Skip to main content
ASLA 2026 Conference on Landscape Architecture Main banner

Project Implementation

WED-A10: Getting Specific About Specifications: Maximizing the Effectiveness of Fundamental Contract Documents

Wednesday, September 16, 2026
8:30 AM - 9:45 AM PT
1.25 PDH, LA CES/HSW

Specifications can help make or break a project, yet many designers treat them as afterthoughts. We talk with a designer, a construction manager, and a contractor on how to integrate specification writing into the design process and examine the implications of poorly written specs in the procurement and construction phases.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Identify the different types of specifications and the role they play in the project document package.
  • Identify factors that need to be considered when developing the Division 01 specifications for a project.
  • Identify concrete ways to make your specifications more legible, consistent, and effective.
  • Identify ways that specifications influence the bidding, procurement, construction, and closeout phases of a project.