The Spec Shaman

The Spec Shaman - Getting Specified

Building product manufacturers who want to get specified by architects can find strategies and suggestions in our weekly blog posts. Building product specification is crucial for manufacturers and our team offers the best resources available. Blog post topics include: 3 part CSI guide specifications, AIA continuing education, and building product rep training. Building product manufacturers who want to get their products specified can check our platform every week for valuable information about the AEC industry. Guest bloggers are always welcome. Please contact us for submission information and requirements.

On: Feb 14, 2019 By: Brad Blank
One of the most effective marketing tools a building product manufacturer can use is webinars. There are more education benefits in a one-hour webinar than any other sales and marketing option. They drive person to person interaction, they generate high quality leads, they advertise your company as a trusted resource, they increase your audience, and they help build a solid customer base. Webinars should be an essential part of your long term marketing plan.
On: Feb 7, 2019 By: Stacie Townsend
The Emergence of Mass Timber for Urban Building Projects
During the wood-age of building, nearly every metropolitan city had a giant fire, some more than once: Boston in 1872; London in 1666 (and 1212…and 1130…1135…and so on…London is one of the most well-known tinderboxes on the planet); Chicago 1871; and San Francisco 1906, to name a few. These fires were attributed not only to materials used in building, but also a lack of enough fire fighters, low water pressure, and lack of proper equipment.
On: Feb 4, 2019 By: Brad Blank
4 Reasons Why Building Product Brands Fail
Successful building products are the result of not only meeting customer’s expectations but cementing a positive brand experience in the user’s brain. A negative experience can taint a product brand and reduce specification opportunities. Very successful brands form a positive emotional experience with the end user. Why do some brands fail?
On: Jan 29, 2019 By: Brad Blank
LEED v4.1 For BD+C and ID+C Is Now Open for Registration
The USGBC has launched registration for both new construction projects as well as interior spaces with LEED v4.1 BD+C and LEED v4.1 ID+C. Focused on implementation, the USGBC states that LEED v4.1 is accessible, user-friendly and an agile tool. To participate, users can register LEED Online and review the LEED v4.1 Beta Guide.
On: Jan 25, 2019 By: Stacie Townsend
Climate Change, Part 5: It’s All About the Straws, Isn’t It?
This is this the final installment to the Climate Change series I’ve been writing for the last month or so, based on Bill Gates’s blog post. Since I’m wrapping it up, it seems timely to explain why I referenced straws as the title. My youngest daughter is an environmental champion and has been since she joined the Green Team at her elementary school in 3rd grade nearly seven years ago.
On: Jan 22, 2019 By: Brad Blank
3 Reasons Why Trust Is Crucial Between Manufacturers and Architects
Being trustworthy is crucial for a building product manufacturer. It’s good business practice, it saves time, and everyone is happy when people tell the truth. Fear is what generally causes someone to be untrustworthy. Fear can magnify itself and reduce a product rep’s productivity and possibly lead to the individual not being trustworthy. Let’s examine why trust is crucial between manufacturers and architects.
On: Jan 15, 2019 By: Stacie Townsend
Climate Change, Part 4: It’s All About the Straws, Isn’t It?
I have been writing off and on about Bill Gates’ October 2018 post regarding climate change. Initially, I was interested in what he had to say because I was surprised to find out how much of an impact manufacturing has on climate change. Previously, I didn’t draw a strong connection between sustainable building and climate change, but the more I researched what Gates wrote, the more I saw how much intersectionality there is within the world of sustainability.
On: Jan 9, 2019 By: Brad Blank
How LEED v4.1 Could Affect Building Product Manufacturers
How LEED v4.1 Could Affect Building Product Manufacturers How will LEED v4.1 affect building product manufacturers? What new requirements, benefits, and opportunities exist in the proposed update to the LEED rating system? Let’s look at major changes to the LEED v4 BD+C rating system.
On: Dec 21, 2018 By: Stacie Townsend
TOTOUSA Leads the Way in Sustainable Manufacturing
In the architecture, design, and engineering world, TOTOUSA is known as the world’s largest toilet manufacturer. It began in Japan over one hundred years ago by Kazuchika Okuras as a way to develop a healthier and cleaner living space. Okuras had a vision after visiting Europe, before Japan was hit by the concept of public sewage systems, so in 1917 he founded Toyo Toki K.K. Eventually that became TOTO LTD. in 1970.
On: Dec 12, 2018 By: Brad Blank
How No-Cost LEED Exam Prep Can Help Building Product Reps Succeed
Several building product manufacturers still have no sustainability expert or advocate in 2018. It’s hard to believe that there are still major product manufacturers and many small to medium sized companies that have nobody on their team that is versed in LEED or green building. The companies that do have sustainability champions and LEED professionals on their staff usually have greater specification opportunities than those who have nothing.

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GreenCE offers AIA HSW online continuing education, LEED online courses, ADA online courses, and LEED Exam Prep. GreenCE helps design professionals obtain their AIA HSW hours, LEED-specific hours, barrier-free hours, and IDCEC CE hours. The website delivers LEED Exam Prep for the LEED Green Associate exam, LEED BD+C exam, and LEED O+M exam. The online LEED certification courses educate architects, engineers, interior designers, contractors, and students.

GreenCE is a USGBC Education Partner that offers the only free LEED exam prep in the country. The LEED certification course includes a free LEED exam study guide, free LEED practice questions, and LEED certification tips and strategies. In addition, GreenCE offers free courses for LEED APs to obtain their LEED BD+C hours, LEED ID+C hours, and LEED O+M hours. Most GBCI courses are free and in video format.

GreenCE is an AIA Education Provider and offers free AIA online courses. The free AIA courses are sponsored by building product manufacturers. In addition, the platform offers barrier-free ADA courses for Texas and California architects. Texas barrier-free online courses and California Accessibility courses meet state requirements. TX ADA courses and CA ADA courses are created by the top ADA experts in the country.

Building product manufacturers can get specified by using GreenCE services. GreenCE develops AIA and LEED courses for product manufacturers to educate architects. The online architect courses help build brand awareness about building products. In addition, GreenCE hosts manufacturer webinars for 200-300 architects at a time. The AIA webinars and LEED webinars are free for architects who can learn about various products.

Finally, GreenCE helps manufacturers develop Health Product Declarations (HPDs), LEED v4 product documentation, mindful MATERIALS documentation, Google Portico documentation, and Declare Labels. We value our relationships with design professionals and building product manufacturers. They are crucial to our success.