THE HISTORY OF MASTERSPEC

Masterspec New Zealand (Construction Information Limited)

Construction Information Limited (CIL) is a New Zealand owned and operated industry organisation incorporated in 1995 to manage and create information systems for the New Zealand construction sector. The current ownership structure includes the NZIA (New Zealand Institute of Architects) and the Registered Master Builders (Registered Master Builders Association of New Zealand Inc).

CIL is widely recognised in the New Zealand market by its brand ‘Masterspec’. The Masterspec keystone offering to the New Zealand construction sector is a maintained specification library used by industry professionals to document building and infrastructure projects for the built environment. The delivery of this content and associated tools has developed into a SaaS (Software as a Service) platform used across New Zealand and internationally by specifiers, designers and constructors.

Masterspec has an Auckland based studio that houses a large team of specification writers, a software development team, the sales and marketing arm as well as the management team. Its content and software tools are 100% built and maintained for the New Zealand construction industry and has the largest library and is the industry standard for specification. As of 2020, 72% of completed architectural specifications in New Zealand were created using the Masterspec platform and content. (EBOSS Specifiers Insights Survey 2020)

The History of Masterspec

By the early 1990’s architectural practices were looking for a structured and flexible specification system to define the standard for documentation to meet New Zealand’s unique conditions and building systems. JASMAX, one of New Zealand’s largest multi-disciplined practices were looking for a specification method that could both reduce practices risk but supply more flexibility than the traditional trades-based specifications. However, these earlier specification formats were often made up of inconsistent and uncoordinated content, being written and maintained by individual practices with varying success.

After researching established international tools, JASMAX developed a new system for the unique challenges of the New Zealand construction sector. This was the newer CBI (Coordinated Building Information) format based on the early European CI/Sfb and then later CAWS (Common Arrangement of Work Sections) classification systems. CBI is a classification and coding system built specifically for the New Zealand construction environment. 

As a classification system it is designed by and for members of the construction industry, to co-ordinate the five main information sources: drawings; specifications; quantities; technical and research information; trade information and publications.

 Initial practical application of this new CBI classification format included early JASMAX projects such as the Majestic Centre and Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. With the proven establishment of the system other New Zealand practices became aware of the new classification tools and also adopted the format and specification content. With continued adoption of the specification by the construction sector it was decided the CIL should be incorporated to continue to develop and maintain these systems for the industry as a whole. The original ownership structure for CIL reflected the industry interest and needs and they included BRANZ (Building Research Association of New Zealand), the NZIA (New Zealand Institute of Architects) and the Registered Master Builders (Registered Master Builders Association of New Zealand Inc).

Masterspec's Libraries

Today’s Masterspec industry standard content is provided with over eight distinct sector libraries holding over 1200 pre-written work sections.

Masterspec Timeline

For more information about Masterspec, please contact 09 631 7044 or gen@masterspec.co.nz.