Introduction to Construction Specifications
DISCLAIMER
Before purchasing, review the rules of your licensing or certifying entity. It is your responsibility to confirm this course meets your CE requirements. See the credit tab on the course page for details.
What’s Included: Full webinar recording, written course materials, expert instruction, a mandatory quiz, and a certificate upon completion.
Deliverability Timeline: All courses are generally available within 1-2 weeks after the live presentation.
CE Credits: AIA and/or LA/CES accreditation is available by request for courses recorded prior to March 11, 2026. All courses after that date include those accreditations by default, if applicable. With these accreditations, our courses qualify for credit in nearly all states for engineers, surveyors, architects, and landscape architects.
Learn more about the on-demand format in our FAQ or contact us at (715) 835-5900 or customerservice@halfmoonseminars.org
Agenda
Webinar instructions will be emailed 24-48 business hours before the date of the webinar.
Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before start time.
Wednesday, August 6, 2025
9:30 am – 4:30 pm CDT
Agenda:
Presented by Melody Fontenot, AIA, CSI, CCCA, CCS, CDT, SCIP and Sherry Harbaugh, FCSI, CCS, RA, SCIP
What are Specifications?
- Who uses them
- How they’re used
- Who develops them
- What a spec looks like
- How the materials fit together in a spec to describe a material
History of Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and Industry Standards for Construction
- Why, when, and who developed the current method for organizing materials for construction
- Overview of MasterFormat©, SectionFormat©, PageFormat©, and UniFormat©
Factors Impacting the Information in Specs
- Project Delivery Types – procurement
- Division 01 – General Requirements
- General Requirements
- A201 General Conditions of the Contract
- Substitutions
- Spec length
- Methods of Specifying: Descriptive, Proprietary: open and closed, Reference, Performance, and how they may all be used in a project
Where To Start: Using Guide Specs and Software Tools
- Types of guide specs and how to modify them so you don’t have to “start from scratch” each time
- Demonstrate a database system and a word system to specify a material used in a construction project
- Office masters
Product Research
- Project requirements
- Product requirements
- Starting research
- Using the internet
- Websites to get you started
- What to do with your research
- What you are looking for
- Leaning on manufacturer’s reps
Editing and Coordination of Specs
- Building a TOC – coordination with disciplines to avoid scope overlap and omissions
- Coordinating specs to prepare the project manual
- Last minute changes, date changes, and other success stories
Webinar Instructions
All attendees must log-on through their own email – attendees may not watch together if they wish to earn continuing education credit. HalfMoon Education Inc. must be able to prove attendance if either the attendee or HalfMoon Education Inc. is audited.
Certificates of completion can be downloaded in PDF form upon passing a short quiz. A link to the quiz will be sent to each qualifying attendee immediately after the webinar. The certificate can be downloaded from the Results page of the quiz upon scoring 80% or higher.
Webinars are presented via GoToWebinar, an easy-to-use application that can be run on most systems and tablets. Instructions and login information will be provided in an email sent close to the date of the webinar. It is highly recommended that you download, install and test the application before the webinar begins by clicking on the link in the email.
GoToWebinar App requirements:
Windows 10 or higher, macOS 11 or higher, Linux, Google Chrome OS
Web Browser:
Google Chrome (most recent 3 versions)
Microsoft Edge (most recent 3 versions)
Internet connection: 1 Mbps or better
Hardware: 2GB of RAM (minimum), 4GB or more of RAM (recommended)
For more information, visit the Support section at www.gotowebinar.com
Credits
Engineers
6.0 PDHs
Architects
6.0 HSW CE Hours
AIA - American Institute of Architects
6.0 HSW LUs
Landscape Architects
6.0 HSW CE Hours
LACES - Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System
6.0 HSW PDHs
ICC - International Code Council
.6 CEUs (Administration)
Continuing Education Information
This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 6.0 PDHs for professional engineers, 6.0 HSW continuing education hours for licensed architects, and 6.0 HSW continuing education hours for landscape architects in most states. Refer to specific state rules to verify eligibility.
HalfMoon Education is an approved continuing education sponsor for engineers in Florida (Provider License No: CEA362), Indiana (License No. CE21700059), Maryland, and New Jersey (Approval No. 24GP00049300). HalfMoon Education is deemed an approved continuing education sponsor for New York engineers, architects and landscape architects via its registration with the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System (AIA/CES) and the Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System (LA/CES). Other states do not preapprove continuing education providers or courses.
The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System has approved this course for 6.0 HSW LUs (Sponsor No. J885). Only full participation is reportable to the AIA/CES.
The Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System has approved this course for 6.0 HSW PDHs. Only full participation is reportable to the LA CES.
The International Code Council has approved this event for .6 CEUs in the specialty area of Administration (Preferred Provider No. 1232).
Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the webinar for those who attend the entire course and score a minimum 80% on the quiz that follows the course (multiple attempts allowed).
*On-Demand Credits*
The preceding credit information only applies to the live presentation. This course in an on-demand format is not pre-approved by any licensing boards and may not qualify for the same credits; please consult your licensing board(s) to ensure that a structured, asynchronous learning format is appropriate. The following pre-approvals may be available for the on-demand format upon request:
6.0 HSW LUs (AIA)
6.0 HSW PDHs (LA CES)
Speakers
Melody Fontenot, AIA, CSI, CCCA, CCS, CDT, SCIP
Conspectus, IncMs. Fontenot is a senior specification writer with Conspectus, Inc. and Technical Content Manager for the firm’s spec software, Conspectus Cloud. Originally from Oklahoma, relocated to Portland, Oregon in 2019, she is an active member of CSI, volunteering with the Portland chapter to plan events and continuing education. She is a licensed architect, with over 20 years’ experience in construction documents, specifications, and construction contract administration for commercial projects. She has a passion for research, spec content management, sharing spec knowledge, and improving communication in the AECO industry.
Sherry Harbaugh, FCSI, CCS, RA, SCIP
Technical Resources Consultants Inc (TRC)After nearly 30 years in the construction industry predominantly as an independent specifier, Ms. Harbaugh’s current focus revolves around education, empowering construction teams to be confident about communicating with specifications and learning about construction materials. She is passionate about educating the next generation of our industry in the aspects of specifications and enjoys working with teams, researching products, and building relationships within the industry. Ms. Harbaugh believes product knowledge comes from asking questions, listening to others, and digging into information. She is a Fellow of the Construction Specifications Institute (FCSI), and has participated at local Chapter, Region, and Institute levels for the last 35 years. Most of her contributions have been centered on educating groups and individuals for the CSI certification exams, working with product manufacturers to create interactive opportunities, and providing leadership on committees. In 2023, TRC launched an education arm – Specs Education Online. This e-Learning tool aims to educate the next generation of construction teams by providing quick answers to basic specification questions and assist the self learner to understand specifications as a career path.
AIA Info
AIA Provider Statement:
HalfMoon Education Inc. is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number J885. All registered AIA/CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider of learning program may be sent to AIA/CES (cesupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3).
This learning program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.
AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA/CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.
Course Title: Introduction to Construction Specifications
Delivery Method: Live Online
Course Description: This six-hour course introduces the structure, terminology, and purpose of construction specifications and their essential role in contract documents. The course explores the development and organization of specifications using CSI formats, the impact of project delivery methods, and Division 01 requirements. The course will examine methods of specifying, guide specs, editing practices, coordination techniques, and product research strategies to support effective project documentation and construction outcomes.
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective 1: Learners will be able to identify the components and structure of construction specifications, including how CSI formats organize materials, systems, and performance information; and understand the value specifications hold as half the contract documents, communicating the technical, quality, and testing information to ensure compliance with codes and safety requirements for the benefit of end users.
Learning Objective 2: Learners will be able to analyze the relationship between project delivery methods, Division 01 requirements, and the role of General Conditions in supporting code compliance and performance goals which directly impact the health, safety and welfare of building occupants.
Learning Objective 3: Learners will be able to evaluate methods of specifying materials and systems, as well as best practices in editing and coordinating specifications across disciplines, and how this results in better quality built projects and improves health, safety, and welfare for building inhabitants.
Learning Objective 4: Learners will be able to utilize guide specifications, software tools, and manufacturer resources to research, select, and document materials and assemblies for construction and the importance of conveying these requirements to the Contractor via specs in order to legally ensure end users have a building that complies with performance, code, and safety requirements.
LUs: 6.0
LU Type: LU|HSWs
Prerequisites: None
Advance Preparation: None
Program Level: Intermediate
Course Expiration Date: 07/08/2028
Complaint Resolution Policy:
Complaints regarding this course can be emailed to fchapman@halfmoonseminars.org or by calling (715) 835-5900. A HalfMoon Education representative will respond within 72 hours to resolve the complaint, which will include, but not limited to, access to another CE activity at no or reduced cost or a full or partial refund. Each instance will be resolved on a case-by-case situation.
6.0 Knowledge Points
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