Construction Specifications and Working Remote

It’s easy to feel powerless in these times of a global pandemic. However, I’m constantly amazed at how during times of crisis, people’s ingenuity and resourcefulness takes center stage and becomes a game changer. For example, many A/E firms are using their 3-D printers and applying their digital fabrication abilities to produce face shields for the medical community. Who would’ve thought a 3-D printer would have actual, practical utility here and now, even life-saving applications.

Resourcefulness and ingenuity is also at the core of Deltek’s commitment to providing solutions to power the project lifecycle that drives your project-based business. When it comes to the Specification Solutions that Deltek offers, it’s important to leverage these ‘spec tools’ to the utmost, especially during this time where our teammates are dispersed and collaboration on projects can be challenging. Let’s take a look at how Deltek’s Specification Solutions can help your remote staff keep projects moving forward.

Supply Chain Disrupted? Be Equipped with MasterSpec^®

Due to the global pandemic, the supply chain for building materials has been disrupted and many products are not available or will require substitutions. Building products you originally specified may be indefinitely unavailable which potentially can impact project schedules and budgets. A/E firms need to be equipped to efficiently identify building product substitutions and implement different materials to keep the project moving forward and allow construction to proceed. Having an industry trusted resource to help you research building product materials and identify product substitutions is a good strategy. For over 50 years, AIA MasterSpec^®, has been the leading master guide specification resource A/E firms rely on for building product information. With MasterSpec, you can easily research and quickly identify substitute materials, see product options, and implement into your project plans with ease. In today’s world, time is of the essence and A/E firms can’t afford spending time searching manufacture websites for product information and writing specs from scratch. To keep your clients’ projects moving forward, having MasterSpec as your master guide specification tool is a good decision.

“ MasterSpec saves us 75% in time versus writing specs from scratch. The value gained and time saved by using MasterSpec as our master guide specification resource is invaluable to our firm. ”

Michael Aitken, P.E., F.NSPE, DFE, LEED AP O+M, CxA, Vice President at MEA Consulting Engineers, Inc.

Collaborate with SpecBuilder Cloud

Now more than ever, cloud based collaborative tools are invaluable to A/E firms to keep projects moving forward. Deltek’s SpecBuilder Cloud software is accessible anywhere as a cloud based collaboration platform and requires no downloads or installers, meaning no IT support required to get you up and running for maximum productivity. With SpecBuilder Cloud you can import your own specifications or specifications from other libraries to leverage existing specs you’ve developed for optimal output. Editing your specifications is easy with SpecBuilder’s side-by-side editor drag-and-drop interface and Q&A formatting. Getting project manuals produced quickly and accurately is critical to the project and SpecBuilder’s built in automatic formatting cleans up your documents, formats properly and adds a consolidated Table of Contents so you can get the project manual into the contractor’s hands. 

How has using a cloud based system, like SpecBuilder Cloud, allowed A/E firms to stay productive and engaged with projects due to the COVID-19 shelter in place situation? Mike Daily, of BVH Architecture shared the following as to how their firm is handling today’s work situation. 

“ Working remotely without a cloud based system would be so inefficient it would not be possible for me. Having all our programs on the cloud has made BVH’s remote working nearly seamless. I use SpecBuilder Cloud from home in exactly the same way I use it at work. ”

Mike Daily, AIA, Sr. Technical Architect / Associate Principal, BVH Architecture

For firms who have committed to working in a cloud based system, they are experiencing very little (if any) disruptions to their workflow. Going to the cloud is a decision more firms will likely consider given the recent remote working conditons most all the workforce has had to embrace. There are many positives to “working in the cloud” including:

1. Enables accessible and collaborative work environment
2. Save money on hardware and IT support infrastructure
3. Efficiencies and ease of use to keep your staff productive

While we may feel powerless during this time, and can only hope to never experience another global pandemic, what we can do is take steps to be prepared and leverage remote working solutions that keep employees engaged and productive to move projects forward no matter the obstacles.