You might think AE consultant scopes of work are automatically coordinated, but practice shows that proactive coordination led by the project architect is needed to assure completeness and consistency without duplication. Many change order claims that arise on building projects…
Blog Archives
The Value of Mentoring
I was recently looking through photos and other memorabilia from a large retail mall project that kept me busy for two years and was completed about 40 years ago. As I looked through the materials, I wondered about the value…
The Purpose of Construction Documents
It may seem silly to suggest there could be any doubt about the purpose of construction documents, for surely they are supposed to document what is to be constructed. However, the underlying purpose is to document and convey design intent…
The Importance of Coordination in Architecture and Engineering Work
Professional liability insurance companies repeatedly report that coordination issues are a major cause of legal claims against design professionals. A Merriam-Webster definition of coordination includes the following: 1) the process of organizing people or groups so that they work together…
The Best Mediation Turns the Page
Several years ago I participated in a mediation related to a commercial building which had been plagued by persistent roof leaks over a period of more than 5 years since its construction. The owner had grown exasperated by having to…
Planning Construction Site Visits
Construction activities and materials change with stages of construction, so it is useful to consider the activities and products you should expect to see on a given site visit before you go. If, like most construction administrators, your job is…
Planning a School Renovation Project
Renovation projects may look easy if the folks who normally use the building are gone. School renovation projects are usually not that way. More often, design and construction have to account for ongoing occupancy and school operations during the course…
The Role of the Spec Writer
Reading recent grumblings by specifications (spec) consultants, I started thinking back over the roles of the spec writers at firms where I have worked since I began my architectural career in the 1960s. Spec writing and related technologies have changed…
Learning from Building Envelope Failures
Recently, I had the pleasure and honor of delivering a 1-hour HSW continuing education presentation on “Learning from Building Envelope Failures” to the Vermont 2014 ACX, a collaborative event organized by Vermont Chapter CSI and AIA Vermont. The presentation included…
Constructability Reviews: From The Ground Up
The Whole Building Design Guide (a program of the National Institute of Building Sciences) has published an informative guide to constructability reviews: Performing Efficient and Effective Constructability Reviews by Jason G. Smith. Smith’s Top Five Rules for constructability reviews include…
