Chapter 1 User's Guide

Chapter 1
Introduction to MASTERSPEC and ARCOM

MASTERSPEC

MASTERSPEC is a product of The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and is produced and published for the AIA by ARCOM. MASTERSPEC has been the specification system of choice for more than 30 years. Currently, more than 10000 design firms, developers, contractors, manufacturers, institutions, and government agencies use MASTERSPEC. ARCOM Master Systems are the specification products produced by ARCOM that include the MASTERSPEC Specification System and ARCOM SPECWARE® specification enhancement software.

MASTERSPEC is recognized worldwide as the most complete, technically correct, and thoroughly reviewed commercial master specification system available. Insurers offer discounts on professional liability insurance to MASTERSPEC Licensed Users. Current litigation frequently relies on MASTERSPEC as the representative standard of professional care.

Endorsements

The following organizations endorse MASTERSPEC and participate in the MASTERSPEC Review Committees:

· AIA The American Institute of Architects

· ACEC American Consulting Engineers Council

· ASID American Society of Interior Designers

· ASLA American Society of Landscape Architects

· CASE Consulting American Structural Engineers

· NLA National Landscape Association

· NSPE National Society of Professional Engineers

MASTERSPEC also has strategic alliances with the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA).

Review Committees

New and updated MASTERSPEC sections are reviewed by an independent committee of MASTERSPEC Licensed Users. The committees meet quarterly for two days in the ARCOM Alexandria, Virginia office. The AIA and the endorsing organizations fund these committees. Current committees include the following:

·        MASTERSPEC Architectural Review Committee (MARC)
·        MASTERSPEC Engineering Review Committee (MERC)
·        MASTERSPEC Interiors Review Committee (MIRC)
·        MASTERSPEC Landscape Review Committee (MLRC) by correspondence

MASTERSPEC is also reviewed by manufacturers, product and industry groups, and standards organizations on invitation from ARCOM.

MASTERSPEC Libraries

MASTERSPEC is available in distinct full-length section libraries organized by design discipline. Each library is updated quarterly.

· Architectural/Structural/Civil A/S/C

· Structural/Civil S/C

· Mechanical/Electrical M/E

· Electrical E

· Interior Construction IC

· Interior Construction Supplement to A/S/C ICS

· Furnishings F

· Landscape Architecture LA

MASTERSPEC Formats

Each library is divided into the following three formats:

· Full Length The most regularly used sections and frequently encountered conditions for a range of project sizes and types.

· Short Form Short Form sections are condensed from and compatible with MASTERSPEC full-length sections. Short Form sections include a limited range of products, streamlined material and quality-control requirements, and concise specifying methods.

· Outline Outline specifications for preliminary project use.

MASTERSPEC Versions

Each library also has two versions:

· Basic The most regularly used sections and frequently encountered conditions for a range of project sizes and types.

· Supplemental Sections where the subject matter is limited in scope and the work is more specialized or custom than covered in Basic.

Instructions for your specific MASTERSPEC library and version are included in Chapter three.

MASTERSPEC Specification Products

Other MASTERSPEC specification products are available in three abbreviated specification versions that are updated every two years. INTERIOR DESIGN and FURNISHINGS include the Cover, Evaluations, Section Text, and Drawing Coordination Checklist. SMALL PROJECT includes only the Section Text.

MASTERSPEC INTERIOR DESIGN^J A short-form specification for retail, light-commercial, Hospitality, institutional, office fit-out, and renovation projects.

MASTERSPEC SMALL PROJECT^J Specifications for less complex projects.

MASTERSPEC FURNISHINGS^J

Supporting Documents

Each Basic, Supplemental, and Short Form MASTERSPEC section includes the following supporting documents. Each INTERIOR DESIGN section includes the first four documents.

Cover Describes the content of the section text; related products and work, including products that could be inserted into the section if required, similar work normally specified elsewhere; and closely related work specified in other sections. Includes summary of changes in the update.

Evaluations Describes characteristics and criteria for specifying the products and materials included in the section. Includes editing instructions referenced in editor's notes in the section text; the scope of the section, a description of product characteristics; special design and detailing considerations, if applicable; referenced standards; suggested reference materials; and a list of manufacturers. Product comparisons are included in some sections.

Section Text In three-part format with editor's notes, alternative text, in-line optional text, and insert notes.

Drawing Coordination Checklist Drawing requirements organized and related to the section content. Indicates items that should beshown on the drawings because they are not in the section text.

Specification Coordination Checklist Includes a list of specification sections and requirements that relate to the section content. Provides a location for indicating items that will be furnished by the Owner; how to apply allowances, unit prices, and alternates to the section, if applicable; and other specification sections that may have requirements applicable to the section. This checklist is not included in the supporting documents for INTERIOR DESIGN.

Editing Assistance

MASTERSPEC is the only complete master specification system available. The Evaluations provide editing instructions for each specification section as well as product comparisons; a list of national manufacturers; reference standards; references; and a discussion of the section topic and graphics, where appropriate. Sections include editor's notes with instructions for editing and selecting alternative text, in-line optional text, and insert notes. All section text is displayed for your review and editing by any combination of the methods listed below. Editor's notes and units of measure appear on-screen in color. Editor's notes are in hidden text and may be toggled on and off in your word processor. Other guide specification systems include numerous blanks in brackets where text is to be inserted, but few editing instructions.

You can edit MASTERSPEC using your word processor, your word processor enhanced with MASTERWORKS, the LINX automated specification editor, or any combination of these tools. Instructions for editing with your word processor are in Chapter 2. Instructions for editing with MASTERWORKS are in the MASTERWORKS User's Guide. Instructions for editing with LINX are in an on-line tutorial. LINX only operates with the full-length Basic and Supplemental Libraries.

ARCOM

ARCOM is a unique firm of architects, engineers, computer scientists, specification writers, editors, technical support personnel, product representatives, and marketing staff. ARCOM began in 1972 as a division of an architectural firm in Salt Lake City, Utah, offering a MASTERSPEC editing service and the distribution of MASTERSPEC on magnetic tape to larger architectural and engineering firms.

When design firms began to use minicomputers and then personal computers, ARCOM developed word-processor versions of MASTERSPEC and started an automation service for the AIA. In 1988, the AIA selected ARCOM as the sole source for MASTERSPEC quarterly updates. In December 1994, the AIA selected ARCOM to assume all responsibilities of MASTERSPEC. On January 1, 1995, the staff of the AIA Professional Systems Division and all research, writing, editing, marketing, sales, production, and support of MASTERSPEC transferred to ARCOM.

ARCOM has offices in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Alexandria, Virginia. The Salt Lake City office includes administration, accounting, word processing, programming, production, fulfillment, technical support, marketing, and sales functions. The Alexandria office includes specification research, writing, editing, word processing, technical support, and MASTERSPEC Review Committee support. The MASTERSPEC Technical Library is located in the Alexandria office.

ARCOM SPECWARE

ARCOM SPECWARE® is the family of specification enhancement software provided by ARCOM to MASTERSPEC Licensed Users. SPECWARE includes the following:

MASTERWORKS® Software that enhances your word processor to simplify editing of alternative text, select options to keep or delete, insert required text, and add project notes. The Multi File features automate spell checking, searching and replacing, formatting, and other text appearance functions. Specification output formats include project manuals, sheet specifications, drawing notes, and outline specifications. MASTERWORKS can also automate headers and footers, reports, and tables of contents.

LINX® A stand-alone automated editor for MASTERSPEC that operates on standard full-length MASTERSPEC sections in the ARCOM Structured Text^J database format. Text elements in each section are linked together hierarchically and semantically. All linked dependent text elements are marked for deletion when a parent text element is marked for deletion. This allows for easy removal of large quantities of text. LINX includes an interactive question-and-answer edit and an on-screen edit (including manual editing and override of system edits, automatic edits, and translation to a word processor format of your choice). LINX includes an extensive on-line help system with access to all MASTERSPEC supporting documents as help files and tutorials while you are editing.

·	AIA	The American Institute of Architects
·	ACEC	American Consulting Engineers Council
·	ASID	American Society of Interior Designers
·	ASLA	American Society of Landscape Architects
·	CASE	Consulting American Structural Engineers
·	NLA	National Landscape Association
·	NSPE	National Society of Professional Engineers

·	Architectural/Structural/Civil	A/S/C
·	Structural/Civil	S/C
·	Mechanical/Electrical	M/E
·	Electrical	E
·	Interior Construction	IC
·	Interior Construction Supplement to A/S/C	ICS
·	Furnishings	F
·	Landscape Architecture	LA

·	Full Length	The most regularly used sections and frequently encountered conditions for a range of project sizes and types.
·	Short Form	Short Form sections are condensed from and compatible with MASTERSPEC full-length sections. Short Form sections include a limited range of products, streamlined material and quality-control requirements, and concise specifying methods.
·	Outline	Outline specifications for preliminary project use.

·	Basic		The most regularly used sections and frequently encountered conditions for a range of project sizes and types.
·	Supplemental		Sections where the subject matter is limited in scope and the work is more specialized or custom than covered in Basic.

MASTERSPEC INTERIOR DESIGN^J		A short-form specification for retail, light-commercial, Hospitality, institutional, office fit-out, and renovation projects.
MASTERSPEC SMALL PROJECT^J		Specifications for less complex projects.
MASTERSPEC FURNISHINGS^J

Cover		Describes the content of the section text; related products and work, including products that could be inserted into the section if required, similar work normally specified elsewhere; and closely related work specified in other sections. Includes summary of changes in the update.
Evaluations		Describes characteristics and criteria for specifying the products and materials included in the section. Includes editing instructions referenced in editor's notes in the section text; the scope of the section, a description of product characteristics; special design and detailing considerations, if applicable; referenced standards; suggested reference materials; and a list of manufacturers. Product comparisons are included in some sections.
Section Text		In three-part format with editor's notes, alternative text, in-line optional text, and insert notes.
Drawing Coordination Checklist		Drawing requirements organized and related to the section content. Indicates items that should beshown on the drawings because they are not in the section text.
Specification Coordination Checklist		Includes a list of specification sections and requirements that relate to the section content. Provides a location for indicating items that will be furnished by the Owner; how to apply allowances, unit prices, and alternates to the section, if applicable; and other specification sections that may have requirements applicable to the section. This checklist is not included in the supporting documents for INTERIOR DESIGN.

MASTERWORKS®		Software that enhances your word processor to simplify editing of alternative text, select options to keep or delete, insert required text, and add project notes. The Multi File features automate spell checking, searching and replacing, formatting, and other text appearance functions. Specification output formats include project manuals, sheet specifications, drawing notes, and outline specifications. MASTERWORKS can also automate headers and footers, reports, and tables of contents.
LINX®		A stand-alone automated editor for MASTERSPEC that operates on standard full-length MASTERSPEC sections in the ARCOM Structured Text^J database format. Text elements in each section are linked together hierarchically and semantically. All linked dependent text elements are marked for deletion when a parent text element is marked for deletion. This allows for easy removal of large quantities of text. LINX includes an interactive question-and-answer edit and an on-screen edit (including manual editing and override of system edits, automatic edits, and translation to a word processor format of your choice). LINX includes an extensive on-line help system with access to all MASTERSPEC supporting documents as help files and tutorials while you are editing.