Inside the Spec - Episode 7: The Future of Specification
Lena Reiff, a designer at Ross Barney Architects, provides fresh insights into how younger architects approach specification and what manufacturers need to do to better serve the next generation. The discussion explores the disconnect between architectural education and practice, evolving sustainability requirements, and how digital tools can bridge knowledge gaps.
"A rising star's perspective on evolving specification needs and challenges"
Summary
Lena Reiff, a designer at Ross Barney Architects, provides fresh insights into how younger architects approach specification and what manufacturers need to do to better serve the next generation. The discussion explores the disconnect between architectural education and practice, evolving sustainability requirements, and how digital tools can bridge knowledge gaps.
Key Insights
- Specifications often happen last-minute with limited knowledge transfer between experienced and younger architects
- Product research is extremely time-consuming due to poor website organization and limited access to information
- Sustainability and embodied carbon are driving more specification decisions but require better data
- Public projects require multiple comparable products, making research particularly challenging
- Digital tools and databases could help streamline specification process but aren't fully leveraged yet
Practical Takeaways for Manufacturers
- Make technical information readily available without gatekeeping
- Provide clear product comparisons and alternatives
- Include detailed sustainability data and lifecycle costs
- Develop case studies showing real-world performance
- Create separate website sections for different audience types
- Ensure product information includes regional availability/limitations
- Make details, BIM content, and standard product information easily accessible
About the Guest
Lena Reiff is a designer at Ross Barney Architects in Chicago, focusing on community engagement and public projects. With experience across retail, workplace, healthcare and public sectors, she brings a fresh perspective on how younger architects approach specification and material selection.
Quotable Moments
"Specs have kind of been done the same way for a long period of time. There's a lot in architecture that's changed in the past 20 or 30 years, but I don't know if that process really has." - Lena Reiff
"The architectural product websites are terrible. They're so bad... when you're a younger architect, you're just trying to learn about the product." - Lena Reiff
"Millennials don't love to pick up the phone and call people... Sometimes you're missing out because you don't have that information [online]." - Lena Reiff
Next Steps for Manufacturers
The episode emphasizes the need to evolve digital presence and information accessibility to serve younger architects. Consider how your organization can improve online resources, sustainability documentation, and technical information access while reducing friction in the research process. Focus on making product information more readily available without requiring direct contact.