Three ways to put specifying sustainable materials into practice

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["b"],["a",["href","https:\/\/info.deltek.com\/journey-to-specification?sourceid=20\u0026utm_source=Online\u0026utm_medium=Advertising\u0026utm_campaign=AEC-AIA-Sustainability-Newsletter-202303\u0026partnerref=Advertising_Online_AEC-AIA-Sustainability-Newsletter-202303","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/www.deltek.com\/en\/products\/specification-solutions\/architecture-and-engineering","target","_blank"]],["a",["href","https:\/\/info.deltek.com\/specpoint-demo-request?sourceid=20\u0026utm_source=Online\u0026utm_medium=Advertising\u0026utm_campaign=AEC-AIA-Sustainability-Newsletter-202303\u0026partnerref=Advertising_Online_AEC-AIA-Sustainability-Newsletter-202303","target","_blank"]],["em"],["a",["href","https:\/\/info.deltek.com\/sustainable-practices?sourceid=20\u0026utm_source=Online\u0026utm_medium=Advertising\u0026utm_campaign=AEC-AIA-Newsletter-Sustainabililty-202303\u0026partnerref=Advertising_Online_AEC-AIA-Newsletter-Sustainabililty-202303","target","_blank"]],["i"]],"sections":[[1,"h2",[[0,[],0,"How do you ensure buildings are crafted with well-thought-out, intelligent material selections that can solve ongoing challenges, reduce the carbon footprint, and positively impact the environment? Here are tips to improve the process from AIA partner Deltek."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Sustainability is more than just a buzzword. It is a practical part of modern design and can be leveraged in several realistic, impactful ways. However, with an ever-evolving ecosystem of sustainable standards and products, staying on top of best practices can seem daunting to firms. To help your firm more easily specify sustainable materials, here are tips to incorporate sustainability into your future projects."]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[0],1,"Start small, think big"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Developing a sustainability-focused practice can be a time-consuming process. So how do you take on climate change within the profession when barriers like staff capacity, client education, and fast-paced schedules hold you back?"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Think about starting small yet thinking big. Identify what sustainability means to your practice and set project goals that meet both your firm\u2019s and the owner\u2019s sustainability vision. Make sure that all stakeholders are on board with sustainable design choices. For example, does your firm want to specify a material with a high percentage of recycled content compared to one that can only be downcycled or not recycled again? Do you want to invest in more sustainable products to meet the firm\u2019s sustainability vision? "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"According to "],[0,[1],1,"the AIA Architect\u2019s Journey to Specification Report"],[0,[],0,", architects consider sustainability throughout the project. However, sustainability is often top of mind during specification, indicating that architects see sustainability as connected to product selection\u20146 in 10 firms research sustainability 50% or more of the time when selecting products or materials."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Architects should consider specifying high-quality, environmentally friendly building materials with a durable lifecycle. Start by setting minimum requirements within your firm \u00ad\u2014 you can streamline your processes for sustainable product selection. Start early, do your product research, and use tools to identify sustainable products."]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[0],1,"Make informed material selections"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Materials are engineered to be more intelligent, more robust, sleeker, and easier on the planet. Architects need to stay up to date on these material innovations to stay competitive. Buildings crafted with well-thought-out, intentional material selections can solve ongoing challenges, reduce the carbon footprint, and positively impact the environment."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"In addition, to meet the owner\u2019s sustainable building requirements, including complying with a green building rating system, firms need to access up-to-date building product manufacturer (BPM) information highlighting each product\u2019s sustainability characteristics. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"With modern "],[0,[2],1,"specification software"],[0,[],0,", you can effortlessly search, sort, and filter product characteristics and performance properties, making it easy to find the right product to achieve design goals. In addition to the product properties, there is information about the company. For example, you need to become more familiar with and learn more about a particular manufacturer. In that case, the product detail pages provide an overview of the manufacturer and specific information about their product offerings. "]]],[1,"h3",[[0,[0],1,"Recognize the possibilities for automation"]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Specifications are an integral part of the design process but can be time-consuming and require the involvement of all team members. Navigating through multiple design and construction phases requires the team to work efficiently, collaboratively, and accurately."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"Automation is key to helping meet today\u2019s demanding project schedules and still achieve high-quality results without burdening the project construction administration team with increased RFIs, change orders, and schedule disruptions. Additionally, with the vast amount of sustainable building products and product assemblies in the market, staying current on the latest product offerings takes time."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"That is why it is essential to adopt modern specification software, such as "],[0,[3],1,"Specpoint"],[0,[],0,", and let it do the work for you. In addition, making product comparisons using multiple product characteristics, including sustainability details, is essential."],[0,[0],1," "],[0,[],0,"Finally, architects can explore options at various levels of quality and cost but still meet or exceed minimum required project requirements."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[4],0,"Learn more about putting sustainability into practice by downloading "],[0,[5],1,"the \u201cFuel Firm Growth With Sustainable Practices\u201d white paper"],[0,[6],2,". "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[6],1,"About Deltek: Better software means better projects. Deltek is the leading global provider of enterprise software and information solutions for project-based businesses. More than 30,000 organizations and millions of users in more than 80 countries worldwide rely on Deltek for superior project intelligence, management, and collaboration. This includes more than 11,000 architecture and engineering firms, representing 80% of the Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500."]]]]}