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ASWS Projects G#1073 N#1091

By 15 August 2014January 23rd, 2019About, ASWS, GBE History

GBE > Projects > G#1073 N#1091

ASWS Projects

ASWS Projects
About:


ASWS Projects
Specification related activities whilst self-employed but still in general practice:


Brian R Murphy BSc Dip Arch (Hons) (PNL)
Principle of Architectural Specification Writing Services

January ‘86 to date

Projects & Activities Listing:

New British Library: Phase 1A: Stages: 1AA & 1ABMarch ‘86 to April ’92
Value: £450mSite based with SO (Resident Architect)
Project Management: PSA Projects Architect: Colin St. John Wilson & Partners Ltd.
Construction Management:  Laing Management Ltd.
Prepared 120  Works contract package prescriptive and performance specifications, including: envelope, finishes, furniture, external works, and selected architectural/services and structural items.
E.g.  Architectural Luminaires, IAS1 (X22) Mobile Cleaning Gantries, SVOE1 (U14) Smoke venting systems, Conveyor system
Established Project product library on site for all parties to use, (classification: PSA specification order)
Liaison with Superintending Officer, Resident Architects, Structural and Service Engineers, Clerks of Works, Project and Construction Managers: (purchasing, planning and supervision teams) & Contractors.
Commented on buildability of details suggesting new approach simplifying parcel interface problems.
Liaison with Architects, Furniture designer and Consultants to include and reformat their drafts to maintain consistent approach in all contracts.
E.g. Reading Rooms reader tables and counters, Exhibition Hall, Static and Mobile (manual and electrical) Shelving, Conference & Meeting room Suite,
Co-ordination of all consultant requirements into PSA based specifications, with ASWS embellishment and/or unique ASWS base texts.
E.g. PS1 Performance Specification, MET 8 Stainless Steel, SCL1 Solar Control Louvres, BS1 Book Shelving etc.
Finalising of contract documents with Quantity Surveyors and Construction Managers.
Audit Tender submissions and method statements.
Established a procedure to feed-back any observed departures from specification.

New British Library: Temporary Book Loading Bay & Plant Compound.
March 1986 – Nov. 1986Value: £1.2m
Architect: Colin St. John Wilson & Partners Ltd.
Temporary loading bay for construction duration and 3 year programme for book deliveries, temporary air-conditioning cooling tower compound, subterranean water, salt and oil tank storage.
Prepared specification liaison with QS and established precedent for specifications for many of remainder of parcel specifications on main building.
Developed new work sections: e.g. PS1 (A90) Performance Specification, MET1 (H31) Metal Cladding/Copings , MET6 (Z31) Polyester Powder Coating: Syntha Pulvin .

Birmingham International Convention CentreSept. ‘87 to August ‘89 & 
Value: £120mOffice/Site basedSept. ‘90 to Dec. ‘90
Management Contract: Douglas-Turner (consortium) 
Architects: Convention Centre Partnership (consortium)
Design Architects: CCP London (Renton Howard Wood Levin)
Executive Architects: CCP Birmingham, Cardiff & Shrewsbury (Percy Thomas Partnership)
Prepared 12 NBS based ASWS embellished, performance and prescriptive Works subcontract package specifications.  E.g. Suspended Audio/Visual control room, Integrated Plumbing systems
Reviewed specifications produced by the CCP Cardiff office for the CCP Birmingham office
and liaison between the two offices.
Liaison with site team to carry out post-contract revisions to Construction Specifications.

New British Library: Phase 1A Book shelving.
Architect: Colin St. John Wilson & Partners Ltd.Value: £12.0m
Audited and converted architects draft specification, for static and mobile (manual and electrical motor driven) shelving racks, to match PSA specification format.
Shelving contract covers 4 Basements each the size of two football pitches. 250 km of shelving, plan chests and other metal cabinets.
Liaison with the Structural Engineer to ensure structural deflection and creep are accommodated in track design, and Services Engineer to ensure electrical supply and maintenance regime is consistent with main building installations.
Developed and introduced PS1, BS1 Basement Shelving, MET1, MET6 (A90, N85, Z11, Z31) to control consistency of quality with other installations.
Introduced galvanizing to all metalwork in specification, (subsequently omitted in post-tender pre-contract negotiations without my knowledge). This change of requirements lead to 25% of the installation being rejected and replaced and galvanizing being reintroduced in all subsequent shelving specifications.

13 Hill street/39 Hays Mews London W1
Value: not known(sub £1m)Office basedMay ‘88 to June ‘88
Architects: Bennetts AssociatesGeneral Contract
Full NBS based specification for 2 floor office and penthouse flat roof extension and alterations to existing two storey mews building. Using NBS Mark-up and NBS services Ltd. Word-processor.

Birmingham Arena Oct. ‘88 to Nov. ‘88
Value: not knownOffice based
Architect: Consortium: PTP (Birmingham) and HOK Inc.(American)
Reviewed Specification prepared by the American part of consortium: to assess its suitability in UK contracts and to assess where changes were needed, proposing the methods of converting the text to UK approaches, references etc. The report was used by the practice to persuade the consortium to allow an NBS based specification to be prepared by Birmingham office.

Kyle Stewart Design Services Ltd. Corporate specificationOct. ‘88 to Jan ‘89
Kyle Stewart wished to set-up Standard trade specifications for their Design-Build activities.
Prepared a report on their proposals and initiated the work using recently published CAWS edition of PSA General Specification in December ‘88.

Percy Thomas Partnership (Birmingham): Partnership specification.Nov. ‘88 to March ‘91
Commissioned to carry out a feasibility study for the preparation of their Partnership specification to be used in all of their 6 UK offices.
Scope included: content, structure: methods of production, methods of use, practice specification procedure, QA, CPI, co-ordination with standard details, CAWS, integration with technical library, expert system and CAD. (see later notes)

The Thomas Saunders Partnership (London): Partnership specification Nov. ‘88
Asked to review a practice base specification work section for metal stud partition.
Prepared a report on the preparation of their Partnership Specification.
Scope included: content, structure: methods of production, methods of use, telephone help-line, practice specification procedure, CPI, co-ordination with standard details, CAWS, integration with technical library and QA products etc. and ‘92

Imperium, Speculative B1 Building, Worton Grange, ReadingNovember ‘88 to June ‘89
Value £9mOffice based
Architects: Bennetts Associates,General Contract,Client: Speyhawk.
Six trade contracts: NBS /ASWS based performance specifications including: Single ply roof and Terne coated Stainless Steel covered Ply barrel vault roof.
Carried out audit on Arup Associates base texts used for Interior components and finishes.
(this service is offered to Ex. Arup Associates employees)
External hard works, ASWS /NBS based Performance specification for pond linings, waterfall and fountains, including pumping system.
Carried out audit on Landscape Architects soft landscape specification.

Submission to Butterworths Architectural Press:  6 Book proposalsJuly ‘89
Value: not applicable
To provide comprehensive information to the occasional specifier, on:
Standards, EC, QA products, systems, manufacturers;
Design and Build or Management contracting specification clauses
Proposal not accepted, see: Future publications

Establishment of Practice Product and Technical Library August ‘89
Architects: Bennetts Associates.Using CI/SfB classification.

New British Library: Stages 1AA & 1AB Reading Rooms.
Architect, Interior & Furniture Designer: Colin St. John Wilson & Partners Ltd.
Worked with Architects and Furniture designers to develop the PSA specifications to cover acoustic platform floors, wall, column and free-standing shelving and linings, fibrous plaster, plasterboards and GRG ceiling and bulkhead linings, highly serviced reader table and counters, counter bulkheads and highly serviced reading carrels.

Birmingham International Convention Centre: External works August ‘89
Value: not knownBirmingham Office/Site based
Landscape Architects: PTP(Landscape) Birmingham.
Single contract NBS based ASWS embellished specification for
External hard works, roads, roof top and land based vehicle parking, pedestrian bridge paved deck, Public House terraces/gardens, steps and ramped pedestrian areas, canal side realignment creating barge lay-by, and landscape furniture,  Reconstructed stone and brickwork, waterproofing, retaining walls and canal tunnel walls refurbishment.
ASWS performance specification: purpose-made railings and gates

Waterfront, Merryhill, Dudley, Phase 6: Tranche I.  August ‘89-Dec. ‘90
Value: £38mOffice based.
Developer: Richardson BrothersDesign-Build Contractor: Tarmac Design & Build Ltd.
Architect: Percy Thomas Partnership (Birmingham)Glazing specialist: Paul Lorentzen.
Carried out audit of the contract specifications which led to:
The preparation of unique work sections for Curtain walling, in collaboration with their in-house glazing specialist and for Windows and Patent-Glazing specification work sections.
Establishment of recently published CAWS edition of NBS based ASWS/PSA embellished specification text for many other subsequent projects by the London, Manchester and Birmingham offices.(see Later notes)

New British Library: Stage 1AA Exhibition Halls.
Architect: Colin St. John Wilson & Partners Ltd.
Three storey linked space containing permanent and temporary displays in air conditioned and fibre-optic lit, all glass exhibition cases, to house rare exhibits.
Hardwood linings to walls, walls between display cases, furniture, counters etc.
SVOE1 (U14) Smoke ventilation electro-magnetic actuated metal wall panels, control, power supply and back up systems.

Quality Assurance Manual: Percy Thomas Partnership (Birmingham) Jan. ‘90 to May ‘90
Invited to comment upon the section of the manual concerning specification, during the lead up to
BS 5750 registration, as part of the feasibility study for preparation of the Partnership Specification.

Own Specification LibraryMarch ‘90-current
Have initiated the word processing of all my specification texts written over past four years, on various projects.  For efficiency this is being carried out by an agency, these would then be able to be used again on other projects, and would be reformatted into CAWS arrangement and later be added to into NBS ‘SpecMan’. for efficient reuse on all projects.

Expert system: Percy Thomas Partnership (Birmingham) May ‘90
Invited to review the report written by Stephen Lockley on 3 year sabbatical at Newcastle University for an ‘expert system’ to help in the design of brick cavity walls on concrete framed structure.
Carried out as part of the feasibility study for preparation of the Partnership Specification taking into account how they could integrate on computer.

Birmingham International Convention Centre: Furniture, fittings and equipment.
Value: not knownLondon Office basedJuly ‘90 to Dec. ‘90
Interior Designers: PTP(Interiors) London.  Prepared NBS CAWS based, PSA CAWS and ASWS embellished procurement performance specifications for ‘off-the-peg’ furniture, equipment and purpose-made fixtures and fittings, including hospital equipment.

Unnamed Project
(Client, project and value anonymity requested)Oct. ‘90
Architects: The Thomas Saunders Partnership (London)
Carried out audit on project specification concentrating on BSI Document currency.

New British Library: Stage 1AB Conference & Meeting Room Suite.
Architect: Colin St. John Wilson & Partners Ltd.
A large auditorium and 5 meeting rooms adjacent to Euston Road/Midland road junction.
Work involved maintaining structural acoustic isolation in secondary elements, finishes, furniture and equipment, providing a highly serviced space with precise acoustic requirements.
Liaison with Acoustic Consultant and Service Engineer to develop specification work sections:
FIN51 (K40) Acoustic ‘heavy-weight’ and isolated ceilings with isolated access crawl-ways and audio visual equipment housings, with highly serviced ceiling void.
MJ1 (P23) Acoustic movement joints, to all surfaces.
CPT1 (P31) ‘Removable-cable pass-throughs’ (acoustic and fire requirements).
D&BO1 (N10) Motorised acoustic/black-out screens to control rooms and interpretation booths.

TSB Transmission Service Relocation, Computer Centre: Re-cladding.
Value: not knownLondon/Birmingham office basedAugust ‘90 to Dec. ‘90
Architects: Percy Thomas Partnership (London)Management Contractor: Team M C Ltd.
Stripping existing steel W20 windows and replacement with: Structural silicone glazing (4 sided) curtain walling, Structural Glass assemblies, Patent glazing roof lights, Windows and Doors
NBS/ASWS based performance Specifications (see Merryhill specifications)
Prepared with Birmingham Glazing specialist: Paul Lorentzen for the London office.

Inland Revenue Office, Nottingham. (Prior to competition)
Value: not knownBirmingham Office basedMarch ‘91
Architects: Percy Thomas Partnership (Manchester/Birmingham)
Prepared specification for H91 Rain-screen cladding and L19 External solar shading/walk ways etc.

New British Library: Conservation Laboratory Suite
Value: £ 2 mLondon Site based‘91
Laboratory Furniture Designer: Neville Bruton (Ex The Crown Suppliers) Incorporated specification by designer into BL specification text to ensure consistency of approach, adopting PSA format etc.

NBS Specification ManagerMarch ‘91
Invested in Portable computer/printer and NBS “SpecMan” software to enable efficient autonomous production of project specifications without the need for practices secretarial staff for word-processing, where the project specification selected permits.
Explored its limitation: Incorporated review into Practice specification Feasibility studies.
Sent feedback to NBS much of which has been taken into account and improvements incorporated in later software updates.

Conference Paper: to International Paint Ltd. 
“Syntha Pulvin Rules OK” May ‘91
At ‘Interpon D’  Manufacturer/Applicators annual awareness event “Colouring the future II”

Manufacturers product specifications:July ‘91 to July ‘92
Manufacturer: International Paint Ltd
Specification guide: Clauses and guidance notes: Interpon D, polyester powder coating.
Assisted by ASNET member: I Forsyth in later stage.
Due for publication April ‘93. (See later notes)

New British Library: Phase 1A Portico:Value: sub £1.0m.
Architect: Colin St. John Wilson & Partners Ltd.
Entrance gateway to the site forecourt, with insitu sculpted stone fascias and sculpted gateway, gardeners store, flue, smoke vent and escape route from basements.
Work included insitu carving of stone facias by artist/sculpter.
Gates which was the subject of a design competition.

New British Library: Phase 1A Forecourt.
Architect: Colin St. John Wilson & Partners Ltd. Value: £5.0m.
Basement bookstore ‘roof’ forecourt waterproofing and site drainage.
Tree and soft landscape planter waterproofing, irrigation and drainage systems,
External hard and soft landscape, illuminated balustrades and handrails, street furniture and gate cycle rack buildings, site railings and gates,
Frangible smoke outlet panels waterproofing and pavings
Poet’s corner, sculpture court. Eduardo Paolizzi’s Isacc Newton sculpture.

Stoke City and General Hospital: re-cladding.
Value: not known,Birmingham Office basedAugust ‘91 to Sept. ‘91
Architect: Percy Thomas Partnership (Birmingham)
Prepared NBS/PSA based ASWS embellished contract specification for Design & Build project to strip Precast concrete and stone cladding from 1960’s tower block whilst retaining inner-leaf of walls and windows of occupied Maternity wing: extensive repair of failed concrete structure and re-cladding with Brickwork and Rain-screen over-cladding & solar shading /walk ways.
(using some of the base texts prepared on Merryhill project.)

Whitechaple School London: 200m Glazed mall. August ‘91
Value: not knownBirmingham Office based
Architect: Percy Thomas Partnership (Birmingham/London)
Glazing Specialist: Paul Lorentzen PTP (Birmingham)
Curtain walling, hybrid patent glazing system and solar shading specifications developed with the glazing specialist on behalf of the London office, Whole specification completed in one 10 hour day using the base texts prepared for Merryhill project.

New British Library: Completion Phase: Kings Library.
Architect: Colin St. John Wilson & Partners Ltd.
7 Storey single space ‘exhibition case’ and bookstore for the Kings private library collection donated and to be kept on permanent display. The Kings Library stands as a tower in the main entrance hall with it’s own concrete structure, lift, fire fighter’s lift, escape stairs and services cores.
Books are displayed with binders outermost on mobile shelving to be seen from the surrounding passarells (high level walkways/bridges).
Developed GLZ9 (H11) 2 Hour fire resistant (stability and insulation) steel and aluminium curtain walling cantilevered from concrete frame, allowing single air conditioning system, encloses ‘exhibition case’. Intumescent interlayer and ‘opti-white’ glass to resists fire sprinklers on hot glass, Cleaning cradles outside.

Conference Papers: at BFS Conferences Ltd. seriesOct. ‘91
“Performance specification: Curtain Walling”   at RIBA London

New British Library: Completion Phase
Value: £150m (bringing total costs to £511m)Site and London office basedOct. ‘91 to Dec. ‘92,
General Contract including Single ply roof gardens and external works landscape furniture, Curtain walling etc.
3 Assigned Contracts for Fire resistant curtain walling 6 storey exhibition case and mobile shelving
Compiling Phase 1A parcel texts to ensure consistency with the Phase 1A works whilst updating to current technology and standards.  Assisted by ASNET members A. Mantri and I Forsyth.

Establishment of ASNET Architectural Specification NETworkNov. ‘91
To bring together the skills of other specification writers into an informal agreement between individuals prepared to support each other on complex or tight programmed projects.(see Leaflet)

Conference Papers: at BFS Conferences  Ltd. series at RIBA London
“Performance specification: Fully supported flexible flat roofing”Nov. ‘91
“Performance specification: Profiled self supporting metal roofs”Feb. ’92

Specifiers and Buyers Forum: first public meeting (later BFS Forum)Feb. ‘92
Founding member of the forum set-up to enable all sides of the industry to talk over problems in non contractual situation, to help encourage cross industry information flow, to help avoid failures.

Continuing Professional Development Paper: DEGWJune ‘92
“State of the art Specification and information systems” at DEGW London. Staff training programme
Discussing amongst others: “NBS SpecMan”, RIBA CIS and Quantarc CD-ROM information systems

BFS Forum Peer Group Meetings  (CPD Activity)
Meets monthly at Westminster University (PCL), Convenor: Mike MacEvoy
Approaches to SpecificationOct. ‘92
Structural Glass AssembliesNov. ‘92
Quality Assurance for design controlDec. ‘92
Information Systems: product/manufacturer on data base: ABdata
Construction Communications: Problems in current practice.Jan   ‘93
Organising the Feb. 10th CPD SeminarFeb.  ‘93
Planning the CPD Short course to be held at WestminsterMar  ‘93

Westminster University (PCL)
Convenor: Mike MacEvoyOct.  ‘92
Initiated discussions for CPD Lecture series, (See later notes)
It is anticipated this may develop into an optional half-module on specification and related subjects available for all London architectural and construction courses.

University of North London (PNL):Oct. ‘92
Acting Head of School: Yvonne Dean
Initiated discussions on the possibility of carrying out research project on the setting up of an ‘Expert-System’ to guide students through a design process.
It is anticipated this will be supplemented by Lecturing, and/or workshops on specification.

Galleon house estate office and gate house, Isle of Dogs, London Dockland
Value: £ 120,000.Nov. ‘92 to Jan ‘93
Client: London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Architects: Proctor and Matthews Associates.(Andrew Matthews ex CSJW/British Library)
General Contract  with Specialist subcontract for “surf-board roof”
Full NBS based ASWS embellished specification for single storey office and gate house extending from and below an existing ’60s tower/slab block.
First project specification produced on “NBS SpecMan” by ASWS.
Manual draft by ASNET member Roy Aldous, then added to “SpecMan” and embellished.

Powergen Operational Headquarters Warwick University Science Park, Coventry
Value: not knownJan ‘93-Feb. ‘93
Design & Build contract (contractor not then selected)
Landscape Architect: Mark Westcott (Ex Bennetts Associates) Architect: Bennetts Associates
Soft and part hard landscape including indigenous insect habitat ponds and planting, wells, storage pumping, re-circulating system, waterfalls etc.
Change in programme left time only to carry out audit on specification carried out by Landscape Architect and produce Addendum text for post-tender pre-contract negotiations.  NBS based PSA/ASWS embellished text, production on “NBS SpecMan” and “Word for Windows”.

Specification/Information Database packageJan ‘93
Database Author: Janet Brown of ABdata
Initiated discussions on the possibility of embellishing the Database to include product performance characteristics and creating links with a specification system. (possibly “NBS Spec Man”)

Mezzanine/Storage/room divider Furniture Jan ‘93
Value: Extension £ 10,000.00 and Furniture £ 2,000.00Designer: Brian Murphy
Working Drawings and specification for house extension including mezzanine/furniture to subdivide room into three spaces and storage area between and below.

Prepared reports on proposals for 16 projects for grant searchesFeb. ‘93
Requires fee to carry out database searches, projects on hold until funds permit progress.

Reviewed CPD paper given at Norwich City College.Feb. ‘93
Prepared two page review of “Performance Specification” given by Chris Heuvel, to be included in “Norfolk Architect” the regional newsletter March edition.

NBS Specification ManagerFeb.  ‘93
Started to set up new work sections within “NBS SpecMan” using ASWS text
Adding PSA General Specification work sections to “SpecMan” as and when required for projects.
The intention is to fill the gaps left in NBS where no work section currently exist and to improve the texts available in NBS for different methods of procurement.
Intend using “SpecMan” to simplify report writing as if a project specification, by adding items as if clauses and chapters as if work sections.

Specification Disk Service:Feb.  ‘93
International Paint Ltd. Interpon D Specification Guide and other Work sections.
Producing text files to be made available to all Practices on Disk for word processing in house.
Adding the Interpon D Specification Guide to NBS Specification Manager, to be made available in data files on disk to “NBS SpecMan” subscribers requesting it .

Conference : BFS Forum Ltd. at University of WestminsterFeb.  ‘93
Specification Skills, Procurement options, CPD opportunities.  February 10th ‘93, 6 p.m. – 8.30 p.m.
Paper: The importance of getting students ‘office-ready’ or ‘office-aware’ and introduction to CPD (Continuing Professional Development) course to be run at Westminster University (PCL) for recent graduates.  Forerunner to Degree course.  (see paper)

Product Specification Clause libraries.Feb. ‘93
Initiated enquiries to establish the clause library for Quality Assured products.
Initiated enquiries to establish the clause library for Environment Friendly products.
approached NBS informally to consider NBS acceptance of “NBS complimentary clauses”

The Maltings Shopping Mall, St. Albans.March ‘93
Value: not yet knownOffice basedGeneral Contract.
Architect: Temple Cox Nicholls Architects, Edgbaston Birmingham.
Contact made via Terry Pentland Computer Manager of CMP Ltd. Ex. CCP & PTP Birmingham.
Was invited to carry out an Audit on the Specification and Working Drawings for the remedial works to 5-6 year old development originally carried out on a Design/Build contract.  Including open air mall and housing deck: waterproofing, paving, planters, services and other remedial works.

Independent Auditor to practice initiating BS 5750 procedures:March ‘93
Architect: Temple Cox Nicholls Architects, Edgbaston, Birmingham.
Initiated discussion to contribute initially on a regular one day a fortnight basis to carry out audits on production Information and Specifications carried out by the practice, as part of their BS 5750 procedures.  This would include participation in the preparation of the content of the QA manuals.

Semi-automatic Specification Audit System.March ‘93
Initiated enquiries to establish a computer based interactive programme to carry out comprehensive audits on specifications and produce printed reports using a Microsoft Windows based question and answer/tick box, generating ready made statements from a set of standard responses from its library and with facility to add project specific notes in dialogue boxes.

New Forth Specification Library & compiling system.March ‘93
Initiated discussions on producing specification text to reside within the Bridge Technology Computer Aided Design software to provide automatic specification compiling as building is designed .  The tight time programme meant we had to look for a ready-made specification Library to incorporate in the software, we are now discussing this proposal with PSA Specialist services.
It is envisaged that this may be developed into a stand-alone system to compete with the NBS Specification Manager offering more comprehensive use of product information.
Further embellishment will include a product information library in the form of Specification Clauses.
Unable to find finances to progress project.

“PSA for Windows”March ‘93
At CICE exhibition Barbican London, February 23rd-25th, NBS exhibited their proposed new system, for compiling specifications in any ‘Windows’ based word-processor: “NBS for Windows”.
This prompted ASNET to approach PSA to see if they were interested in having their specification added to the software to enable PSA to compete with NBS.

PSA Specification Library in ‘Specification Manager’:March ‘93
ASNET have been gradually adding the PSA text to SpecMan as projects have demanded, where NBS text does not cover the required work section.  ASNET approached PSA to enquire if they were interested in having the text completed and promoted as a third party product available to all PSA text users.  Discussions have started.

Presentation of papers for :Norwich City College School of Construction
BSc Building Management/CIOB Membership Part 2 Exam StudentsMarch ‘93
“Integration of systems on computer, intelligent buildings etc.”

Presentation of paper for CPD events(Continuing Professional Development):
Cambridge RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects)Eastern Region April ‘93
“Specification and its relationship to design” held on the 1st April ‘93 between 1 p.m. – 5.30 p.m..
With the assistance of Ian Forsyth a member of ASNET, present the whole event:

Placement of Specification Writer on Kuala Lumpur International Airport project.
Architects: Akitek Jururancang(Malaysia) SDN BHD, Kuala Lumpur.May ‘93
ASNET received an enquiry via YRM and EPR for a 12 month contract on site, with possible further 12 months on Commonwealth Games.
Howard de Mont, a new member of ASNET, had particularly relevant experience on Glasgow Terminal 2, Makau International Airport and RAF Molesworth, ASNET introduced both parties, Howard negotiated his own commission.

Glaxo Sustas, Cephalosporins plant, Gebze Turkey
Value: £4.5m UK Office basedMay ‘93
Architects: Temple Cox Nicholls ArchitectsConsortium: Acer/Temple
Carried out Audit on Working drawings (no specification), added difficulties arose from using a mixture of familiar materials from the UK and some less familiar local materials and methods.
Control of standards of materials and workmanship and verification of achievement of requirements were of primary concern, whilst local standards are generally more relaxed!

Carried out a comparison of CPI CAWS and CSI Masterspec classification systems,
Conversion of one CSI Masterspec project specification section to CAWS work sections,
Value: not applicable.Office basedMay ‘93
Architects: Adamson Associates Architects Planners Ltd. UK office of Canadian Practice.
Introduced by Keith Wilson NBS SpecMan Project Manager.
Required to enable Canadian Directors to translate there own experience to the UK framework.

Scottish Equitable Life Assurance Headquarters Edinburgh May – July ‘93
Value: £200m.Office based
Architects: Adamson Associates Architects Planners Ltd. .Construction Manager: Leher McGovern
Carry out feasibility study to convert NBS Specification Manager Work sections to contain CSI specification Information for use on Construction Management project, to enable the team members to carryout the specification with minimum interruption.
Carry out audits on the specification generated by staff,  with particular interest in use of QA products.

Building Regulations Specification:June ‘93
Architects: Pulford and Williams
Have initiated enquiries for a specification aimed solely for the purpose of simplifying and rationalising Building Regulation applications.
A set of specification clauses for selection/modification and issuing with drawings.
Consideration to be given to developing as a saleable commodity.

Gollins Melvin Ward Partnership: Staff training event:
Specification ‘92 and beyond: Prescriptive and PerformanceJuly ‘93
In preparing seminar, carried out audit on Practice’s technical handbook QA procedures for specification compilation, and audited a draft project specification and presented findings.

Review BBA Agrement Certificate 88/2028 Syntha Pulvin/Evodure:
Invited to complete questionnaire on product experience and performanceAugust ’93

Hackney Museum Refurbishment.
Value: £50,000Office BasedSept. ‘93
Architect: Mark Westcott Architect & Landscape consultant
Prepared specification draft for word-processing in their office.  Provided numerous work sections from own PC based collections to convert onto Apple Mac and make job specific.
Included new metal ceiling, damp proofing and render, concrete repairs, decoration etc.
Phased work to occupied Museum.

Programmes Communications Group, Corby. (Telephone/Computer Business applications)
Information Manager/Librarian: Office BasedOct. ‘93- to Mar ‘94
Establishing new document folder hierarchy and file naming convention for Apple Mac system on both personal and client server, and using same hierarchy for paper based libraries.
Establishing user specification for a number of programmes to be developed in house:
‘Case history finder’ using many search criterion, ‘Library, logistics, resources monitor’ & ‘Document Manager’ similar to ‘NBS Specification manager’ but for all documents produced.
Prepared and presented OHP presentations for in-house ‘know how’ and ‘briefing’ day presentations.

Gollins Melvin Ward Partnership: Staff training event:
Specification ‘Back to basics’Nov. ‘93
Responsibilities: What, Why, Who, When, How etc.
NBS SpecMan introduction and the undocumented aspects & Performance Specification.

Gollins Melvin Ward Partnership: Senior Staff training event:
Software training: NBS SpecManDec. ‘93
Basic introduction to differences between Apple Mac and MS Windows, insofar as they apply to NBS SpecMan.
Ran through the use of Specification Manager, NBS manual and the undocumented aspects of the programme.  Establishing the correct Project Hierarchy to ensure correct ‘inheritance’ sequence.

Gollins Melvin Ward Partnership: NBS SpecMan software developmentJan ‘94
Established the appropriate Hierarchy for GMW in software to ensure correct ‘inheritance’ sequence.
Set-up GMW preliminaries on SpecMan.
Test run for more work in new year.

Photographers Studio/Retail shop.
Suggesting Ideas for minor interior adjustments.Jan ‘94

Gollins Melvin Ward Partnership:
NBS SpecMan software developmentJan ‘94 to Mar ‘96

Establish and maintain GMW Standard Main & Sub-contract preliminaries on SpecMan.
Using word processed files from ‘Word for Mac’ converted and transferred from ‘Mac platform’ to ‘DOS platform’ using Apple file exchange and opening in ‘Word for Windows’ and cut and paste into ‘SpecMan’.
Additional text includes clauses for CDM Regulations developed by the CDM Committee.

Establish and maintain GMW SV Work Sections
Gradual and continuing updating of the GMW standard version work sections, starting with work sections already created and held on Macs for word-processing.

Provide a disk service to and from Team Secretaries
In an office predominantly using Mac’s, where specifications are still created by the non-SpecMan proficient teams or individuals, updated GMW modified NBS text is supplied on disk in RTF format and loaded onto team secretary’s Mac’s to process in ‘Word for Mac’.

Provide a disk service to QS’s preparing Preliminaries
Where the QS is preparing the Preliminaries, and the GMW clauses are required to be merged with those of the QS.  Providing GMW’s preliminaries on disk converted to the appropriate format for the QS’s secretaries to word-process in their own offices.

Sun Life Assurance New Head Quarters Bristol Feb. ‘94 – to June 95
Value: £30mDesign & BuildD&B Contractor: AMEC
Design Architect: SOM Contractor’s Architect: GMW London
Assisted GMW in taking SOM text and generating package specifications, by adding to the GMW SV text in SpecMan and creating the Project and package texts from it.  Created a Procurement level in SpecMan hierarchy to deal with D&B variations in text.  Assisted other project Specifiers to complete package specifications.
Created new work sections including: A90 Performance Specification, H11 Curtain Walling, H91 Rainscreen overcladding, J31 Liquid applied waterproof roof coverings, J34 Liquid applied surface sealer.

Nat West Tower Refurbishment
Value: UnknownGeneral ContractFeb. ‘94 – to Jun. ‘95
Architect & Interior Design: GMW
Assisted team in preparing package specifications on SpecMan and manually.  Informal specification audits of team’s specification.
ASNET member Richard Irving in full time contract to prepare specifications for team.

99 Bishopsgate Tower Refurbishment, City of London
Value: UnknownGeneral ContractMay ‘94 – to Feb. 95
Architects & Interior Designers: GMW
Assisted team in preparing specifications for selected elements by manual mark-up and on ‘SpecMan’: Ceilings, Liquid applied flat roofing, X22 Facade cleaning and access cradles, Joinery doors & Ironmongery, N15 Sinage.
Carried out informal Audit of specifications prepared by team members.

Syntha Pulvin Plus Specification GuideMay – Aug. ‘94
Manufacturer: H B Fuller Coatings Ltd.
Specification guide: Clauses and guidance notes: Syntha Pulvin Plus, polyester powder coating.
Structured around NBS Specification work section Z31 and the original Syntha Pulvin Specification using CAWS and CPI principles.
Published Sept. ‘94. (See later notes).

NBS Software training slidesJun. ‘94 – to date
In readiness for SpecMan training, slides were developed on Microsoft Powerpoint programme.
What is SpecMan? What does it offer? Features and Benefits, Inheritance, Hierarchy and Linkages etc.
The slides are continuing to be developed as the programme evolves and develops and training’s reveal needs for more information.

GMW SpecMan Staff SpecMan training:Jun. ‘94 to Mar. ‘96
In order for GMW to get the best benefit from the software a weekly half day training was carried out with small groups of between 3 and 6 trainees.
The first part explains the features and benefits of using NBS clause library and SpecMan software, and how the program should be developed within a practice to simplify project specification preparation.
The second part demonstrates the software to the trainees.
Training is followed up by one hour of the trainee using the programme with guidance from the trainer.  During the first 6 months 40 trainees were ‘processed’, in all over 60 were trained.

Facilities Management Specification Manager:July ‘94
Laing fm Ltd. Joint venture with ASWS
Facilities Management Specification was put to their market at the Premises & Facilities Management ‘94 exhibition at Olympia in July.  BRM presented a snapshot of a Specification Library created by Martin Drake currently working with the Benefits Agency (DHSS).
The exhibition was a great success, visitors were very excited by the idea, and the potential link to an AutoCAD compatible spatial database management module ‘REMA’, developed by Elstree Computing Ltd. with Laing at Mill Hill, it was demonstrated by Steve Pittard.

GMW Technical Committee Meeting.August ‘94 – Mar. ‘96
Invited to attend the TCM held monthly, and attended by the Technical Partner, and 18 of GMW’s Senior Associates, Associates and specialists, to give and receive feedback on all matters related to SpecMan and from others on all technical issues affecting the Practice.

GMW Information Resource Centre Dept. meetings:August ‘94 – Mar. ‘96
Invited to attend and participate in the intermittent/monthly meeting to discuss the future of the technical resources used by and in the IRC which includes Practice’s database, Library, QA and ‘SpecMan’.

Aquis House Reading City CentreAugust ‘94
Architect: GMW
Speculative Office Building
Assisted team specifier with SpecMan training and creation of H75.1 Terne Coated Stainless steel roofing and H14.1 Frangible pavement smoke outlet panels work sections.
Carried out a formal Audit (Peer review) on the Specification prepared by the team specifier.

GMW IRC Open House:Sept. ‘94
Each month GMW hold informal evening events where departments present themselves or projects are reviewed.  In a joint presentation all five of the department members made a presentation.  on the Library, QA and Specification.
Using the latest projection technology simultaneous images were sent direct from the computer  to a wall screen and also to the computer as a control panel.
The subject matter included ‘quotes’ on Information, QA, Risk Management, Specification, Liability feed back, used as a back cloth whilst people were arriving, and the main presentation was an introduction to SpecMan, both were using a MS Powerpoint presentation using graphic images.

Syntha Pulvin Plus Product & Specification Guide LaunchSept. ‘94
Attended and presented the guide to managers and technical representatives of the powder applicator companies to explain the importance of use of this document, how it should be used in contract documentation and the importance of its use to exclude the competitions product.

Specification Disk Service:Nov. ‘94 Mar. ‘96
H B Fuller Coatings Ltd. Syntha Pulvin Plus Specification Guide Work sections.
Producing text files to be made available to all Practices on Disk for word-processing in house.
Added the Specification Guide to NBS Specification Manager, to be made available in data files on disk to “NBS SpecMan” subscribers requesting it.  Disk duplication and virus checking  for PC and Mac word-processing formats.

GMW IRC Newsletter with SpecMan News SupplementNov. – Dec. ‘94
To help keep 150 + technical staff informed of Information Resource Centre’s activities.
Updates on CPD, QA, Library accessions, SpecMan activities.
To be issued quarterly, or monthly interim issues.  Supported by Technical Committee & IRC.

Shell Tower Refurbishment. Floors 21 & 22, South Bank, LondonJan – Mar ‘95
Value:
Architects & Interior Design: GMW General Contract
Prepared majority of specification manuscript draft for inclusion in ‘SpecMan’ by BRM and team members.
Embellishment of GMW base text with additional clauses

Facilities Management SpecTor:Feb. ‘95
Laing fm Ltd. have been disbanded Laing having decided not to go into the FM world after all.
BRM is now looking into the idea of developing the fm specification project independently, with the aid of European grant money or other sources, with the able assistance of a band of intrepid individuals, Keith McGivern & Richard Walton ex Laing fm Ltd., on FM know-how, Public Relations and Product Management. Martin Drake on clause library development, BRM on SpecMan clause library development and refinement, ABdata on product and company information, Petra Godwin on software training and Pauline Thorington-Jones of Graphicability on advertising, newsletter, manuals etc.
The specification Preliminaries have been developed to present to Solicitors.

Caxton House London Mar 95
Interior Designer: GMW Interiors
Intermittent help to team specifier.

BT Delta point Croydon Surrey  April 95
Interior Designer: GMW Interiors
Intermittent help to team specifier.

British Transport Police Training Centre Tadworth Surrey April 95 – Mar. ‘96
Interior Designer: GMW Interiors
Intermittent help to specifier and drawing team with informal audits on spec. and drawings..

Greenwich Student Housing April 95 – Mar. ‘96
Contractor’s Architect: GMWProcurement: BOOT Build Own Operate Transfer
Intermittent help to team specifier.
Establishing isolated ‘instance’ of ‘SpecMan’ on Syquest drives to avoid inadvertent updating of project text by intermittent base text updating.

Invested in ‘ACi Performer’ portable  May 95
Invested in new lightweight modular portable computer with 486DX2 100 MHz. central processor, 8 Mb. RAM, 800 Mb removable hard disk, built-in TFT colour monitor, PCMCIA ports and Modem card.
Specification chosen to allow upgrading to Windows ‘95, installing more data, applications and multi-tasking, for more efficient and faster working, software training and public demonstrations, and Internet Networking via CompuServe.
Subsequent upgrades have included upgrading to 20 Mb RAM to maximum capacity and a second 800 Mb removable hard disk to run either Win 3.11 or Win ’95 by swapping hard disks, overcoming Win ‘95s incompatibility with Syquest drives.

GMW Interior Design Department SpecMan training:May ‘95
Was invited by the ID Department to their monthly meeting to discuss the introduction of SpecMan to the whole department.  Over 3 training sessions the Interior Design department (12 members of staff) received a specially modified and enhanced version of the training, with an emphasis on the issues concerning Interiors.

SMUG News newsletter:May ‘95
To be released in three parts IRC News, GMW Spec News & SMUG News (SpecMan User Group) SmugNews includes feed back on SpecMan training, problem pages, updates on SpecMan software, a JargonBuster for the computer & SpecMan illiterate.

Invested in Black Widow TV Encoder Professional  Jun. ‘95
Allows simultaneous display on large TV, Colour monitor and portable computer, for software training and presentations.

GMW IRC News:Jun. ‘95
Includes reviews of recently launched CD-ROM information services, BSI Construction Catalogue Index and other news from GMW IRC department.

NBS SpecMan software reviewJun. ‘95
At NBS’s invitation BRM and two other SpecMan users at GMW reviewed the software as it stands with the understanding that NBS’s software authors were about to develop a new Database behind the application.  This gave us the opportunity to propose suggestions for desirable improvements.
The review amounted to 5 pages of comment, criticism and suggestions.

GMW SpecNews: Staff NewsletterJun. ‘95
Includes a summery of the work done in SpecMan over the past year by BRM to help guide the users if there are specifications that could be added to SpecMan and a criticism of the software invited by NBS themselves.

CIIG Freelance group “CDM information Filing proposals”Jun. ‘95
To assist in CDM seminars being held round the country it is proposed to develop a wall chart to describe how and where to file new H&S and CDM information, projects safety files etc.  It will serve to promote the activities of CIIG.

CIIG Freelance group “Idiot’s Guide to the Internet”  July ‘95
Research and creation of a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation to present to the group of independent librarians who needed to know what the Internet has to offer them.
Presented at a joint GMW/CIIG evening at GMW’s office, to CIIG (Construction Industry Information Group) Freelance group and GMW staff.
A joint effort BRM explaining Internet’s history, what it is how it works and what’s needed to get on, with Trevor Crout GMW’s Head of Model-making department ‘Surfing’ to show interesting services.

SMUG Meeting ‘SpecMan User Group’ Jun. ‘95
Called meeting with all GMW’s SpecMan users to discuss possible future policy with IRC Partner.  Discusses QA issues, Syquest instances to avoid inadvertent updating of project text at base level etc..  Created the GMW Spec newsletter to advise users of all the work that had been done in the GMW spec text in SpecMan.

IT Sub-committee GMW Jun. ‘95 – Mar. ‘96
Prepared and submitted a page of proposed items for the future monthly IT sub-committee agenda.
3 IRC members have to share attendance at three monthly intervals.
First meeting attended in Oct. ‘95

CPD: European standards and quality assured productsJuly ‘95
Preparing a seminar for in-house GMW CPD events to discuss the Construction Products Directive, EC Marking, QA products, BSI Kitemark, BBA Agrement Certificates and European Technical Approvals.

King William Street, Facade retention and new office, London  July – Sept. ‘95
Architect: GMW
Prepared specification in ‘SpecMan’ from team members drafts.
Carried out informal reviews of drafts as they were processed.

BSRIA Facilities Management Specification
Attended a half day conference and promotional exercise to recruit sponsorships money for the 3 year project to develop an FM specification.
Requires £1,000-£3,000 to participate. ASWS is hoping to fund involvement.

Practice Specification Budgeting Spreadsheet
Architect: AJPL
Inquiry received for preparing Practice specification wished, to receive budgeting for numerous options 1-4 years duration, some or all work sections, 1 or more versions of clauses for different preferred materials, and cross referencing to standard details.
Developed multi-layered Excel spreadsheet to recalculate at touch of button as brief is developed with client at computer.

Regis House London  Aug. 95 – Mar. ‘96.
Architect: GMW Value: not known
Intermittent assistance to team Specifiers with training, package set-up and creation and embellishment of Z31 Polyester Powder Coating and Z38 Anodic Oxide coatings work sections, with input from Dr Clark coatings Consultant.

Peer review workshop Aug. – Sept. 95
Architect: GMW
Software training for GMW’s Peer reviewer to prepare PowerPoint slide presentation to all technical staff to summarise the major faults in the Production information audited to date.

CDM Regulations & Preliminaries
Architect: GMW & CDM CommitteeSept. 95
Co-ordinating feedback from CDM committee on proposed changes to GMW Preliminaries.

Alpha Duty & Tax Free shop London Heathrow  Oct. 95
Interior Designer: GMW Interiors
Assisted team in preparing the specification for the Interior and shop-front, fit-out, furniture and Signage in ‘SpecMan’ software.

Citibank Poland  Oct. – Nov. 95
Interior Designers: GMW Interiors
Software training and assistance for Interior Design team members in use of MS PowerPoint’s Organisation Chart Application for company tree structures, and MS Excel for multiple layer linked spreadsheets for staff and department furniture and floor area calculations for briefing documents.

99 Bishopsgate London, Wine Bar Alterations  Dec. ‘95
Architects: GMW
Minor works
Terracing, liquid applied waterproofing, paving, Asphalt roofing, balustrades, treepits, M21 Insulated rendering, external lighting, H31 Metal copings, X22 External cladding cleaning equipment.

Lunch-time staff training workshops: GMW   Dec. 95 – Mar. ‘96
MS Office 4.2
Workshops carried out in Client’s Offices.
PowerPoint presentations for staff training,
Word/Internet Assistant, (HTML editor) for Operational procedure files and Interactive CV’s,
Use of RTF files from ‘SpecMan’ in Word and across platforms to Apple Macintosh for use in Word for Mac,
Excel for Form, table and Schedule creation
Access Database creation and maintenance: for using Excel scheduled information more intelligently.

‘SpecMan’ System Manager Operational Procedures Manual
Architect: GMWNov. ‘95
Whilst the practice was cutting down on manpower they required an Operating Procedure for their Technical Handbook to cover the management of the SpecMan networked application and the 3 PC’s in the IRC Specmen network.
In the event of having to let the System Manager go or reduce his hours significantly others could pick up the role with some training and the manual in hand.
This was later developed into an Interactive hypertext version.

‘SpecMan’ Interactive Hypertext Operational Procedures Manual
Architect: GMW Dec. ‘95
In order to simplify the use of the 45 page hard copy manual it was decided to develop the Operation Procedure into a hypertext file, to allow an interactive method of searching the files for the task involved.
MS Internet Assistant was used to create the Hypertext.

Specification Library DatabaseDec. ‘95
To simplify the process of determining which Specification library contains work sections for various trades I converted a MS Excel spreadsheet, prepared previously, containing that information into a MS Access database titled: “Who has published which work sections?”  the same data will be used to develop other databases.  Example: “Whose H11 Curtain walling specification is most up to date?”  Additional data may be used to compare CAWS, CI/SfB, CABS, CSI, EPIC and UC/ci classification systems, BBA certification and BSI Kitemarks.

Globe House London Demolitions Dec. ‘95
Architect: GMW
Prepared specification on ‘SpecMan’ from team specifier’s draft.

Marathon House Marylebone Road London De-rating strip-out
Architect: GMW Jan. ‘96
Prepared specification on ‘SpecMan’ from team specifier’s draft.  Modified C10 Demolition to strip-out text for de-rating before demolition.

Internet URL Listing for CIIG Newsletter  Jan ‘96 – to date
CIIG Newsletter invited surfers to identify interesting Internet sites for subsequent newsletter.
Regularly prepare lists for inclusion in column or page of the monthly CIIG News sheet.
Liaison with CIIG members including one in Prague providing international URLs and EMail addresses.

Outline Specification Guidelines  Jan ‘96
Practice: GMW
No guidance existed for creating an outline specification, this was requested by a senior member of staff.
Prepared a report looking at references, purpose: covering Client’s, QS’s, PM’s, CDM PS’s Technical Resource’s needs and BREEAM assessment needs, responsibility for authoring, objectives; framework and methods.
Draft prepared and issued to TCM Technical Committee Meeting

File naming and folder hierarchy reportJan ‘96
Whilst GMW is developing a practice wide Apple Mac server system it is essential to ensure that the existing file naming system which is used successfully in the hardcopy filing room, is adopted or adapted for the Mac Finder folders used on every Mac and server, to enable automated backups to occur and files still be located and retrieved, and allow any file to be found in the same location on any Mac in the office.
Hand in hand with file folder hierarchy goes file naming convention, to enable any person to determine the content and currency of any documents without having to open the file first.

Drawing numbering proposalsJan ‘96
It has been identified that the drawing numbering system used in the office is proving difficult to use and sketch numbers are being used for expediencies sake.  The TCM has asked that we re-look a the system.  It is hoped to develop a numbering system that grows in sophistication with the size of the project.

Electronic Document Management paperJan ‘96
Having attended a day long conference on EDM, work-flow software & hardware by PAFEC ltd.
I am preparing a paper to summarise the features and benefits to my clients.

Community Sports Centre, Stoneyard Lane Poplar High Street, Isle of Dogs, London.
Architects: Proctor Matthews Associates.Mar – May ‘96
Client: For London Borough of Tower Hamlets/LDDC Social Accord
Specifications for the General Contract by Brian Murphy in SpecMan.

Bluewater Kent Regional Shopping and Leisure park April ‘96 to Nov. ‘98
Value: £380m
Developer: Lendlease Projects (Australian retail developer)
Construction Manager: BCMT (Bovis/Lendlease) D&B procurement
Design Architect: Eric Khune (American)
Executive Architect: Benoy Ltd. (Architects & Designers)
Initial audits of 3 contract specifications.
One day briefing with all Zone Team leaders, IT System manager and Specification writer,
Subsequent establishment of Practice/Project/Package specifications on NBS SpecMan software to simplify and rationalise the creation of approximately 200 package specifications over the next two years.
Writing and auditing package specifications with Benoy’s specification writer.
SpecMan software training to London and Newark staff.
Preparation of QA procedures to ensure consistent methods between 3 in 1 office and between 2 offices.
Project is broken into many zones including 3 Anchor stores, the triangular Mall Retail Centre, 3 themed entertainment and food villages (2 now being carried out by other Architects), 13000 car park spaces on site and in 4 multi storey car parks, Landscaped grounds with activity centre and lakes.
144 package specifications prepared in first two years

Benoy Staff/Student TutoringApril ’96 –
Have been approached by numerous staff members for guidance on many issues and have assisted during lunch times and after hours including:
Part 2 student: Yachting Club with ship wreck imagery, Guidance on design and construction.
Modern Dance School in Deptford with sustainable development requirements (ongoing),
Part 3 student: Competition Entry: Buddist Temple in UK (Winning scheme)
Part 3 PP foreign student: Audited Case Study and assisted with English language and structure. (Passed)
Part 2 & 3 students: Guided on Legal, Construction and technical issue research.  (Passes).
RIBA: Considering Structural Adhesive Glass assembly for house extension. (Pending).

UCCI & EPIC Classification systems Draft ManualJune & Sept. ‘96
I requested to be circulated with the Draft for public comment on the proposed classification system UCCI (Unified Classification for the Constriction Industry) intended to bring together the CI/SfB and CAWS (Common Arrangement of Work Sections) into a single coherent system.
Attended the RIBA presentation by NBS’s Marshall Crawford et al. on their two and a half years work on the now renamed UC/ci and the parallel development of EPIC (Electronic Product Information Co-operation) which is also to be brought into the single scheme.
Prepared a review of table M which represents the proposed revisions of CAWS.
Following the RIBA event the launch of the Draft manual occurred again at the RIBA now renamed Uniclass.CIIG Internet Website & Homepages on Archinet Web Server Oct. ‘96 to April. ‘97
Presented proposals to CIIG committee on the nature of a Website and Homepages to be considered for CIIG and its members.  Suggestion accepted and progress encouraged.
Issued  a questionnaire to all 170+ members for their thoughts and fears, analysis and presentation of results issued for circulation  in CIIG  News sheet.
Design and launched the Website at a CIIG/Archinet event in February ‘97.
Have become the Webmaster to maintain the Website.
Will hold a CIIG Freelance meeting in January to show members how best to use the Homepage that each may have on the CIIG Website.
The Website was discussed at the AGM and is being reviewed for the AGM articles in the CIIG Review.

Metal Compatibility Chart and notesNovember ‘96
Furniture designer: Simon Percival FDes RCA
Ex CSJW. Furniture designer for the New British Library
Simon designs and hand-makes bespoke garden furniture for individual clients and needed guidance on compatibility, durability and methods of protection and separation of different metals and timber.
Prepared a chart to show compatibility and vulnerability between preferred metals, timbers, soils, water and concrete, with reference notes linked to the boxes of the chart.
Arranged in Base to Nobel metal order for clarity.
Included notes on inappropriate Tropical Hardwood species to be avoided.

Bluewater Kent Mall Retail InteriorsNov. ‘96 – Dec. ‘96
Design Architect: Eric R Kuhne (NY USA)Executive Architect: Benoy London
Interior Designer: The Design Solution London,
Project Manager: Lendlease: (Australian),
Prepared outline performance specifications for market testing and value engineering exercises for three finishings packages: Vaulted ceilings, Stone Floors and Balustrading.
Subsequent to the Budget Tender these and many other finishing package specifications have been developed to full prescriptive specifications for Competitive Tenders.

Uniclass EventsNov. ‘96 – Sept. ‘97
Further refinements to UCCI (now Uniclass) were presented at a BSS (British Standards Society) BSG (Building Standards Group)/CIIG event.
The CIIG Freelance group also had a third event presented by NBS’s Committee on the new classification system to replace and encompass CI/SfB and CAWS incorporating the new EPIC Product classification to discuss the changes that occurred after the second RIBA event.
CPIC the Construction Project Information Committee (formerly BPIC: Building PIC) responsible for CPI (Co-ordinated Project Information) and CAWS (Common Arrangement of Work Sections) gratefully acknowledged receipt of the review ASWS submitted to UCCI, this and comments from ACE (Association of Consultant Engineers) has resulted in the creation of two sets of CAWS tables a revised CAWS for Building and a new CAWS table for Civil Engineering.
Many other comments from CIIG members have resulted in the evolution of the classification system.
I have requested other CIIG members reviews to add to the CIIG Review article.
As CIIG events organiser subcommittee member invited CIIG to Uniclass launch event.NBS SpecMan 4 for Windows ‘95: Beta testingDec. ‘96 – Dec. ‘97
Following my continuous feedback to NBS over the past 5 years of SpecMan’s existence and more recently the fault finding and reporting using Compuserve, NBS invited me and 12 practices to request participation in the Beta tests programme of the new version of the software.
I am now one of 6 carrying out the testing, prior to the Feb. ‘97 launch at Constuct IT.
NBS chose ASWS partly because we ‘do strange things with their software’ and because of the extensive ASWS library of work sections, the larger work sections of which have in the past caused the old programme to fail consistently.
Much of the original and invited criticism of the software has been taken into account and new features incorporated to solve them. Further details, demonstrations and sight of a full report and findings can be arranged.

Benoy Action GroupsDec. ‘96 to date
Architects: Benoy London
The Directors are conscious that as Benoy grows rapidly there is a real risk the practice ‘trips over it’s self’ and they felt the best people to ensure this does not happen is the staff themselves.
They invited interested individuals to investigate what needs to be done to solve any problems as they arise.  A number of Action groups were established to orchestrate these activities.
BRM was invited to contribute to the Technical Action Group (TAG) discussions and prepared an initial page report and later built it into 8 page report.
Other groups include: Design Standards, IT, Technical Information, Benoy Factors, Graphics, Interior Design.
The TAG is addressing Specification & drawings, Library, IT, Gurus, Dissemination of information.
TAG is now running CPD seminars by manufacturers, consultants, and staff, software training workshops and Open house events to provide a comprehensive CPD programme.
TAG now publishes a two monthly newsletter intended to keep everyone informed about the TAG activities, Benoy activities project news and gossip.
TAG is identifying Gurus in a range of subjects amongst the staff.  Brian Murphy is now identified as the Specification and an MS Office Guru for the office, providing guidance, seminars and training.

Staff recruitment:Dec. ‘96 to Feb. ‘97
Architect: Benoy London
Sought 4 candidates from ASNET and past colleagues for interview for an additional specification writer to join the Bluewater team.
Interviews and all negotiations to be carried out between Benoy and the candidates.
One member to join Benoy full time another to work on commissions 2-3 days per week.
Howard deMont joined full time Michael Allen commissioned.

Laxton Specification Library management and editing system: Jan. ‘97
Laxtons specification in book form and on disk soon to be launched as a specification library.
It is written  by the ex PSA General Specification authors Chris Bottomley and John Beardsall.
I have suggested it needs a means to help promote its sale in competition with NBS, NBS disk service, NBS for Windows and NBS SpecMan and the Architectural Press/EMAP spec.
Software author Michael Allan uses MS Excel to create an alternative to NBS SpecMan.
Attempting to bring the two parties together to consider joining forces.
This may also be an opportunity to develop an FM Spec. system.Benoy Action Groups Software Training WorkshopsJan ‘97 to date
Architects: Benoy London
BRM held an introduction into the TAG activities combined with a ‘glimpse at specification’.
As a leaving present to a departing member of staff BRM has run a ‘Crash course in Specification’ attended by 8 of the RIBA Part 2 students.
Members of staff have asked for MS Word for Windows 6 training the Secretarial staff are first on the agenda, Brian will be running a series of workshops demonstrating some of the less frequently explored features of the software.  This may be followed by a ‘Back to basics’ for non-users.
In interest has been shown in using MS Excel BRM may run workshops in this also.

Specification & CDM service for US based practiceFeb. ‘97 – Sept. ‘97.
Architect: Peter Marino (New York USA)Value: circa £1m
Project: Louis Vuitton (US Expensive luggage and accessories retailer) New Bond Street. Fit-out.
Scope: To review PM’s design drawings, carry out CDM reviews throughout project, prepare CAWS structured specification from US Master system structured outline specification, apply for Building Regulations, co-ordinate and review sub-contractor’s drawings, assist in site meetings.
ASNET members are working on this project together:
Chris Bottomley Associates (Specification).
Peter Slinger or Eidetic Ltd. (CDM, Building Regulations, Site visits, drawing reviews).
ASWS (contact point, co-ordination, Classification systems comparisons).
Submitted proposals in respect of CDM split of responsibilities, PII etc. and they carried out the work themselves.

CIIG on the Internet The Launch at Archinet Feb. ’97
Brian Murphy and Susan Waller of GMJ prepared the Website for the official launch on Thursday 20th February at Archinet’s office which was attended by 7 members of CIIG and 4 from GMJ.
The Website is equivalent to 8 A4 pages of text, with hypertext links and 1 CIIG logo and took about 10 hours spread over 4 months to create, including CIIG committee meetings and many proof readings and adjustments.  It was created in Word for Windows Internet Assistant.
The launch edition of our Website, was made possible by the support of our hosts Archinet and the interest of CIIG members.

AGM Internet Website demonstration at RIBAMarch ’97
Brian Murphy’s demonstration of the Internet Website was hampered by RIBA televisions technology and was not to be.  Brian Murphy gave an outline of the past two years CIIG acivities to the meeting.

Oracle Shopping Centre ReadingApril ‘97
Architects: Haskoll & Company
Mohammed Hussaine an ex. member of staff at GMW working on the project had some GMW/ASWS specifications and GMW had carried out an Audit on the design for the Developer.
Brought in to avoid any copyright issues and prepare two Precast Cladding package specifications.
ASNET Specification Writers Chris Bottomley and John Beardsall were given the task to prepare these over a period of 7 day.

Oxford Science Park Plot 4 B1 Office building April. ‘97 –
Value: £ 2mClient: Developer
Architects: Proctor Matthews Associates.
Invited to participate in collaborative project, preparing specification.
Attended multi-practice and client meeting to promote working methods.

WellHouse Arts Centre Midsomer NortonApril. ‘97 – Sept. ‘97
Value: £1.75m (Lottery funded)General Contract JCT 80
Architect: The Buck Goodliff Partnership Clapham London
Roger Goodliff a friend of Smith Roberts Bristol (Peter Roberts a past working colleague of BRM).
Preparation of specification. for 2 storey building.
Assisted by ASNET members Narendra Viadya draft spec., Tim Grey on SpecMan software and BRM auditing and finalising all output.

CIIG CommitteeApril ‘97 –
Invited initially to discuss potential CIIG Website then invited to become Webmaster and attend intermittently, then became CIIG Events subcommittee member (team of 3).

Benoy Action Groups IntranetApril ‘97 –
Architects: Benoy London
Zach Hill, Martin and Marie Patience individual members of TAG are now seeking to create an Intranet for dissemination of information in the office for staff and visitors alike to explore the Benoy’s Corporate Knowledge: including amongst many others, Case histories, office layout, staff CV’s, project documents, Jargon Busters and many other things.  “The Benoy Corporate Knowledge from a single point of access.”
BRM has prepared a 2 page report outlining Zach’s and TAG’s vision for the TAG committee and the Directors and is actively assisting Zach Hill in getting approval to create the Intranet.
BRM created an 8 page ‘Jargon Busters’ on IT, Specification, and Information terminology and Acronyms etc. this was issued with the TAG Newsletter to keep staff informed.  It will become part of the Intranet.

Arts Centre, Aberystwyth University Wales:May. ‘97 – Nov. ‘97
Architects: Smith Roberts Associates (Peter Roberts and Brian Murphy past working colleagues).
Value: £2.75m (seeking Millennium fund/Lottery money)
Extension and reuse of existing university buildings as Arts, Media & Theatre School.
Scope: Site visit, photographic survey, prepare specifications for Building, Finishes, Fittings, External Works.
Advanced works alterations in Great Hall Minor works specification by Brian Murphy.
Assisted by ASNET members Narendra Viadya draft spec and Tim Grey on SpecMan software.
Brian Murphy auditing all and finalising all output in SpecMan and Word.

Review BBA Agrément Certificate 94/3041 The Syntha Pulvin System: July ‘97
British Board of Agrément Invited me to complete questionnaire on product experience and performance.

Nayburn York Designer Outlet CentreJuly – August ‘97
Architect: Design: Benoy Newark, Executive: Benoy London, Developer: BAA McArther Glen
Advice to Project Architect on the creation of a Design & Build outline specification for the D&B Tender.
Audit on draft and provision of additional work sections to be added to draft.

Bluewater Kent Retail and Leisure Park: Site wide SignageAugust – Dec. ’97
Signage Consultant: Henrion, Ludlow & Schmidt London
Prepared performance and prescriptive specification based on consultants document for market testing and value engineering exercises for the Signage package for Mall interiors, Welcome Halls, Car parking, Landscape and lake sides, Bus station, Entry and exit highways.
Co-ordination with and audit of two related packages: Bluewater Traffic Control System and Variable Message Signs packages.

Bullring Birmingham Inner city shopping mall: Aug ‘97 – Aug ‘98
First phase of multi-phased development
Indoor Market and multi storey car parkValue £21m
Architect: Benoy London
Work complicated by initial work treated as packages in Management Contract but will eventually revert to GMP General JCT 80 contract.
Co-ordination of design team and specification 3 man team’s output, including audit of drawings and specification drafts, and specification writing.
Setting precedent for standards of specification of remainder of site phases. (£300m shopping centre)

CIIG Freelance group evening meeting ‘Website Hompages creation’August ’97
In order for CIIG freelance members to benefit for the available space on our Website, I gave an explanation of some simple HTML hyper text mark-up language tags to enable members to create their own pages.  This was supported by supplying a sample blank page on disk for members to complete themselves.

White City Shopping Centre London:Late ‘97 – Early ‘99
Architect: Benoy Newark and London
Initial advanced works package specifications set up on SpecMan for Howard de Mont to process.
Anticipate preparing package specifications for Project during ‘98-’99

Benoy London Reception Area Ideas Competition:
Value £250,000
Designer: Brian MurphyCollaborators: 6 Benoy staff
All staff members invited to submit entries to redesign ground floor reception area of building which Benoy now occupies 4 of 5 floors.
Our scheme proposed an Intranet for all Practice and Project information from a ‘single point of access’, a computer interface to the Benoy Corporate Knowledge.  This proposal included Bonney the female face and voice the interface with the Intranet who can be asked questions and give answers about anything in her Intranet.  Bonney welcomes and monitors visitors, reserves conference rooms for you, controls the linear induction motor lifts via Limmey the lifts ‘human’ interface, and all computer peripherals to ensure visits are fruitful and staff can work as efficiently as possible.  The scheme included a touch screen to control a wall wide computer screen in the reception area.  The proposal included a collage showing the proposal and a MS Powerpoint slide show with text, image and voices of Bonney and Limmey.
The scheme shared 1st prize with 3 others and feasibility studies were promised on those schemes.

CIIG Events Organising Working Group Aug. ’97 – Dec. ‘98
Teresa Brown, Sarah Burgess & Brian Murphy agreed to run for one year.
Carried out postal survey to determine events of interest offering 50 topics  and picked 10 most popular for first years events.
Globe TheatreAug ’97
The London Research Centre Sept. ’97
RIBA Publications Uniclass Launch Sept. ‘97
Internet Month at Benoy (see below)Oct. – Nov. ’97
Brian Murphy gave 9 presentations over 5 consecutive Wednesday lunch times and evenings
John Edwards gave a presentation on RIBA Net
Department of the Environment Library Nov. ’97
CIRIA Site Safety CD-ROM PreviewDec. ’97

Internet Month at Benoy with CIIGOct – Nov ‘97
Brian Murphy prepared and held a series of events over a month, including a joint presentation with CIIG in the Benoy London office. Most of the presentation material already existed and only needed a little tweaking to bring it up to date. They were run over lunchtimes and evenings for 5 Wednesdays of the months of October and November. The majority of the events are intended to be introductory and educational and available to all staff members.
Internet: its History and what it is
Internet: how do I get on it and what is there
Websites and Homepages What are they used for
Internet Surfing: to relevant sites including CIIG and Archinet
HTML hypertext mark up language creation using Notepad
Word Internet Assistant and other HTML editors/browsers
Interactive Procedure Manuals, CV, Case Histories and Sales Aid, & Jargon Buster
RIBA Net: by John Edwards from the RIBA
RIBA’s own Internet community conference site.  What is there for the profession & students?
Email; What it can do for a company.
Intranet: What are they, what they contain
Bonney Benoy’s Intranet (Benoy reception competition entry in detail.)

Oxford Science Park Plot 4 B1 Office building Dec. ‘97 – April. ‘98
Value: £ 2mClient: Developer
Architects: Proctor Matthews Associates.
Specifications for 4 specialist sub-contracts and the General Contract prepared by ASNET members Narendra Viadya preparing drafts, Tim Gray on SpecMan and Brian Murphy auditing and finalising all output in SpecMan and Word.

Bluewater Kent Retail and Leisure Park, Kent: Bus StationDec. ’97 – Mar ’98
Architect: Benoy London under eye of Eric Khune
Howard de Mont prepared performance and prescriptive specification for Bus station, link canopies and linear piers in SpecMan. The brief and consequently the drawings continued to change throughout the drawing and specification period. Brian Murphy audited and completed the specification in SpecMan and Word for Tender.  Co-ordination with related specifications for same package: Structure and Below ground works, M&E services specifications.

IT Invested in a Portable Iomega Jaz drive with SCSI/parallel adapter
With 1Gb removable disk drive this enable me to back up the whole of the portable computer’s hard disk and also to reconcile my clients office server’s files with those on the portable without the use of floppies.

St Enoch Shopping Centre Glasgow RefurbishmentJan ’98 –
Architects: Benoy London
Alterations and extensions to an existing shopping mall whilst it remains open to the public.
A General Contract being subdivided into 150 packages for separate tendering.

Benoy Associates Meeting: Presentation on Specification strategy: Feb ‘98
In a bid to improve the efficiency of the specification group we have implemented a drive to gain greater involvement in the whole project process, Brian Murphy presented a paper on specification strategy.  Issues raised include earlier involvement in process, early discussions on detail, involvement in the procurement process in discussions with other parties to the project, and awareness by the team of specification writers greater role etc.  Some progress was made in the meeting.

Benoy TAG CPD seminar:  Durability, Life expectancy, Product Quality and the HAPM manual.
Brian Murphy gave a lunch time presentation on the subject including Specification Substitution, Guarantees etc. followed by the authors of the HAPM manual presenting the Manual, the new ISO on building durability and auditing methods and how they relate to retail design.

Provided CV page for Benoy’s Submissions pack for future Projects Feb ’98

The Broadway/Hartfield Road Wimbledon, ShoppingFeb. ’98 –
Developer: Shearer Property Group & Hill Samual Property Unit trust
Architects: Benoy Ltd. London
Minor involvement setting up and guiding team on content and methods, Howard deMont prepared most of General Contract specification for shell-only, conservation area, infill site with two frontages.

CIIG Events Organising Working Group Feb. ’98 –
Teresa Brown, Sarah Burgess & Brian Murphy agreed to run for another year.
Loss Prevention Council April ‘98.
New British Library EustonMay ‘98 & Oct ’98
Library and Information Show Industry & Commercial Libraries June 2nd – 4th ’98
Exhibition NEC CIIG will have a stand.  Brain Murphy will man it.
CIIG Conference: Knowledge Creation and Lifelong Learning June 3rd ‘98
LUL London Underground Ltd. library and a CybercafeJune ’98
Arrival by river boat as alternative to the DLR, and drinks in the Canary Wharf.
BSRIAJuly ’98
University of WestminsterAugust ’98
Construction Housing and Surveying Library and a visit to the Henry Simpson Library
Globe TheatreDuring Summer
Archives Centre City of WestminsterSept. ‘98
English Partnership Oct. ’98
Environment AgencyNov. ’98
CIBSE’99

Benoy Software training: MS PowerpointMar ’98
Gave a Director a 2 hour training to create and show presentations on a Laptop computer.

Syntha Pulvin Product specification reviewApril ’98
Review specification to see if it needs to be updated.

Low cost housing, 9-25 Mile End Road, East End, London:April ‘98
Architects: Proctor Matthews Associates.
Specifications for the General Contract.  Client instructed no specification required.

Community Sports Centre, Stoneyard Lane Poplar High Street, Isle of Dogs, London.
Client: For London Borough of Tower Hamlets/LDDC Social Accord
Architects: Proctor Matthews Associates.April ‘98
Since the original building was tendered in May ’96 the project brief has changed twice and the value doubled and now quartered.  Rework the existing specification to correspond to the latest version of the project.
Specifications for the General Contract reworked by Tim Gray in Word and Brian Murphy auditing and finalising all output in SpecMan and Word.

Tweeds Quantity Surveyors: Outline SpecificationsApril ’98
Brian Bulfin (Ex GMW) invited Brian Murphy to submit CV for possible collaboration on Project Outline Specifications.

RIBA Publications Product Selector Plus 5 User GroupApril ‘98
Invited to join user group to review latest edition of CD version of Free 3 volume product index book, originally supplied as part of SpecMan software now a stand alone product.

Visit to BL CIIG and BenoyMay, Oct & Dec ’98
Arranged, attended and presented numerous informal and formal visits, tours and seminars for Librarians and Architects to the British Library.

CIIG at NEC 3 day exhibition and 1 day conferenceJune ’98
Brian Murphy attended the Learned Knowledge organised Knowledge Management Exhibition at NEC representing CIIG on the Joint Forum of Special Libraries, and manning the stand for 3 days.
Brian also attended the CIIG Conference ‘Knowledge Management & Lifelong Learning’ held on day 2.
Having attended many seminar and presentation events Brian prepared a 2 page article reviewing the Exhibition and seminars for the CIIG Review read by all CIIG members,

White City Retail Development
Value £480mJune ’98 –
Architects: BenoyConcept Architect: Ian Richie
Developer: StanhopeConstruction Manager: Bovis
Reviewed Commissions and Contracts
Initial packages set up in SpecMan for infrastructure to below ground underground train sidings.

Benoy TAG CPD seminar:  Procurement Methods.
Brian Murphy gave 2 lunch time presentation on the subject including General Contracting, Construction Management, Management Contracting, D&B, DMC, BOOT etc.

Mermaid court Cardiff BayJuly ’98 –
Architect: The Newark Office of BenoyValue: £13 m
Met to discuss approach and scope of work, Brian Murphy & Howard deMont to prepare specification in SpecMan.
Since the project Tenders came in over budget based on drawings without a specification the specification drafts are to be rewritten to correspond to the Contract the Contractor has signed up to after a cost saving exercise initiated by them to cut £3.5m off the Tender sum.

Plastek Factory, MansfieldJuly ’98 – Sept ‘98
Architect: The Newark Office of BenoyValue £3-4m
Met to discuss approach and scope of work, Brian Murphy prepared initial enquiry question and answer sheets to design team.  Howard deMont & Brian Murphy prepared specification in SpecMan for half a dozen work sections covering the external envelope, the remainder being covered by PC Sum.

7 Bridges House Oracle ReadingJuly ’98 – Aug’98
Architects: Haskoll & Co.Vaue: £0.5m
Construction Manger: Bovis
This Class II listed building (Possibly Adam) had been allowed to fall into a state of serious decay, part of the planning gain on the site was to conserve the building and bring it up to use as an Office Building.
This was the first Conservation Quality specification ASWS have prepared, and the ASWS specification is substantially upgraded in the process.

Water Features at Bluewater Retail Centre East Village
Water Feature Consultant: Crystal FountainsAug ’98
Architect: Benoy
Audited the Consultants specification and prepared work sections to compliment their updated text.

Aberystwyth University Arts CentreAug ’98 – Sept ’98
Architect: Smith RobertsContractor: Birse
Since the original scheme was tendered in Jan ’98 the Tenders came in considerably over budget, the QS was sacked, the project brief has reduced and a cost cutting exercise was entered into with the lowest Tenderer.  Rework the existing specification to correspond to the latest version of the project.
Specification for the Great Hall advanced works diminished and combined into the General Contract.
Some work sections reworked by Tim Gray in SpecMan and Word; main specification reviewed and updated by Brian Murphy in Word.

Forman St NottinghamSept’98 –
Architect: Benoy NewarkValue: £50-100m
Prepared report to discuss approach and scope of work, Brian Murphy prepared initial enquiry question and answer sheets to Contract and design team.
Specifications are to integrate with the Developer’s own standard details and standard specification based on NBS text and CPI principals, but will also include construction methods not covered by this set of documents.  Howard deMont & Brian Murphy to prepare specification in SpecMan.
Outline specifications prepared for specialist sub-contract pre-tender meetings by Brian Murphy in Word.
Audit the Newark office’s outline Development specifications.

Benoy TAG CPD seminar: Design Responsibility and Performance Specification.
Benoy LondonOct – Nov ‘98
Brian Murphy to complete a series of lunch time presentations on the subject including in introduction to the A90 preliminaries work section of the ASWS library.
London Director has asked that the seminars on Procurement Methods and Design responsibility be offered to the Newark office of Benoy.

Bluewater Park Retail and Leisure: Operation and Maintenance Documents
O&M Consultants: Watts & PartnersJune ‘98 – Dec ’98
Architects: Benoy London
Review O&M documents from Trade Contractors and co-ordinate the comments of all Zone team leader Architect’s reviewers before returning to O&M Consultant to enter into FM Database.

Mixed use rebuild of 3 terraced houses in Portobello Road
Architects: Snezana Jackson ArchitectsSept ’98 –
3 Houses with ground floor shops to become basement bakery, GF Restaurant and 3 upper floor flats.
Will prepare specifications for simple General Contract.

Bluewater Park Retail and Leisure: Loose, Fixed and Bespoke Furniture Schedule
Value: £0.75mSept’98 – Oct ‘98
Interior Designers: Benoy LondonConcept Architect: Eric Khune & JPRL (USA)
Attended furniture display and assessment meetings with Furniture Suppliers, Client, Concept Architect, Interior Designer and Construction manager to offer guidance during assessment.
Developed schedules in MS Excel and specifications in SpecMan.
Creating full range of furniture specification work sections for use on all packages on this project.

SpecNet: Internet based graphic interface product selectorOct ’98 – April ’99
Sandy Patience a practising Architect with a mission in life, demonstrated a preview version of the SPECNET Web site he is creating to convert the ‘World wide car boot sale’ of manufacturer’s information on web sites into a ‘true product selector’ where you can pick a product by its colour and appearance or by its performance characteristics in a single visit to a single Website.
SPECNET combines the exactness of Barbour Construction Expert with the essence of the office product library or the Barbour Compendium, in a database with an interactive search engine where the Architect defines the parameters of the search and the software offers images of the products meeting the criteria for the Architect to compare and choose.
Once one of the product images is selected, close-ups can be viewed, images of the product in use in a building are available, it can be seen in a CAD view, in the colour of the architect’s choice and dictionary definitions can be explored by those wanting to know more about the method of construction.
I have assisted Sandy Patience in promoting it through members of CIIG making introductions to those members of CIIG who will be able to help it develop and offered assistance in developing the product and methods of organising the information contained suggesting EPIC from Uniclass.  I have attended promotional events to potential investors and publishers.

Southfields School for Girls, Kettering: Re-cladding failed curtain walling
Value: £300,000 to £1.5mNov ’98 –
Curtain Walling Consultant: Paul Lorentzen (Ex PTP Birmingham – have collaborated on past projects)
Preparing bid seeking Phase 1 – 3 NDS funding.
To replace failed replacement curtain walling and extensive consequential loss damage.
Specifications for Asbestos removal, Concrete repair, Curtain walling and Rainscreen cladding, work at roof abutment, Laboratory plumbing, heating and electrical installation, Furniture, Metalwork and decoration.

Crisis? What crisis? Nov ‘98
2 page article on the Millennium Bug for the CIIG Review.
Probably part of a series addressing the issues, the problems, self-help, solutions and providers.

Oracle Shopping Centre Reading Phase IIINov ’98
Client’s Architects: Haskoll & Co.Value: £10m
Construction Manger: BovisContractor’s Architect: Benoy London
Tenderer/Contractor: McAlpine
Given 3 hours to reviewed the 100 mm thick double-sided Contract Specification for Benoy/McAlpine and prepare two page report for a mid-tender meeting to be attended by Directors.

CIIG Events Organising Working Group Nov. ’98 –
Teresa Brown, Sarah Burgess & Brian Murphy agreed to run for another year.
New British Library EustonDec. ‘98
Social meeting after British Library VisitDec. ‘98
PAFEC Ltd. Nottingham PAFEC software demonstrationJan. ’98
Eco Centre Construction ResourcesFeb. ’98
History of Architectural Photography talk/slides at RIBA Mar. ’98
RIBA/Ti CIS updated software demonstrationApr. ’98
City Business LibraryApr. ‘98
BAA Building Heathrow visitMay ‘98
Social meetingMay ’98
Thompsons DirectoriesJune ’98
Archiving and storage/retrieval systems and colour tab systemsJuly ’98
CIRCA presentation by Janet Brown Sept. ‘98
Specnet demonstration at Henry Simpson Memorial Library ‘98
English Partnership ’98
Environment Agency’98

Have you backed it up? Mar ’99
Following on from the Crisis? What Crisis? 2 page article on the Millennium Bug for the CIIG Review.
The second part of the series of 4 articles is about protecting your data before attempting to fix any hardware or software problems.
To be followed by hardware and software fixes in next two quarterly issues of CIIG Review.

CIIG AGM Events ReviewMar ’99
In addition to the usual spoken presentation on the previous years CIIG visits, I presented a slide show with dialogue on amoungst others the 3 visits to the British Library, to PAFEC Ltd. to see a software demonstration, to the Harry Simpson Memorial Library at Westminster University and the Inland Revenue Office Nottingham.

CIIG Conference at NEC June 1999Mar ’99 – June ’99
I have agreed to chair the subcommittee to organise the conference titled: ‘Is your Professional Development Continuing?’  and to chair the conference as well.  We have arranged for speakers and a panel debate with RIBA, LA, CPD in Construction, RICS, BIAT, IIP, CITB representatives.

Oracle Shopping Centre Reading Phase IIIApril ’99
Client’s Architects: Haskoll & Co.Value: £10m
Contractor’s Architect: Benoy London
D&B Contractor: Sir Robert McAlpine
Following the 3 hour review of the Specification we are now commissioned to act as Contractor’s Architect and using Haskoll specifications, review and create any addendum specification text to support Haskoll/Benoy drawings for sub-contract tendering and construction.

Bullring Birmingham Inner city shopping centre market building: April ‘99 –
First phase of multi-phased development
Indoor Meat and Fish Market and multi storey car parkValue £21m
Architect: Benoy London
Following aborted project Aug 1997- Aug 1998, new team taking existing scheme, working drawings, specification, reviewing them, rationalising design, considering alternatives and progressing to Tender stage.

Green is the Colour: The Practical Application of Sustainability: March ’99 – April ‘99
Building Design Conferences at RIBA
Paper on Building, Health & Safety Regulations & Specification in the use of Green materials.
Over an 8 day period of intermittent research in a client’s library and CD information service, I created a bibliography and chronology of environmental issues including; International Conferences, Public awareness, Green activists, Ethical financial activity, Legislation, Information and Guides, project case studies, publications and articles in the press.
I selected 35 mm. slides from my collection, went on recognisance with camera, I presented the show to my Client’s staff members, honed the chronology, created the seminar paper and slide show.
Presented the paper at the conference.

Public Declaration of Intent to work on Green projects in futureApril ’99
I feel that it is all of our responsibilities to change and now.  I now wish only to work with designers adopting sustainable approaches to building in the future.
I hope to be able to decline all other work as quickly as possible.  In the mean time I will do all that I can to encourage the use of ‘Green’ and sustainable approaches in ‘Violet’ projects.

Senior Lecturer in Architecture (Technology)April ‘99
Application for post at Kingston University, Faculty of Design, School of Architecture and Design.
Responsibilities could include the teaching of principles of technology and sustainable design and managing the technical and environmental input into the undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
Potentially developing new modules and their integration with design in Architecture and Landscape courses.

SpecNet: Internet based graphic interface product selectorApril ‘99 – May ‘99
As part of the promotional exercise Sandy, other software authors and myself are developing a demonstration Website to demonstrate the ability of the software, including 5 manufacturer’s product ranges.
We are adding manufacturer’s information into a database whilst software authors are refining the software and including our database in the software along with illustrations and guidance notes.

New Portable computersJuly ’99
Had to replace 5 year old portable with broken hinge, whilst hoping to make it to the Millenium, the motherboard completely fused and the change was forced early.
ACi Aspect Pentium II 466 MHz, 10 Gb drive 64 Mb RAM, Windows 98, Office 97. Second machine for ASNet members use: ACi Aspect Pentium II 366 MHz, 4 Gb drive 64 Mb RAM, Windows 98, Office 97.
All claimed Millenium compliant hardware.
Windows 98 proved to be problematic with SpecMan 4 but the Win 98 Second edition solved this.
Eventually both motherboards replaced during Mar/April 2000 due to intermittent problems.

Holmes Place Islington, AlterationJuly ’99 – Nov ’99
Architect: Walters and CohenClient: Holmes Place Health Clubs
New Health Club into existing part-occupied office building in residential area, including acoustic improvements to prevent noise outbreak to adjacent tenancies and residential neighbours.
Structural alterations, changes to external envelope, interiors, furniture, external works and soft landscape.
W&C’s librarian is a member of CIIG and librarian at Conran & Partners, she made the introduction.
Specification and drawing audit followed by rewriting of specification into NBS/ASWS format.
Additional complications with transfer from PC to Mac and use of Rotis font and versions of Word.

Comax Nursery, RAF FarnboroughJuly ’99 – Dec ’99
Architect: Walters and CohenClient: Comax Nursery Schools
New single storey two mono-pitched winged steel framed building on an existing wooded site.
Review drawings and provide NBS specification from SpecMan.
SpecNet members Ian Adamson prepared raw NBS draft Tim Gray processed in SpecMan and BRM reviewed and completed all including non-NBS and log filled Gabion wall.
External envelope, interiors, furniture, external works and soft landscape.
External works included recycled timber logs as gabion wall filling.

Greenwich Millennium Village Phase 2Aug ’99 – July ‘00
Architect: Proctor Matthews
Important commercial/social housing project setting standards for other 21st Century speculative housing for sale and social housing for rent.
Standards include Parker Morris, Safety by Design, Lifetime Homes, Egan industrialisation and innovation, Sustainability etc.
Introduced Architect to Ecological Building Centre and pursued the use of Steko timber building blocks as an alternative to traditional timber frame construction.
After meeting EBC and manufacturer, developed new work section G21 Structural Timber Blockwork.
Package specifications for Windows, Show Flat, Roofs, Terraces, Walls, Metalwork, Stairs, Envelope cladding, etc.
Carried out audit on tender for traditional timber frame cassette panels used on site.

State of Kuwait State Audit Bureau Headquarters BuildingAug ’99 – July ’00
Architect: J S Bonnington & PartnersValue: £34m.
Preparing specifications based on NBS but using the USA CSI classification system for its subdivision instead of CAWS NBS’s chosen classification.
Ian Forsyth retired ASNet member and ex Director of JS Bonnington gave introduction.

Holmes Place Canary RiversideNov ’99 – Jan ’00
Architect: Walters and CohenClient: Holmes Place Health Clubs
New Health Club into new purpose built shell by others, in residential area, including acoustic improvements to prevent noise outbreak to adjacent tenancies and residential neighbours.
Completing internal face of external walls, interiors, furniture, finishes, etc.
Reviewing the existing specification and drawings and developing an NBS/ASWS based specification in SpecMan 4 and Word for Windows 6 for use on the Mac in Word 6.0.1

Peter Jones Refurbishment Sloane SquareNov ’99
Architect: Bamber & Raddan ArchitectsClient John Lewis Partnership
Duration: 5 yearsValue £80 m.
Proposal to create package specifications in SpecMan software possibly job sharing with Narendra Vaidya, who had also previously applied for post.
Ex Benoy employee introduction.  Brief was too open ended and cautious proposal was not accepted.

Interbuild 2000 CIIG Conference Nov ’99 – May ’00
Initiated the CIIG conference subjects, based around Egan and Sustainability, I suggested Theme and speakers and joined the sub-committee to develop the proposal.  I will speak briefly on the subject of the professions need for topical information and its accessibility.

Low cost housing, 9-25 Mile End Road, East End, London:Dec ’99
Architects: Proctor Matthews.
In April ‘98 the Developer/Client instructed no specification required, some problems occurred with acoustic performance of walls in courtyard terraces.
Prepared specification for the brick and blockwork on the later Mile End Road terrace.

CIIG Events Organising Working Group Nov. ’99 –
Sarah Burgess & Brian Murphy agreed to run for another year.
BAA HQ Building at Heathrow visit‘99
NBS HQ Newcastle visit‘99
WICADD Bristol visitSept. ‘99
History of Architectural Photography talk/slides at RIBA Oct. ’99
CIIG Xmas meal/drinksDec. ‘99
Ove Arup Library Information Service visitJan ’00
Feb ‘00
Social meeting after AGMMar ’00
Millennium Dome visitApril ’00
CIIG Conference at InterbuildMay ’00
Millennium Bridge and Tate ModernJuly ’00
BA London Eye flightAug ‘00

Millenium bug precautionsDec ’99 – Jan ’00
The two new PC laptops are claimed Millenium compliant but some of the software being used needed to be updated to avoid problems:
Old version 5 of Intuit Quicken (Accounts) upgraded to Quicken 2000.
Lotus Organiser 2 (Diary) upgraded to Organiser 5.
Took the opportunity to repurchase the now Symantec WinFax Pro 9.
Precautionary back-ups up to midnight, the computer sailed through new years eve midnight without any problem and so far no problems have shown up since.
The second hand table top PC has already got a dead clock battery and so is stuck in 1996, it may have a Millenium bug problem but it will be some years before they show up.
10/01/2000 Computer failure caused by corrupted Registry.  Was it a virus?

Channel Tunnel Rail LinkJan ’00 – ‘June ’00
Joint venture: RLE Rail Link Engineering, Bechtel, Arup, Union Railways, Railtrak
Architect: Ove Arup Partnership (Architectural) Value £400m
Approached by Narendra Vaidya a member of ASNet to join the specification team for the 3 zone single specification work at St Pancras station.

Channel Tunnel Rail Link First task: Gas Facility Building adjacent to St Pancras station: Carried out audit on existing drawings and specification, written by another now left, it was based on an earlier project specification and still contained remnants of that project not relevant to this one.
Rewrote to an acceptable standard, checking each item with the manufacturers.
Minimum embellishment and checked against NBS base spec.  All carried out in Word.

Channel Tunnel Rail Link Second task: Lineside building generic spec
With Tim Gray wrote a spec of the first of a series of railway tunnel ventilation headhouses along the Section 2 north of the Thames, this became the template for many contracts for similar buildings.  Started in SpecMan, transferred to Word and converted to a template in the RLE Rail Link Engineering templates with further added features.

Channel Tunnel Rail Link Termini Third task: Temporary Station at St. Pancras station
Carried out Audit of an existing specification for the temporary decanting of the station function for Midland Mainline and Thameslink to the station extension platforms during the rebuilding of the existing Barlow Shed Roof to the original design.
This was originally written off the back of a specification for a Major Public Building for Opera, a very strange place to start for what was to be a 2 and a half year design life, temporary building consisting of a large number of Yorkon/Portacabin prefabricated buildings.
Rewrote it as a performance specification for a Design and Build temporary project.

Lunchtime CPD @ Libraria Jan ’00 and ongoing
Joyce Chidlow of Libraria and Brian Murphy are running a series of lunch time CPD seminars from Libraria’s Covent Garden premises at 11 West Street, (Just off Cambridge Circus) Covent Garden, London WC2H 9NE.
Initially they will run at monthly intervals 3rd or 4th Wednesday of each month, between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.  £5.00 will be charged to cover the cost of a buffett lunch.
Subjects sofar:
JanuaryGabion WallsMacafferri Ltd.
FebruarySafe Access LatchwaysLatchways plc.
MarchSolar shadingLevolux the Louvre Blind Company
AprilPsychology of Colour
MaySlide Library ManagementSylvia
JuneGreen Materials available in the UK todayLucy Pedler of the EBC
JulyDesigning to reduce water demandCath Hassell of the EBC

CIIG AGM Events ReviewMar ’00
In addition to the usual spoken presentation on the previous years CIIG visits, I presented a slide show with dialogue on amongst others the 3 visits at BRE to the Environment Building, Wood Library and Integer House, BAA Heathrow HQ, Christmas do and others.

Redevelopment of St John Reade Hostel RedlandMay ’00 – Oct ’00
Architect: Ferguson Mann Architects Bristol. (Member of Acanthus group)
Developer: Edward Ware New Homes
Introduction: Roger Goodliffe now an Associate with FMA (worked with Roger at Buck Goodliffe and Smith Roberts)
Invited to prepare specifications from scratch for this high quality housing development with a design practice and developer who both desire to adopt sustainable development principals.

12-16 City Road LondonJuly ’00 –
Architect: Walters and CohenValue £0.5m
Roof extensions and alterations to all floors of existing buildings with mixed use Retail and Office with residential above.
Intermediate NBS specification to be developed with Architect.
The Architect wishes to introduce green materials where feasible.

Albert Pier Housing JerseyJuly ’00 – Sept ’00
Employer: The Waterfront Enterprise Board Ltd.Value £22m
Design Architect: Nigel Biggar & Partners Jersey
Production Information Architect: John S Bonnington Partnership St Albans
Introduction: Peter Fishwick of JSBP
Second stage of a 2 stage tendering process leading towards 100% GMP contract.
5 specification work sections have been started in NBS Intermediate version, required to audit the drawings and other documents and complete the specification for Architectural and Landscape Elements.
ASWS initial audit of drawings and existing specifications includes a review of materials to reconsider greener alternatives. 

Greenwich Millennium Village Phase 2aSept ’00 –
Architect: Proctor Matthews
Second stage of the site has a slower design phase which will allow a more rigorous review of methods and materials, but where first stages are successful, specifications will just be updated to suit scope of the stage.
Package specifications for: close tolerance Metal stud framed external wall panels within concrete frame structure, Windows, Roofs, Walls, Metalwork, Stairs, Envelope etc.


© GBE NGS ASWS BrianMurphy
aka BrianSpecMan
22nd August 2013

ASWS Projects
See Also:


Brian R Murphy BSc Dip Arch (Hons) (PNL)
Specifications, projects & other activities whilst employed.

Specification notes on 1:100 scale single drawing working drawings‘75-’79
Architects: Carress & RobertsonJCT ’63 or minor works General Contracts
Most work by the practice was not supervised so specification notes on drawings had to be self-sufficient, for building regulations, for pricing and construction.  Included new work and work to existing, one off houses, estates, agricultural, industrial, commercial buildings.

Metal carport, external works and drainage, Paston, P’boro. for M F Brown Esq.
Architects: Carress & RobertsonJCT ’63 or minor works GC’sJune ’75

Internal bathroom, Kitchen extension, Werrington, P’boro. for E Stahly Esq.
Architects: Carress & RobertsonJCT ’63 or minor works GC’sJune ’77

Building Regulations Specification and Standard details:‘80-’83
In order to simplify and rationalise Building Regulation Applications for own PJ’s I established a system of A4 sheets, CI/SfB classified standard details and specifications for individual elements, which were modified and issued with drawings, these were also suitable for QS and Contractors use.

3 storey block of 12 flats, Tinkers Drove, Wisbech, for Nene Housing Association
Architect: Mathew Robotham and QuinnGeneral ContractJan ’80
Working drawings and specification draft.

4 House 17 unit Young mobile single person shared housing for Nene Housing Association.
Architect: Mathew Robotham and QuinnGeneral ContractJan ’81
Discussed project with QS during working drawing stage providing specification information.

34 flat, Category I sheltered housing, Sprignall, Bretton Peterborough for Nene H A
Architect: Mathew Robotham and QuinnGeneral Contract’81
Discussed project with QS during working drawing stage providing specification information.

Bungalows, houses and 40 No. 2-4 storey Flats, Highbury Fields, Kettering. for Nene H A
Architect: Mathew Robotham and QuinnGeneral Contract’82
Discussed project with QS during working drawing stage providing specification information.

40 unit Category II Sheltered Housing, South St., Stanground, Peterborough. for Minster H A
Architect: Mathew Robotham and QuinnGeneral Contract’83
Discussed project with QS during working drawing stage providing specification information.

Roehampton Convent School conversion to a residential home for elderly and infirm nuns
Architect: Farrington Dennys FisherGeneral Contract’84
Prepared schemes and contract drawings and specification.

Projects during Self-employment before specialising in specification

Polytechnic of North London Diploma course: Specification lectures
Sept. ‘83 – June ’84

Attended series of specification lectures by Yvonne Dean and 1 day NBS workshop.
6 Hour written exam: 2 Hours theory, 4 Hours practical:  specifying 6 materials or elements (20 pages) on the final thesis design:  Pilkingtons Planar glazing, silicone sealants, Planar fixings and brackets, support steelwork and intumescent paint fire protection.
Combined with 18 hour working drawing exam held over three days.


The ‘Beeches’ Whittonditch, Whiltshire for J. Pollard Esq.
Value: £0.2mGeneral ContractNov. ‘83 – Dec. ’83
Architects: Avery Associates Architects,for Covell Mathew Wheatley Partnership.
Revised design, working drawings and 60 page, old PSA and own-based specification, for 3 storey extension to 2 storey Victorian Farm House with room in roof, alterations, garage block and link bridge, with external works, structures, and highly serviced, computer controlled house.


Woodgreen 10 Crown Court Centre, North London.
Value: not known‘83 – ’86
Architect: Avery Associates Architects for PSA Gordon HindleGeneral Contract
Interior Designer: Simpson & Malloy (Court room interiors)
7 storey Court building behind 4 storey retained facade of a Victorian School building, with chapel wings
Design of most external roof features, entrance canopy and hard landscape and other public and private spaces internally.


Museum of the Moving Image, Waterloo Bridge, South Bank, London. for BFI and NFT

  • Value: not known
  • March ’86
  • Architects: Avery Associates Architects
  • Procurement: Design Manage Construct: Bovis DMC
  • Assisted with design drawings, prepared three drafts for package specifications.
    • Stone parapet modifications to Waterloo Bridge,
    • Internal and external stairs ramps and balustrades,
    • Planar glazing to eastern display wall and entrance.

6 Upper Cheyne Roe, Chelsea, London, SW3 for Dr. Ind.
Value: £0.25m in 3 PhasesGeneral ContractSept. ’85
Interior Designer: Lees AssociatesInterior Decorator: Nina Campbell
Audit on working drawings and QS prepared pricing specification, co-ordination and corrections to documents to account for brief changes.
Attic alterations and two storey rear extension flat for son.
Prepared specifications for: Electricity, power, lighting, gas, heating, hot and cold water, sanitaryware, security, intercom, garden irrigation , to compliment the QS’s Architectural Specification.

Victoria Plaza I, London Re-fit Jan.- Mar. ’86
Value: unknownClient: Salomon Bros.  American banking group
Project Management: Lehrer McGovern Interior Decorator: Nina Campbell,
Architects: Heery Architects
Traditional style Directors Suites, 30 seat board room, dining suites, reception areas and major staircase.


© GBE NGS ASWS BrianMurphy
aka BrianSpecMan
22nd August 2013

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