Specifications? LOD BIM? They're all faking it!

I'm a bit puzzled about the art of architecture.  We have this whole thing about BIM, the modeling, clash detection, coordination and LOD/Level of Detail/Level of Development.

What I'm confused about is the thousands of pages of specifications attached to every project.  It's just about impossible to meander through a spec book and make sure that everyone sees all of the information and acts on it accordingly.  

I think every architecture firm who says they do BIM should be required to use e-Specs and at a minimum, link all of their specs to all of the objects in their models and have that data useable in Navisworks for the contractors.  Otherwise, they're being hypocritical about their standard of care on their projects.  Don't talk about all of the modeling, LOD 400 and how their are no clashes on your models.

Why?  Because of two words in your specifications.  They are  "or equal".  After all, the word "specifications" comes from the word "specific"  Specific means "free from ambiguity" and "accurate".  So, when you specify something, using an out of date spec from a manufacturer who no longer makes that product, and then list 12 pages of specific information, materials, installation, application and everything else under the sun about that item, and then put the words "or equal", you've just made something specific into something ambiguous and created conflicts and clashes between the owner, contractor, subcontractors, architects and engineers.  

I don't know anymore which is more important, the Building, the Information or the Modeling, but all of your specs should be linked into your model and extra parameters added to all of your families showing that information.  Of course, some fields will be left blank until the job gets built, but then, isn't that the whole point of COBie?  

Do you give the owner the spec book as a turnover document and do they upload that into their CMMS system?  Unless you fix this archaic system of paper that's not a part of the model, you're full of BS, BIM shift (Shifting more work onto others).

Definition of SPECIFIC

1

a : constituting or falling into a specifiable category

b : sharing or being those properties of something that allow it to be referred to a particular category

2

a : restricted to a particular individual, situation, relation, or effect <a disease specific to horses>

b : exerting a distinctive influence (as on a body part or a disease) <specific antibodies>

3

: free from ambiguity : accurate <a specific statement of faith>

4

: of, relating to, or constituting a species and especially a biological species

5

a : being any of various arbitrary physical constants and especially one relating a quantitative attribute to unit mass, volume, or area

b : imposed at a fixed rate per unit (as of weight or count)<specific import duties> — compare ad valorem

Definition of SPECIFICATION

1

: the act or process of specifying

2

a : a detailed precise presentation of something or of a plan or proposal for something —usually used in plural

b : a statement of legal particulars (as of charges or of contract terms); also : a single item of such statement

c : a written description of an invention for which a patent is sought

 See specification defined for English-language learners »

See specification defined for kids »

First Known Use of SPECIFICATION

1633

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