Getting Specifications Right in a Changing World

Innovation transforms the way construction manufacturers need to create, store and share information. See how UK roofing manufacturer Bauder utilises the NBS ecosystem to stay ahead of product data requirements…

Specifying for construction is more challenging than ever. As new safety, sustainability, and functionality standards come into play, architects depend on manufacturers who can provide accurate, accessible product information to aid in the spec writing process.

Roofing manufacturer Bauder works with NBS to continually improve product data and assist architects with specifications as intuitively as possible. The Bauder team recently shared their experiences of changing product data standards and how NBS systems help them stay ahead of industry expectations.

The full presentation is available here, but we didn’t want any manufacturers to miss out, so we’ve collected some great insights from Tom Raftery, Andy Leggett and Nigel Blacklock to share with you below.  

Making product decisions with better data

One clear challenge for construction product manufacturers is balancing the demand for product innovation against stricter data requirements and new approaches to specification. Tom from Bauder opened his presentation by discussing this exact problem.

Like many manufacturers, new concerns about sustainability were being raised to Bauder. Architects frequently asked for a carbon reduction plan, which the brand initially didn’t have. To create it, Bauder needed to better understand the carbon footprint of their business and products, which meant they needed reliable data.

This led to the team creating Environmental Product Declarations, or EPDs, for every product in their range. After doing so, the team was able to identify that insulation was the biggest issue when it came to emissions - which allowed them to prioritise carbon reduction effects rapidly in a time-sensitive environment.

“We don’t have a lot of time if we want to achieve what we want to achieve from an environmental perspective.”

Using data to determine priority was just the start. The team then developed Bauder ECO, a more sustainable warm roof insulation layer using the Mass Balance approach. But, as Tom pointed out in his talk surrounding sustainability, products can’t be considered in isolation – they’re part of a wider system.

“It’s not just about the individual product. [...] How do they tie together? That’s from a supply point of view and a manufacturer's view. [...] When I started 20 years ago, a flat roof just kept the building watertight.

Now, a flat roof will do loads for you. We are looking at keeping it watertight, keeping it well insulated. SUDS management water management. Biodiversity. Solar panels. All of these things are tying together – does all of that change what we are delivering? It is a much more complex picture than what we were delivering before.

Improving digital adoption to increase specification

Just as manufacturers need to consider the wider system, so too do specifiers. Architects need to utilise a wide range of products together in a system that is sustainable but also safe and effective – which means they need reliable, accurate and up-to-date data.

Bauder works with NBS to stay at the forefront of digital innovation. After noticing that more and more architects were working with NBS Chorus, the team approached NBS to help them improve their product data on the platform and make the specification process easier for architects.

NBS Chorus and NBS Source act in unison, allowing manufacturers to house system performance, U values, product data, execution clauses and more information in the tools architects use most.

Data isn’t the end of the story, however. Andy from Bauder discussed how NBS helped their team begin creating specifications for architects through NBS Chorus. The architect can easily set permissions to keep their overall project secure:

“NBS showed us a way to do it safely. You invite us into your project and then set up a sub-folder. The idea is that you’re inviting a manufacturer into that folder so they don’t have access to your main specification.”

All of this essentially means that specifiers can now request rapid specification support for systems and products direct from manufacturers using NBS Chorus.

“We now have a library of master specifications. Within minutes of speaking to a client and with a few tweaks to spec we can transfer it across – that’s how quickly you can obtain that detailed specification.”

Digital innovations to improve safety and compliance

In the final part of the presentation, Nigel Blacklock discussed the role of safety in product development:

“We should be fact-checkers, making sure that what we say is right and correct.”. Specifically, he talks about how having up-to-date, accurate information on a digital platform like NBS Source helps manufacturers remain compliant.

The new Construction Products Association CCPI verification system was introduced to help improve safety standards across construction. To be verified, information must be:

1. Clear
2. Accurate
3. Up to Date
4. Accessible
5. Unambiguous

Marketing claims are also subject to CCPI verification rules and must tone down hyperbole, show their sources and check facts. All of this is a voluntary process – but Nigel reminded manufacturers that non-compliance would likely lead to more government legislation.

Bauder is one of the few companies whose products have undergone the verification process. Both products and systems can be verified – with colour coding to distinguish each. Importantly, verification is not about the brand as a whole but focuses on a product-by-product approach:

“You shouldn’t be asking for the manufacturer’s verification; it’s for the product.”

Nigel in his presentation also touched on how the NBS Source offers a clear colour-coded system for identifying whether product information is up to date. Manufacturers are prompted every six months to update their information, ensuring architects' building specifications have access to the best source of up-to-date product data.

“We as manufacturers look to change our information within six weeks. We’re always being asked to look at our data to make sure it is up to date. NBS working very well to help us achieve our status for CCPI.”

Get your product data in order

The talk by Bauder cemented the message that manufacturers need to offer up-to-date product information that contains all of the data requirements sought by specifiers and regulators – including safety, sustainability and performance.

Here at NBS, we help manufacturers create, compile and manage their product libraries, giving architects the data they need and allowing you to collaborate to win more work at the specification stage.