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Specification writing30 September 2015
Peter Tse
BSRIA Principal Design Consultant
A bit a about BSRIA
A test, consultancy, instrument, research and market research organisation
Specialists in construction and building services
Member based association, over 650 corporate members
Our values are to be authoritative, collaborative, independent and innovative
Our Mission is to
• Make Buildings BetterMake Buildings Better
0 100 200
Academics, institutionsand associations
Clients and buildingoperators
Manufacturers
Consulting engineers
Contractors
Our Services
Construction Compliance
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Con
sulta
ncy
Test House
Worldwide Market
Intelligence
Instrument Solutions
O&M Strategies and Documentation
BIM Support
Life Cycle Costing and Condition Surveys
Building Performance Evaluation
Mock up Testing and Design Validation
BG 56 / 2015
• Purpose
Standard, consistent layout for
specifications
Detailed technical content
• Who does this benefit• Anyone who prepares a specification• Anyone who receives a specification
A small digression
• 3D models• Reports• Surveys• Drawing • Specifications
BIMMandate 2016
Background to BG 56
• Late 2013 – BSRIA attended a B&ES regional event
• Specifications arguably single most important document constructors receive on a project• Basis of understanding• What they were required to price• What to deliver
• Suggested a model format for all to use
• Involve both parties in determining the format:– those who produce the specification– those who receive the specification
Shaping the requirement
• Requirement: Produce a structure to support working practices– Recognise different people require different levels of
information at different times
• Not based on existing classification structure– CAWS (common arrangement of work sections) and Uniclass
2
– Present the information in the format required, not as the classification structure dictates
• BG 56 provides general headings in a ‘standard’ order– Users can provide own content to populate– Used for any project
What is a specification
Cambridge Dictionaries Online definition…..
‘a detailed description of how something should be done, made, etc’
For construction…..
For a designer to convey information on the design of various aspects of the project to the installer
What is a specification
Minimum requirements: • What the project comprises
• Design criteria and performance requirements
• Descriptions of the systems
• How the systems are to work
• Details of the plant and equipment to be provided
What is a specification
Minimum requirements: • Details of relevant specialist works
What is a specification
Minimum requirements:
• How the plant, equipment and systems are to be installed
• Quantities of plant and equipment
• The arrangement of plant, equipment and systems
What is a specification
Minimum requirements:• Controls descriptions and
descriptions of operation
• Requirements and information for operation of systems
• Data for commissioning
What is a specification
Minimum requirements:
• Contractual and legal conditions which the installer must adhere to
What is a specification
2 Common types of specification:
• Detailed design• Performance
The specification has many uses
• Prior to tendering, can be used to demonstrate compliance with the clients requirements
• To describe the works to the tenderer/contractor
• A reference source in case of conflict, or to prove clarity over a technical issue
• Read at the start and then referred to as needed throughout the contract
• Distribute various sections amongst sub-contractors
• Retained as a reference source after the works, to inform future projects
Common component parts?
• Preliminaries– General contract conditions and legal issues– No technical information
• Materials and workmanship– Way plant/systems should be installed– Quality of plant and materials
• Project specific requirements– Location, general description, design criteria, system descriptions,
operation, control strategies
• Project specific material and equipment– Detailed information on plant and equipment– Can be in form of schedules– Quantities, performance data, manufacturers’ references etc.
How is it arranged?
2 Common approaches:
1. By parts
Project specific requirements
Materials and workmanship
Project specific materials and equipment
Preliminaries
How is it arranged?
2 Common approaches:
2. By work section or system – based on Common Arrangement of Work Sections (CAWS)
– Used for many specification compilation tools
How is it arranged?
Project specific requirements
Materials and workmanship
Project specific materials and equipment
Preliminaries
By work section or system
Preparing Effective Specifications
Preparing Effective Specifications
1. Use plain language
2. Know what you want
3. Be specific – state clearly the requirements / responsibilities
4. ‘Cut and paste’ with care – use master specification
5. Use the correct level of detail
6. Put information in the right place
7. Ensure compliance
8. Ensure consistency – within document and others
Preparing Effective Specifications
9. Look from the user's viewpoint
10.Use imperative tense– “The system shall be installed…..”– “Install the system…..”
11. Avoid unnecessary duplication
12.Avoid unnecessary content – No need to restate that tender/constructor is responsible for
the specified work; address in preliminaries13.Keep consistent numbering
14.Roles and responsibilities addressed
15.Check client requirements – checked for technical suitability
Model specification format
Part A Preliminaries/contract conditions
Part B Project specific requirements
Part C Project specific materials and equipment
Part D Common workmanship and materials
Part E Tender deliverables
Key driver – few parts as possible
Part A
Reflects particular requirements of the project
Reflects requirements of the contract
Type of contract to be considered Roles and
responsibilities of designer and tenderer
Part B
Main technical requirements
Incr
easi
ng le
vel o
f det
ail
Located in one place - assessed as whole section
Increasingly important
Implications throughout project, particularly post practical completion- Designers/installers engaged for a period after building occupancy
Part B
Example of systems description list
• Establish an order • Just miss out section if not required
Part C
• Specific plant and equipment
• Schedules for repetitive items
• Sufficient information for costing purposes
• Generic design basis provided for D&B projects
Part D
• For generic equipment used for most projects – typically not project specific
• May require little or no editing
• Project specific selection still need to be made clear
• May refer to codes and standards to express quality threshold
• May refer to industry best-practice publications
Part E
• Documents required to be submitted by tenderer
• More than just the tender pricing document
• Helpful if pricing aligned with the parts of the specification
Summary
• A model format for building services specifications
• Benefits anyone who prepares or receives a specification
• The specification has several uses
• Consider the users’ perspective
• Copy and paste with care
