Metal Stud Deflection Track
What are the common types needed for virtually every commercial building? Metal stud deflection tracks accommodate movement, both vertical and...
Design Considerations (3)
Preservative Treated Wood
What are those Commodity Specifications referenced by the building codes? AWPA U1 referenced by the code specifies wood preservative treatments by...
3 min read
Before Design Begins
An idea is formed. A new product or service is required. A need for a building emerges. What is the next step - a napkin concept sketch of a building...
3 min read
Solar Arrays and Net Zero Buildings
I attended a presentation on an office building designed to meet the Living Building Challenge. One of the design concepts was to achieve net zero...
Single-Ply Roofing Membranes
What are the common single-ply roofing membranes? What are the major differences between them? Selecting roofing membranes is a complex decision...
3 min read
Linking BIM to Specifications
The promise of BIM (Building Information Modeling) is that project data can reside in the model and can be extracted by anyone in a form for every...
Architectural Woodwork Plywood
Is your definition of plywood and the woodworker's definition the same? Why is it MDF or particleboard? The term plywood does not define a panel...
Wood Finishing Standards
What finishing product should I specify for casework? Wood flooring? There are so many choices. How do I know which product is best?
3 min read
Why are Preliminary Project Descriptions (PPDs) Important?
Short Answer: PPDs document the architect's intended project quality.