Putting Sustainability into Practice

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["b"],["a",["href","https:\/\/info.deltek.com\/journey-to-specification?sourceid=80\u0026utm_source=blogs\u0026utm_medium=website\u0026utm_campaign=AE-Spec-AIA-2022\u0026partnerref=website_blogs_AE-Spec-AIA-2022"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.deltek.com\/en\/architecture-and-engineering\/specification-solutions","target","_blank"]],["a",["href"," https:\/\/www.deltek.com\/en\/architecture-and-engineering\/specification-solutions","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.aia.org\/pages\/5341-masterspec-for-members?sourceid=80\u0026utm_source=blogs\u0026utm_medium=website\u0026utm_campaign=AE-Spec-AIA-2022\u0026partnerref=website_blogs_AE-Spec-AIA-2022"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/info.deltek.com\/journey-to-specification-2022-report?sourceid=80\u0026utm_source=blogs\u0026utm_medium=website\u0026utm_campaign=AE-Spec-AIA-2022\u0026partnerref=website_blogs_AE-Spec-AIA-2022"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.deltek.com\/en\/products\/specification-solutions\/architecture-and-engineering?sourceid=80\u0026utm_source=blogs\u0026utm_medium=website\u0026utm_campaign=AE-Spec-AIA-2022\u0026partnerref=website_blogs_AE-Spec-AIA-2022"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/info.deltek.com\/specpoint-demo-request?sourceid=80\u0026utm_source=blogs\u0026utm_medium=website\u0026utm_campaign=AE-Spec-AIA-2022\u0026partnerref=website_blogs_AE-Spec-AIA-2022"]]],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Putting Sustainability\ninto Practice"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Sustainability is more than just a buzzword. It is a practical\npart of modern design and can be leveraged in several realistic, impactful\nways. However, with an ever-evolving ecosystem of sustainable standards and\nproducts\u2014staying on top of best practices can seem daunting to firms. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"To help your firm put sustainability into practice, here are five\nways to evangelize and execute sustainable designs and specifications in future\nprojects."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Practice\n1: Start small, think big"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Developing a sustainability-focused practice can be a\ntime-consuming process. So how do you take on climate change within the\nprofession when barriers like staff capacity, client education, and fast-paced\nschedules hold you back?"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Think about starting small yet thinking big. Identify\nwhat sustainability means to your practice and set project goals that meet your\nfirm\u0027s vision. Make sure that all stakeholders are on board with sustainable\ndesign choices. For example, does your firm want to specify a material with a\nhigh recycled content percentage? Do you want to invest in more sustainable\nproducts to meet the firm\u0027s vision?"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"According to "],[0,[1],1,"The\nAIA Architect\u0027s Journey to Specification Report"],[0,[],0,", architects consider\nsustainability throughout the project. However, sustainability is often top of\nmind during specification, indicating that architects see sustainability as connected\nto product selection\u2014six in ten firms research sustainability at least 50% of\nthe time when selecting products or materials."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"While incorporating sustainability may seem ambitious,\nowners have a growing interest in developing buildings with products to meet\ntheir corporate goals while being environmentally friendly. To meet owners\u0027\nsustainable building requirements, firms need access to up-to-date product\ninformation that showcases a product\u0027s sustainability parameters. Providing the\nmost up-to-date content, including sustainability information, allows ease of\nspecification, which fosters a more informed product selection and installation\nprocess and, in turn, a better-built environment."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Sustainability strategies will be ever evolving throughout\nthe project due to construction and budget constraints, so it\u0027s essential to be\nadaptable."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Practice 2:\nBe specific and instructive"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"A great design should have specifications that serve\nas an on-site instruction manual for those building the project, clearly\nstating the design standards you expect. The specifications ensure that the end\nproject matches your design vision. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"When specification documents skimp on details, it\naffects the accuracy of the bid and, down the road, will impact the project\nschedule and budget. For example, guessing a model number will prevent the\ncontractor from buying the correct product and bringing the design vision to\nlife. It also leads to lost time during construction as the contractor\nscrambles for a replacement. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"That\u0027s why coordination\u2014in drawings, specs, and\ncommunication\u2014is critical, says Jane Williams, "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Director of MasterSpec\u00ae at Deltek. Work through each\nsection with the design team and ask the questions that identify every detail.\n"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Greater specificity means fewer questions, change\norders, and RFIs. Getting specific requires coordination and asking questions.\nEvery player on the project, from the architects to the owner, responds\ndifferently to drawings versus specs. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"According to Gill Letourneau, AIA CSI, Sr. Director of\nProduct Management AECO, Deltek, \u0022an architect must understand all the\nunique aspects of construction specifications because it dramatically impacts\nthe project\u0027s success.\u0022 "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Practice\n3: Recognize the possibilities for automation"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Developing specifications can be a time-consuming process.\nSpecifications are a large percentage of the contract deliverable - up to 50%.\nIt\u0027s an integral part of the design process, but it can be time-consuming and\nrequires all team members to be involved. Navigating through the multiple\nphases of design and construction requires the team to work efficiently and\naccurately. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Automation is key to helping meet today\u0027s demanding\nproject schedules and achieve high-quality results without burdening the\nproject team with increased RFIs, change orders, and schedule disruptions. Additionally,\nwith the vast amount of sustainable building products in the market, it takes\ntime to stay current on the latest product offerings. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"That\u0027s why it\u0027s essential to adopt modern "],[0,[2],1,"specification software "],[0,[],0,"and let it\ndo the work for you. In addition, making product comparisons on the salient\ncharacteristics of the product and its sustainability levels is essential."],[0,[0],1," "],[0,[],0,"Having in-depth\nproduct data points around performance, options, and sustainability can foster\nbetter-informed product decisions. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Fernand\nRicard, CSI, CDT, LEED AP - Associate Principal\/Specifier, CallisonRTKL, Inc"],[0,[0],1,"., "],[0,[],0,"shares that"],[0,[0],1," \u201c"],[0,[],0,"having a single source to view and specify products means greater\nefficiency. I can focus more on technical concerns of my spec writing and waste\nless time searching for product data across multiple internet sources\u201d. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Practice\n4: Go green with construction materials"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Materials are engineered to be more intelligent, more\nrobust, sleeker, and easier on the planet. Architects need to stay up to date\non these material innovations to stay competitive. Buildings crafted with\nwell-thought-out, intelligent material selections can solve ongoing challenges,\nreduce the carbon footprint, and positively impact the environment."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"There are many considerations when selecting materials\nin the built environment. For example, materials may be sourced for low\nenvironmental impact or renewable resources or be easier to break down at the\nend of the life of a building. Architects prefer to know what makes a product\nsustainable. Unfortunately, they often do not have enough time to research\nsustainable alternatives \u2013 and lack information or the ability to locate\nproducts."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"With "],[0,[3],1,"Specpoint"],[0,[],0,", modern\nspecification software, you can effortlessly search, sort, and filter product\ncharacteristics and performance properties, making it easy to find the right\nproduct to achieve sustainable design goals. In addition to the product\nproperties, there is much information about the company itself. For example, if\nyou need to become more familiar with a particular manufacturer and learn more\nabout them. In that case, the product detail pages provide specific information\nabout the product. And with "],[0,[4],1,"AIA\nMasterSpec, powered by Deltek Specpoint"],[0,[],0,"; this industry-standard product\nresearch and specification resource offers unbiased, objective information on\nbuilding products written by professional architects and engineers and vetted\nby AIA-sponsored architectural and engineering review committees. This combination\nprovides architects with better convenience, speed, and tech-based intelligence\nfor getting the work done."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Practice\n5: Enable and empower your team"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Architectural and engineering projects are only as successful as\nthe team\u2019s ability to work together. In addition, design is an iterative\nprocess, so your construction specifications need to adapt as the project\nproceeds through the design phases."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"From the moment you start planning a project, collaboration is\nessential. Make sure the major players are all in on the decision-making\nprocess, including architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors, facility\nmanagers, and owners. When all team members have ownership of the outcome, the\nresulting synergy can produce high-quality and sustainable building projects\nmore efficiently. In addition, getting everyone together will enable the team\nto identify critical project details that have the most risk, and you can plan,\nin advance, how to mitigate these issues to reduce project risks."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"According to "],[0,[5],1,"The\nArchitect\u2019s Journey to Specifications, AIA 2022 Report"],[0,[],0,", 71% of\narchitects and contractors recognize that collaborating earlier in a project\nwill lead to better outcomes for a client. Again, look for modern software like\n"],[0,[6],1,"Specpoint"],[0,[],0," that can\nhelp to remove silos between designers, building product manufacturers, and\nexternal project participants, consolidating all relevant information into a\nsingle source of truth. Each team has equal access to information with flexible\npermissions to invite external users into your project team for even better\ncollaboration. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Providing the most up-to-date content allows ease of\nspecification, which fosters a more informed product selection and installation\nprocess and, in turn, a better-built environment."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[0],1,"Getting\nstarted"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Often, architects and engineers look to the future and\nconsider more sustainable, eco-friendly, and smarter buildings. So, of course,\nthere is a lot to consider here. But, while it might seem a bit overwhelming,\nit doesn\u0027t have to be. Fortunately, innovative solutions that leverage\ntechnology can integrate sustainability more seamlessly into the design\nprocess."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The AEC industry is reshaping how it builds and manages\nprojects, which means implementing new technology. Deltek and AIA have teamed\nup to deliver "],[0,[6],1,"Deltek Specpoint, home of AIA MasterSpec\u00ae"],[0,[],0,", which\nconsists of comprehensive online building product research and selection\ncontent combined with a streamlined specification design and publishing tool\nthat pulls from decades of experience serving the industry\u2019s specialized needs.\nLearn more "],[0,[7],1,"here"],[0,[],0,"."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"About Deltek"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Better software means better projects. Deltek is the\nleading global provider of enterprise software and information solutions for\nproject-based businesses. More than 30,000 organizations and millions of users\nin over 80 countries worldwide rely on Deltek for superior project\nintelligence, management, and collaboration. This includes more than 11,000\narchitecture and engineering firms, representing 80% of the Engineering\nNews-Record (ENR) Top 500."]]]]}