This newsletter discusses BIM integration with project specifications using Revit parameters, a free file renaming utility, and measuring construction document quality through a quality assurance review process. It provides an example of how planned QA reviews for 7 school projects significantly reduced RFIs and change orders during construction by identifying issues earlier. The article recommends design teams aim for a quality ratio of 8-10 comments per drawing to coordinate documents thoroughly before bidding. This leads to lower contractor contingency, fair project pricing for owners, and strengthened professional reputation through higher quality deliverables.

1. NEWS BULLETIN
www.conspectusinc.com
Vol 10.01 ©2010 Conspectus Inc.
Experience, Quality, & Value Beyond Words
Page 1 of 2
Providing:
Specifications, Quality Assurance, BIM Integration File Rename Utility
Inspections & Investigations Do you ever wish for an easy way
BIM is portrayed as a means to
for your Construction Projects
create building data once and then to rename all files in a folder?
to share the information with the Check this free utility called Bulk
project team. The emphasis, to Rename Here to add issue dates
IN THIS ISSUE date, has been on the model and and project names to file names.
the resulting drawings. This utility provides the simplicity
of DOS rename commands without
BIM Integration Conspectus and Stantec are jointly the DOS command prompt.
Leveraging Revit family exploring how specifications will Although the first appearance will
parameters to link building model be integrated with Revit building appear overwhelming, it is entirely
and project specifications. models to leverage the power of intuitive. Instructions are available
File Rename Utility BIM. Revit families include built-in in the Help menu and a separate
parameters for keynoting, PDF manual.
Free utility to rename all files
assembly classifications, and
within a Windows folder.
embedded URLs. Each parameter Just install, open a Windows
What's Your Quality offers an opportunity to Explorer window, right click on a
Ratio? coordinate a model with specs. file and select Bulk Rename Here
from the menu. A preview is
Measure the quality of A predefined keynote can be
shown to confirm changes before
construction documents with assigned to each material within a
quality assurance reviews and making the revisions.
Revit family. Then when designers
reduce RFIs, Change Orders, and Free Download:
place a keynote the text will match
time required during CA Phase.
the term used in the spec and will www.bulkrenameutility.co.uk
AAMA 101 Window be consistent every time the
Classes keynote is used.
Performance classes C and HC are
still reported by manufacturers
The assembly classifications use What's your
UniFormat numbers and element
but are obsolete designations. names. UniFormat is the Quality Ratio?
QUOTE organization used for Preliminary
The deadline is a week from
Project Descriptions (PPD)
“Delegating work works, provided Friday. The mad rush begins to
promoted by The Construction
the one delegating works, too.” issue a bid set of documents.
Robert Half Specifications Institute's (CSI)
There is no time in the schedule
Manual of Practice. BIM functional
for a final review. What is the
TIP elements, whether generic or
result? RFIs? Change orders? Both
Free contractual relationship designed, can be directly linked to
lead to excessive design time
diagrams from AIA. Download PPDs that describe element
during CA phase that quickly
documents after registering at performance and materials.
erodes the team's profit margin.
http://info.aia.org/marketingdem
o/registration/ URLs can be used to reference
Planned Quality Assurance (QA)
external supporting documents
reviews can significantly improve
INDUSTRY UPDATES such as product data sheets,
construction documents and
NEMA has a new name, now product images, installation
reduce CA time. Producing high
known as The Association of instructions, and operation and
quality documents improves the
Electrical and Medical Imaging maintenance data.
Equipment Manufacturers design team's reputation, leading
Watch for news of our successes to referrals and repeat business.
Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI)
and failures. We will learn from
published a new Carpet The following chart shows our QA
both and will share our experience
Installation Standard replacing review results for seven different
CRI 104. See http://bit.ly/5ZVIUp in the process.
NJ school projects.
for a free download.
Continued on page 2

2. NEWS BULLETIN
www.conspectusinc.com
Experience, Quality, & Value Beyond Words Vol 10.01 ©2010 Conspectus Inc.
Page 2 of 2
AAMA 101
Window Classes
Are you specifying windows using
AAMA 101 and requiring C
(commercial) or HC (heavy
commercial) performance class?
Manufacturers are still publishing
product data citing these classes.
However, AAMA 101-2008 edition
replaced C and HC classes with the
new CW (commercial window)
performance class.
The chart below shows the AAMA
gateway performance required for
each class. The new CW class is
equivalent to the obsolete C class.
To achieve performance equal to
the obsolete HC class, the highest
Continued from page 1 For the best school, the design grade AW (architectural window)
The projects were designed by team could expect 697 RFIs taking class must be specified.
nearly 5,600 staff hours to reply.
different teams and ranged from
For the school with 3,300
classroom renovations (project 1) Performance
comments, be glad it wasn't yours. CW C HC AW
to a new multi-story K-8 school Class
(project 7). The number of When documents are reviewed and Design
drawings for each school ranged coordinated before bidding, the Pressure 30 30 40 40
(psf)
from 49 to 199. The resulting QA contractor will have greater Water
comments ranged from 640 to confidence in the documents' Resistance
3,305. quality. The bid will be tighter Test 4.5 4.5 6.0 8.0
Pressure
The quality ratio, comments per because there will be less
(psf)
drawing, ranged from 5.2 for contingency for uncertainties. The Air Infiltration
project 2 to 20.2 for project 7. The owner will pay a fair rather than Test
1.57 1.57 6.24 6.24
inflated price. And the design Pressure
number of drawings and project (psf)
scope had no correlation to the team will build a better reputation.
quality ratio. The AW class is even more
So, plan for quality. Include time in
stringent and has additional life
We find that quality ratios of 8.0 to the project schedule for checking
cycle performance requirements
10.0 are common for projects we your documents at 60% and again
for operable units that were not
review. A well coordinated set at 90%. Making corrections early
required for the HC class.
should have a maximum of 2 requires less effort and causes
comments per sheet. Each QA less stress for everyone. Ensure Be careful to select products based
comment may result in an RFI or a your quality ratio is the best it can on the current performance
Change Order. We estimate RFIs be so you can concentrate on classes. When reviewing
require a minimum of 8 hours completing the design rather than manufacturers' literature ensure
staff time to receive, log, defending your documents. The performance is reported according
distribute, research, develop time savings during CA will more to the current AAMA standard.
responses, reconcile responses, than pay for the cost of the review.
log, and return. Change Orders
take longer.