Elias Saltz

2 min read

Bringing the Team Back Together, Through Specifications

For independent and in-house specifiers, obtaining sufficient correct information from our design teams has long been a struggle. Some of the challenges we face include some designers' disinterest in the entire topic of specifications, persistent...

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2 min read

Interfacing with Product Representatives on Specifications and Master Guides

One great way to make sure project specifications and master guide specifications are technically correct is to review them with manufacturers' (or...

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2 min read

Changing How We Work During the Pandemic

Over the years there has been a lot of talk and writing, including by me, about fixing the things wrong with the construction industry. Budget and...

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3 min read

Learning From Owners

The Construction Users Roundtable (CURT) is an industry association made up of the largest commercial owners and big construction companies. Owner...

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3 min read

Simplifying Specifications

Specifiers often struggle to come up with ways to make specifying simpler, to eliminate unwanted language, and to make specifications more correct....

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3 min read

Magical Thinking in Specifications - Part 2

In my recent post, When Specifiers Engage in Magical Thinking, I described what happens when a specifier believes that putting more instructions into...

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2 min read

When a Specifier Engages in Magical Thinking

One of the hallmarks of magical thinking is the notion that if you think a thing, you can make it happen, simply by thinking it. This is often...

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3 min read

Interpreting "Health, Safety, and Welfare"

The primary requirement written into architectural practice acts for most U.S. states is that architects are licensed only for the purpose of...

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4 min read

Fiduciary Duty for Design Professionals - an Introduction

In his blog post last week, David Stutzman presented several examples illustrating ways in which architects fail in their fiduciary duty to owners,...

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2 min read

Eliminate Asymmetric Project Information

Successful construction projects rely on complete, accurate, timely, and understandable communication; maximizing all of these reduces the likelihood...

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