Resources

In addition to our blog and the dozen or so social media and Web 2.0 platforms we maintain (all of which are accessible from our landing page), this page contains a number of  additional free online resources meant to support a more efficient, collaborative and worthwhile specifications experience.

FEEDBACK SURVEY

If you’re a client, please take a few minutes to complete our online survey. Your comments and feedback are greatly appreciated. Thank you!

DOWNLOADS

Available here are several tools intended to support the task of preparing specifications. If there’s something you need or would like to see made available, but don’t see below, then contact us and if we have what you’re looking for we’ll send it to you; if not, then we’re happy to create it for you.

Division 08 Spec Kit
This is a PDF you can use to coordinate door and window information for your projects. Instead of using randomly-assigned designations that vary from project to project, we think it makes a lot of sense to utilize industry standard nomenclature on your opening schedules for different door and window types. Also, we know how difficult it can be to visualize and coordinate glazing types, especially for a large complex projects. This file will help you with both of these tasks. 

MPL Spreadsheet
This is a live MS Excel spreadsheet you can edit to manage both Revit family assembly codes and drawing keynote nomenclature, to organize filing and retrieval of drawing details, to develop facility standards or office standard of care practices, and to record specification information in the early stages of a project, including product and manufacturer selections, available options, performance requirements, and similar comments. With slight modification, the MPL Spreadsheet might also be used for scheduling, value analysis, structuring of code analyses, and monitoring and management of architectural document production. This file is organized according to the UniFormat organization system (recommended by the Construction Specifications Institute to structure schematic phase specifications and the Design-Build Institute of America for performance specifications), as well as cross-referenced to the MasterFormat 04 organization system.

TOC Matrix
This is a live MS Excel spreadsheet you can edit to create a table of contents matrix that allows you to track the history of each project manual document and specification section separately. This spreadsheet is very useful for phased or incremental projects, or for tracking items issued as part of an addendum, RFI response, Architect’s Supplemental Instruction, Construction Change Directive, etc. If you’d like, after a quick “save as” and a little more editing, you can use our TOC matrix to create a separate sheet index matrix to track drawing sheets in a similar manner.

Material and Product Designation Document
This is a live MS Word file you can edit to create a Division 00 document that indexes keynote nomenclature used on your drawings to designate various materials, products, systems, assemblies, components and accessories. This document also contains a brief description of each keynote along with a reference to the general location within the project manual where each designated item is specified. It’s the missing link that helps to better tie drawings and specifications to one another.

TA-DA LISTS

Ta-da List is the web’s easiest to-do list tool. After you create a free account, you can make lists of things you need to do and then select other people with whom you want to share your list via a simple email invite form. You can also track your list in different ways. Simple buttons allow you to email the current list to yourself, or if you’re a fan of RSS newsreaders you can have updates to your list syndicated, meaning changes made to your shared list automatically appear in the web browsers or other RSS readers of everyone who subscribed to your list. This all certainly isn’t rocket science, but it is an exceptionally effective collaboration tool because of the simplicity of its design.

To start using Ta-Da Lists, click here

DROPBOX

Securely send large digital files (up to 2 GB) to AWC|WEST from anywhere in the world without having to install any special software. Our Dropbox is a convenient, hassle-free, easy-to-use FTP replacement and e-mail attachment replacement that eliminates e-mail bounce-backs when sending large attachments.

To upload digital files to the AWCWEST dropbox, click here

DESIGNER PAGES

Designer Pages is an online collaborative environment for people to discover and share product information across the web; to save products to their accounts and assemble materials libraries; and to manage, share, and discuss products with team members in project-specific, media-rich workspaces. We recommend using Designer Pages in lieu of preparing traditional 3-ring binders full of cut sheets and other project information. Once you start using this site you’ll never look back.

To start using Designer Pages, click here.

SCREENCASTS

View multimedia content intended to assist design professionals who want to expand their understanding about a range of building-related topics.  Presently, we offer a couple of different types of content.

Over-Shoulder Crash Courses
These are brief videos explaining the absolute least amount of information an architect may like to know about a wide range of topics related to building design, performance and construction.

Lunch and Learn Webinars
These recordings of our online lunch and learn webinars go into greater depth about particular topics. The production value, duration, and format of these presentations are typically higher than our Crash Courses.

To access AWCWEST screencasts, click here

PODCASTS

AWCWEST podcasts are free audio dispatches available for download and to our subscribers on iTunes. Often they’re conversations with industry and other professionals on topics ranging from design, performance and construction to specifications, products, business, collaboration and more.

To subscribe to AWCWEST podcasts, click here