Masterspec
30 Nov 2023
NZCIC Guidelines Responsibility Schedule Goes Digital
The new online tool enables real-time collaboration among multiple stakeholders, fostering efficiency and innovation in construction processes.
10 Nov 2023
BCA Requests to Modify Manufacturers Technical Content
mDocs allows the specifier to quickly access the latest version of a document uploaded by the manufacturer or supplier. Importantly, these detailed...
27 Sep 2023
Masterpec Specified: Award Winning Taharoto Lane by X Studio Architects
The development will have 19 units, including studio, office, and retail space. The residential units will have balconies with views of the city...
27 Sep 2023
Masterpec Specified: Award Winning Soaring Box House by Turner Road Architecture
The house’s unique design fits into the rural landscape. The house has a cantilevered structure and a soaring angular volume. The interior design is...
13 Sep 2023
Hallmark Group Opens Up About BPIR
Recently, Hallmark Group turned to Masterspec, a trusted name in compliance solutions, for guidance on their BPIR for fire doors. In this article, we...
06 Sep 2023
Al Bahr Towers in Abu Dhabi: Kinetic Architecture, Innovation and Sustainability
In the heart of Abu Dhabi's skyline, two iconic towers stand as shining examples of innovative architecture and sustainable design. The Al Bahr...
05 Sep 2023
Silica - Understanding the Risks
Over recent months, we have had several enquiries from designers in relation to industry concerns with silica-based building products and the...
18 Aug 2023
Masterspec: Your Partner in BPIR Product Review Compliance
The Building Regulation Act 2022 comes into force on 11th December 2023, requiring building product suppliers in New Zealand to provide baseline...
27 Jul 2023
Masterspec Partners with NZCIC & CSA to Digitise the NZCIC Guidelines
Masterspec, has been working with the New Zealand Construction Industry Council (NZCIC) and the Construction Sector Accord (CSA) in an exciting new...
24 Jul 2023
Belle View House Waiheke: An Innovative Design Response
The plan is for Belle View House to be situated on a Waiheke Island headland, the Belle View House will be an architectural marvel when completed,...
21 Jul 2023
Streamlined Documentation and Error Prevention with Masterspec
In the fast-paced world of architectural design and documentation, avoiding errors is paramount to the success of any project. Michael Pepper, from...
19 Jul 2023
Introducing New Building Product Information Requirements: Ensuring Compliance and Transparency
Leverage on Masterspec's expertise to meet the new Build Product Information Requirements (BPIR) requirements effective December 11, 2023. Our...
09 Jul 2023
Building Law Reforms 2022
Did you know that the Building Regulations 2022 will introduce new requirements for building products?
06 Jul 2023
What is a Specification?
Some of the world's leading national specification bodies met at conference earlier this year. Representatives from twenty influential nations,...
06 Jul 2023
Preparing a Specification
The specification is a fundamental part of the documentation set provided for the delivery of a construction project. The Building Act 2004 states...
13 May 2023
Enhanced User Experience (UX) with Two New Masterspec Features: Clause in Review and Clause Action & Date Stamp
We are pleased to announce the incorporation of two new features that are designed to enhance your user experience. Firstly, we have integrated the...
12 May 2023
"Exceptional Service and Attention to Detail" ACMF's Testimonial for Masterspec
From start to finish, the team at Masterspec exhibited the highest level of professionalism, expertise, and attention to detail throughout the...
05 May 2023
Key Factors for Specifiers When Addressing BCA Requests on Masterspec
We are often asked by specifiers why standards referenced in Masterspec appear to be out of date. Many queries originate from the Building Consent...
03 Apr 2023
WARRANTIES & DURABILITY
We are often asked by specifiers and material manufacturers/suppliers to clarify what a warranty covers and how long the period should be, if any....
09 Mar 2023
REVISED SECTIONS - TIMBER STRUCTURES
Learn about the significant changes between the superseded NZS 3603: 1993 and the proposed alternative solution design option, NZS AS 1720.1, for...

THE HISTORY OF MASTERSPEC

13 Sep 2021

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.

For Architectural Specifiers
 
Standard - Suitable for specifying the largest and most complex construction projects. 
Interiors - Suitable for the technically complex commercial construction, particularly medium to large projects.
Basic - Perfect for most smaller or simpler residential and commercial projects.
Minor Residential - Enables you to specify almost all renovations and smaller residential additions.    

 

For Engineering Consultants
 
Structural & Civil  - Covers specification of engineering from construction to large scale civil projects.
SCNZ Structural Steel - Specialist Structural Steelwork content built in concert with SCNZ for structural engineers to use on projects of all sizes.
Services -  Suitable for the specification of building services and safety systems.

 

For Landscape Designers
 
Landscape - A specialist library suitable for small-scale residential up to large Civil projects 

 

Masterspec Timeline


1990: Jasmax creates and begins to maintain and develop the new CBI (Coordinated Building Information) systems to allow specification by construction system rather than by trade.
1995: Construction Information Limited founded.
1995: Masterspec created on Word Perfect 5.1 & distributed on as a paper-based catalogue.
1996: Masterspec released on 5 1/4in floppy disk.
1998:  Masterspec is released on Microsoft Word CD ROM.
1998:  First product specific branded work sections released.
2001: Masterspec Link application released as web browser linked to Microsoft Word Editor.
2011: miproducts national product database released.
2012: NextGen2 released moving the platform online.
2013: Masterspec Landscape Library released.
2015: Masterspec links drawings and specification keynotes with MasterKey1.
2017: MasterKey2 released.
2018: Open BIM Object standard V1.0 released
2019: Work Section Support2020: mDocs Technical Library Release
2021: Masterspec Link discontinued
2021: Masterspec SCNZ Structural steel library added

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