual

styles, and page layout. Together, such conventions

constitute a visual language and help to ensure that the

drawing is unambiguous and relatively easy to understand.

Many of the symbols and principles of technical drawing are

codified in an international standard called ISO 128.

The need for precise communication in the preparation of a

functional document distinguishes technical drawing from

the expressive drawing of the visual arts. Artistic drawings

are subjectively interpreted; their meanings determined

differently by each individual. Technical drawings are

understood to have one intended meaning. There should be

no room for assumptions or guessing when a drawing is

properly prepared.

Examples of Technical Drawing Related Catalogues

from the INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR

STANDARDIZATION (ISO)

• ISO 128-23:1999 Technical drawings -- General principles of

presentation -- Part 23: Lines on construction drawings

• ISO/FDIS 128-33 Technical drawings -- General principles of

presentation -- Part 23: Lines on construction drawings

• ISO 8048:1984 Technical drawings -- Construction drawings -

- Representation of views, sections and cuts

The art and design that goes into making buildings is known

as "architecture". To communicate all aspects of the shape

or design, detail drawings are used. In this field, the

term plan is often used when referring to the full section

view of these drawings as viewed from three feet above

finished floor to show the locations of doorways, windows,

stairwells, etc. Architectural drawings describe and

document an architect's design.

Conceptual Design Drawings

Before construction documents can be developed, much

time and effort must be devoted to the conceptual design

process. This process involves developing preliminary

design studies and schematic drawings fir site planning, area

relationships within the structure, exterior designs and

dstructural concepts, as well as developing solutions for

primary user requirements for a specific structure.

Freehand Conceptual Sketch Section

Sketch Details

Conceptual Design Sketches

Conceptual Sketches

Drawing Graphics and Representation

When developing the design drawings once the preliminary

conceptual drawings have been approved the following basic

requirements must be satisfied and thoroughly investigated:

1. Planning and Building Codes and regulations.

2. Materials for construction.

3. Primary structural system.

4. Requirements for other building systems.

5. Climatic conditions and orientation.

Graphic Standards

The purpose for having standard graphic representation of

every item and component of the building in a drawings

format is to enable whoever is reading the drawing such as

other consultants, builder, local authority officer to be able

to correctly interpret what the whole drawings represents.

There should be no ambiguity in an architectural drawing. If

a door is right handed it must be clearly represented in the

schedules.

Representation of Various Element on a Drawings

1. Lines – line weights or thickness, dashed hidden etc.

2. Dimensions – wall to wall, centre to centre overall

3. Symbols – electrical, mechanical, appliances, fixtures

4. Notes – informative, descriptive, informative

5. Hatching of material – masonry, blockwork, steel

6. Scale – everything must be drawn to scale

7. Abbreviations –WC, FFL, FHR, DB, MH, WHB, H/W

SETS OFTECHNICAL DRAWINGS:

1. Working drawings for production

Working drawings are the set of technical drawings used

during the construction phase of a project. In architecture,

these include; civil engineering drawings, architectural

drawings, structural engineering drawings, mechanical

systems drawings, electrical engineering drawings,

and plumbing drawings.

Detailed Plan Drawings

2. Assembly drawings

Assembly drawings show how different parts go together,

identify those parts by number, and have a parts list, often

referred to as a bill of materials. In a technical service

manual, this type of drawing may be referred to as

an exploded view drawing or diagram. These parts may be

used in engineering.

Component Details

Detail Sections

3. As-built drawings

Also called As-fitted drawings or As-made drawings. As-built

drawings represent a record of the completed works,

literally ‘as built'. These are based upon the working

drawings and updated to reflect any changes or alterations

undertaken during construction, fabrication or manufacture.

CONCLUSION

The importance of technical drawings, planning drawings

and specification for architectural endeavours cannot be

neglected. These are a bridge between visualisation and

architectural implementations. Whether you require

complete planning drawings, or you need a plan or layout

for a house extension, technical drawings, planning

drawings and specifications are the first step towards the

realisation of architectural concepts.

Planning drawings and architectural drawings form the basis

of any building or housing structure and are heavily relied

upon to facilitate the construction process. These serve as

the guidelines for building and housing construction.

These drawings and plans employ various techniques to

effectively communicate the architectural ideas and concepts

for building plans and extensions, with accuracy. It is our

responsibility and obligation as professionals in the building

industry to accurately represent designs with all the

standard methods that eliminate all ambiguity.

THANK YOU.