Wednesday 31 July 2013

Demonstration - Specifying construction products using NBS Create

A couple of months ago I did a short software demonstration video for NBS TV showing how NBS Create works as part of the wider-BIM process. We had a number of complimentary comments about this video, so I have done another one.
NBS Plus - now even more powerful in NBS Create
This short video looks at how NBS Create can be used to specify construction products from particular manufacturers. In this example, natural stone blocks from Bradstone, mortar from CPI Mortars Ltd and insulation from Kingspan Insulation Ltd are all specified using NBS Create.



Hopefully it is an informative video for both construction professionals who specify and also manufacturers who would like to be part of the NBS Plus service.

Finally, I'll also take this opportunity to promote our fantastic NBS Training blog that has a growing number of tips and trips for NBS Create usage.

- NBS Create Tips and Tricks

- Specific Tips and Tricks blog post on NBS Plus

Remember to visit the NBS Training blog
Update 01/08/13 - One or two have asked me how the NBS Plus service works...
Taken from our products page...
NBS Plus is a library of manufacturers' product information, linked to specific clauses within the NBS specification software products NBS Create, NBS Building, NBS Landscape, NBS Engineering Services and NBS Scheduler.

It enables manufacturers to have their product information available to specifiers at the point they need it most – when completing a specification.

The links within the specification software allow users to specify products quickly and accurately by a click of a button that then drops the product information directly into a specification.

And a few frequently asked questions from me...

1. The manufacturer XYZ is not in the service, can you add them please?
Please drop us an email at suggesting the manufacturer's name - NBSPlusFeedback@thenbs.com - the more information you can give us as to the products that are required for specification the better.

2. How much does it cost the manufacturer to be part of NBS Plus?
It is different for every manufacturer depending on how many products they would like in the service. This cost covers the authoring of specification clauses and associated technical guidance from one of our NBS specification consultants and the corresponding production process. The manufacturer can also host this information on their website.

3. How current is the NBS Plus data?
Manufacturers can update their content up to three times per year.

Finally, one statistic from our annual NBS customer satisfaction survey...
"86% of specifiers consider NBS Plus Essential to their business

2 comments:

  1. Hi Stephen,
    great presentation!
    Architects/Specifiers working for a public client would have to specify generically. But they might have a specific manufacturer's product in mind which they wouldn't be allowed to name.
    Does NBS Create give you the opportunity to specify a particular manufacturer's product without naming it, i.e. calling up the manufacturer, using their specs but somehow withholding the manufacturer's name?
    All the best from Berlin

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  2. Konrad,

    The full technical content is available for each manufacturer. So if you'd like to write a generic specification based on the performance of a specific product you cannot name by brand for procurement reasons - then the user can always select "contractor's choice" but then specify the performance they require.

    Clearly, the contractor could still choose another product, but the client would get the performance that they specified.

    I think it's correct though to say that a manufacturer's product is always specified at some stage of the process, even if this can not be done (on certain project) by the designer working for the client. The designer working for the contractor or sub-contractor will pick a manufacturer's product at a later stage and NBS Create can be used as part of this process.

    S

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