24/7; Déjà vu all over again!

"Existing communication methods have done a good job of addressing most of the information exchange involved in construction. E-mail and electronic file transfer are commonly used between owner and architect, and between architect and consultants. One conspicuous oversight has been the contact between the design professional’s office and the contractor in the field.

"Several computer programs are now available to dramatically improve the exchange of information between office and field. This type of program is so powerful and compelling that it may well be considered the "killer app" for construction administration, just as CAD became a killer app for producing working drawings."

The above quotation is from introductory paragraphs to "Killer Apps!", an article that appeared in the February 1999 issue of the Construction Specifier

Because we can

Isn't it interesting, that amidst all the hoopla about "sustainable" design, there has been little reduction in the stream of new, improved, state-of-the-art, can't-live-without-them products that increase energy demand? Most of these supposedly life-changing inventions offer needless conveniences, and most of them require electricity to operate. They appear to have been created for no better reason that someone could do it.

Some of you may recall the introduction of digital watches and clocks in the '70s. As happens with all things electronic, the first ones were extremely expensive, but within a few years the price dropped - and dropped and dropped; there was no bottom. Suddenly, everything you bought had a digital clock in it. After hundreds of years of surviving with a single watch, or no watch at all, we suddenly couldn't survive without clocks everywhere! Rulers had clocks, pencils and pens had clocks, key fobs had clocks, and countless things with no apparent purpose other than to sit on a desk had clocks. I saw a tape measure with a clock in it.

I'm pretty sure no consumer research drove this frenzy; clocks were added to everything simply because it could be done. Despite the concern about energy consumption, the "because we can" attitude continues today...

Why get certified?

Aren't you tired of all this talk about certification? No one will tell you, but there are a few good reasons to save your time and skip the exams. Why waste the time and effort on something you probably don't need? If any of the following reasons apply to you, sit back and relax - you're in great shape. For now, anyway...

Faith-based specifications

One of the most difficult things specifiers do is try to decide if one product is equivalent to another. Fortunately, many product characteristics are based on industry standards, which can make those products easier to specify and to evaluate.

For example, many hollow metal door manufacturers produce doors and frames that comply with either Steel Door Institute (SDI) or Hollow Metal Manufacturers Association (HMMA) standards. In fact, many manufacturers' products comply with both industry standards, and standards produced by the two organizations are similar. There are differences, but at least the standards are available and one can quickly tell if a hollow metal door complies with one or the other - assuming you have faith in the industry standards.

Other products can be far more difficult to evaluate…

Liebster Blog Award

Early in December, fellow blogger Randy Nishimura honored me by nominating my Constructive Thoughts blog for the Liebster Award. "How cool!" I thought. "It's nice to know someone actually reads what I write!" Being a specifier, I know how rarely that happens, and the relatively few responses to the hundreds of articles I have written suggests those articles don't fare much better.

The thrill quickly dissipated as I read the description of the award; it's for bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.

A Dickens of a Tale

Scrooge was an old man, set in his ways. And why not? He had been doing things the same way for many years, and the resulting success was sufficient evidence of the wisdom of continuing in that path. Whenever it was suggested that change might be a good thing, “Bah, humbug!” was his response. “I like things the way they are! I started this business, I’ve been doing things the same way for fifty years, and I don’t see any reason to change! All this new-fangled stuff is just a fad.”

One evening, a strange series of events befell our dear Mister Scrooge. Having had a particularly trying day, he tried to enjoy a rich repast and a few glasses of wine in an effort to forget his problems. As he fell asleep, he was thinking of how much fun he had had in his youth.

What lies ahead for architects?

The profession of architecture has changed significantly, but the perception of what an architect does has remained much the same. So what's the big deal? As is often said, perception is reality, and therein lies the problem. What architects do now no longer agrees with what the public, and even architects themselves think they do.

Most people don't really understand what today's architects do. They think architects know about planning and design, and how to create buildings that are responsive to owners' needs. In that, they are correct; architects by training learn how to do these things, and they do them well. Unfortunately, most people also believe the architect is still the Master Builder, who knows everything about construction materials and methods, actively manages the work, and tells the contractor exactly what to do. And in that, they are sadly mistaken.

Hollywood politics

I’ve been avoiding the political melee, but an article titled "Forks in the Road revisited" in Structural Engineer prompts me to ask this question: Who do you believe - and why? This issue is only tangentially related to this election; it pervades our lives.Even though the following quotation specifically mentions the President, it’s a comment on who we allow to influence us, and applies to all political parties.