Stack Infrastructure is one of those large custom data center solutions companies that are building data center footprints. This Data Center Campus (they are the owner) is located in Phoenix, AZ and valued at $362M. Design plans call for the construction of a 1,700,000-square-foot data center facility, but no other information is available as of yet. You can contact Stack at (888)-316-8177 or email press-emea@stackinfra.com. Their team is located here: https://www.stackinfra.com/about/meet-the-team/?area=americas

Aligned Energy Data Center in Chandler, AZ is a $98M that’s a 456,946-square-foot data center facility that includes an office building, warehouse, and 17 acre parking lot besides the data center. Aligned of course is one of the top data center companies in the country and was covered in all our reports, but featured in the 3.17.2023 update. Sheehan Nagle Hartray Architects is doing this project, and was featured in our comprehensive Data Center Construction: An Insatiable Market. Sheehan Nagle Hartray Architects is now part of the Woolpert architectural team! Rich Keagy, PE, LEED, is a senior associate and practice leader at Woolpert who wrote an interesting piece, What Existing Facilities Are Best Suited to Become Data Centers? You might start a conversation with him about this project.

The Corscale Data Centers in Gainesville VA is a 854,250-square-foot, two-story above grade data center facility and power facility. This is a 130-acre, site with five buildings. Corscale Data Centers(the owners)  is focused on delivering sustainability at scale, offering some of the largest and most sophisticated hyperscale operators and enterprises. Their facilities can be delivered as highly scalable, secure, and energy-efficient build-to-suit powered shells or designed to scale according to their management. Contacts to begin your sales journey include: Architect is Corgan Associates. The National Real Estate firm Patrinely Group is one of the developers, and other developer is Kincora. The general is one of the nation’s largest general contractors, offering lifecycle construction services from small projects to high rises, HITT.

But not all data centers are being built; some, like the Hamilton County Todd Portune Center, are be demolished! While a reliable data center is necessary for successful business operations , technology marches on! Decommission a data center is an art form, actually, which is why specialized services exist. This project is valued at $450,000. For more information, contact Gina Richmond, (513)-946-4321 or email at gina.richmond@hamilton-co.org.

Microsoft Data Center Campus  in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin for  construction of a data center facility on 315 acres. Like many Microsoft data centers, there’s not a lot of current information, even though they are covered in our comprehensive report.

The Mount Airy Data Center Park is a facility in Bowling Green, Virginia with construction probably in 2024, giving you ample time to get the process rolling for the work. But the owner, Valco Caroline County, is confusing; there are two LLC’s with that name. It’s unclear which is which in terms of this project. the civil engineer is Timmons Group, and may be able to sort it out for you. You can begin the journey with someone from their leadership page: https://www.timmons.com/about-us/leadership/

Previous updates contain additional information for your review. The current list of data center owners that have changed in March include:

• 234MW Data Center Campus
• Aligned Adaptive Data Centers
• Aligned Energy Data Center PHX06
• Amazon Data Center – H&M Property / Leesburg
• California Department of Transportation – Division of Procurement and Contracts
• Central Facility Data Center Renovation Project
• Cologix COL4 Data Center
• Compass Data Center Campus At PW Digital Gateway
• Corscale Data Centers Gainesville Crossing Additional Phases
• Data Center Upgrades
• DC Blox Data Center / New Orleans
• EHRM Infrastructure Upgrades Data Center at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center
• Facebook / Meta
• FY 2023 E-Rate Data Center at DeAnza High School
• Gaston County
• Greenville County – Procurement Services Division
• H5 Data Center – Loudoun County
• Hamilton County Todd Portune Center Data Center Decommissioning Project
• Hunter Property Data Center
• Luck Stone Corporation
• Microsoft Data Center / Malaga, Mount Pleasant
• Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) – Facilities Department
• Mt Airy Data Center Park Campus
• Northern Kentucky Water District
• PowerHouse Data Centers / Ashburn
• RFQ Contractor – Camp Roberts Naval Research Laboratory Data Center
• SMS: Data Center Cleaning, Uninterruptible Power Supply and HVAC Services
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – VA Program Contracting Activities Central (VA-PCAC)
• US Department of Veterans Affairs – National Energy Business Center

If you’d like more information on creating dialogues with these or other companies, or information on any other market other than data centers, give us a call at 847-358-8558. Thank you.

Contact: Jim Nowakowski, President, jnowak@a-i-m.com

The post DATA CENTERS UPDATE 3.31.2023 appeared first on Accountability Information Management.

Besides the smaller upgrades and maintenance, some of the main projects we found this past week included the following of interest.

Another Amazon data center in Leesburg is showing activity. Gensler out of Denver is the architect.  The project data center is actually an office development in the planning stages, and the application was  approved by the Loudon Planning commission. You’ll note that there are many data centers being built in this area.

The Northern Kentucky Water District has a data center  renovation going on in Erlanger. This work includes the partial renovation with structural steel, interior finishing, and the MEP as well as fire protection upgrades. The architect is CT Consultants and bidding is in progress. Valuation is around $90K.

There is a new Cologix $61M data center in Columbus Ohio. This is a 287,000-square-foot, two-story above grade data center facility. Cologix, headquartered in Denver, Colorado, is North America’s leading network-neutral interconnection and hyperscale edge data center company with a carrier-dense ecosystem of 700+ networks, 350+ cloud service providers and 30+ onramps across its platform. The General Contractor is Hunt Builders Corporation.

DC BLOX is another builder of databases, providing tier III data centers, a robust connectivity ecosystem, and dark fiber solutions to businesses in growing markets.  This $15M data center is going up in New Orleans and is part of the company’s $187M Southeast data center expansion. Pick your target on the Leadership page of the company’s website.

Renovation is going on one of the US Department of Veterans Affairs facilities in Oklahoma City, VA Medical Center (about $1M). They are going to award a single firm fixed price for this work (design bid build). One of the things about these government project is they give you very specific requests for what they want done! Gregory Parker, Jr. can help you scope it out (gregory.parkerjr@va.gov.).

H5 Data Centers is one of the leading data center operators in the United States with over 3 million square feet of data center space under management. The company designs and engineers flexible and scalable data center solutions to address the core infrastructure and edge requirements of its customers. In Ashburn, VA, the company has one of these new datacenters valued at $46M going up. Josh Simms (josh@H5datacenters.com) is the company’s contact on the project, but as always, we encourage you to examine their website for additional targets.

Prince William County’s Planning Commission recommended approval Wednesday of a plan (Hunter Property Data Center) to rezone 196 acres to allow a proposed data center campus on a site once slated for a 1,000-home development known as “Stonehaven.” But the owner is still a mystery. Clayton Tock the Civil Engineer from Urban Ltd. is the only contact we have. ctock@urban-ltd.com.

Microsoft has another data center going up in Malaga, WA valued at $160M. The scope is for a 750,000-square-foot data center facility ion a few phases.  Construction expected to start fourth quarter 2023 and complete fourth quarter 2025. 425-882-8080 is Microsoft’s number.

There is a$25M  data center project for the Navy going up in San Miguel, CA.  Matthew Webb (matthew.m.webb@usace.army.mil)  is the contact, but there’s not a lot of information yet about the project. While it’s a government job, and there are details, nothing is going on just yet, so this would be the time to explore your options. You can also get started here: https://www.nrl.navy.mil/Doing-Business/Contracts/Solicitations/.

The Telos Data Center is a $43M project in Ashburn, VA. The company offers advanced technology solutions that empower and protect the world’s most security-conscious enterprises. They are looking at a 180,000-square-foot, one-story above grade data center facility, but no value chain participants have been announced. Marc Solomon from Finmarc Managemernt is the developer. Finmarc provides management services for retail and hotel properties.

Here are the owners of data centers discussed in this reports thus far (bold are the new ones added this time):

• Aligned Adaptive Data Centers
• Amazon Data Center – H&M Property / Leesburg
• California Department of Transportation – Division of Procurement and Contracts
• Central Facility Data Center Renovation Project
• Cologix COL4 Data Center
• Compass Data Center Campus At PW Digital Gateway
• DC Blox Data Center / New Orleans
• EHRM Infrastructure Upgrades Data Center at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center
• Facebook / Meta
• FY 2023 E-Rate Data Center at DeAnza High School
• Gaston County
• Greenville County – Procurement Services Division
• H5 Data Center – Loudoun County
• Hunter Property Data Center
• Luck Stone Corporation
• Microsoft Corp.
• Microsoft Data Center / Malaga
• Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) – Facilities Department
• Northern Kentucky Water District
• RFQ Contractor – Camp Roberts Naval Research Laboratory Data Center
• SMS: Data Center Uninterruptible Power Supply and HVAC Services
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – VA Program Contracting Activities Central (VA-PCAC)
• UNLV – Purchasing Department
• US Department of Veterans Affairs – National Energy Business Center

If you’d like more information on creating dialogues with these or other companies, or information on any other market other than data centers, give us a call at 847-358-8558. Thank you.

Contact: Jim Nowakowski, President, jnowak@a-i-m.com

The post DATA CENTERS UPDATE 3.26.2023 appeared first on Accountability Information Management.

They are spread all over the country: two in Virginia, two in Texas and one each in California, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nevada and North Carolina. So there is no shortage of targets for you to aim at.

As you are aware, data centers often “hide” in other types of facilities, and these 11 are no exception. “Offices” is the primary category where you’ll find this work happening.

Aligned Data Centers for example provide Scale Data Centers and Powered Shell / Build-to-Scale solutions with adaptive infrastructure and industry-leading cooling technology according to their website. They say they build energy-efficient, sustainable campuses and data centers that support massive scale, anywhere in the world. This datacenter in Plano Texas is a 226,610-square-foot facility. As of March 15 2023, the permit is in review. A general contractor has been selected: Turner Construction – Dallas Office, 10100 N Central Expy,Suite 600,Dallas,TX,75231. (214)-721-8400.

But not all projects are large. One, for example, in Erlanger Kentucky is a renovation of a data center facility that includes the partial renovation with selective demolition, structural steel, typical interior finishes, mechanical, electrical, fire protection upgrades and technology systems. So targeting is a mixed bag, but worthwhile nonetheless.

Of the 11, Amazon had one in Fauquier, Virginia, and Microsoft had one in Bexar Texas. But neither is the largest project, which goes to Luck Stone Cochran Mill Data Center. Luck Stone is the nation’s largest family owned and operated producer of crushed stone, sand and gravel. This data center is in Ashburn, Virginia — a 2,500,000-square-foot data center facility. As of March 2023, the Luck Stone announced plans for the rezoning. No architect has been determined yet, or a contractor, and the timeline is still being worked on. So, now is the time to begin the conversation!

Anthony Venafro is the Land Development, Real Estate and Entitlements Director for Luck Stone, and Charlie Windle is Vice President for the company.

Architects to start your dialogue with include the following:

• BDH Design
• CT Consultants, Inc.
• HGA / Sacramento
• HKS Architects, Inc. / Dallas Headquarters
• Page Southerland Page / Austin

Owners:

• Aligned Adaptive Data Centers
• Amazon
• California Department of Transportation – Division of Procurement and Contracts
• Gaston County
• Luck Stone Corporation
• Microsoft Corp.
• Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) – Facilities Department
• Northern Kentucky Water District
• U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – VA Program Contracting Activities Central (VA-PCAC)
• UNLV – Purchasing Department
• US Department of Veterans Affairs – National Energy Business Center”

If you’d like more information on creating dialogues with these or other companies, give us a call at 847-358-8558. Thank you.

Contact: Jim Nowakowski, President, jnowak@a-i-m.com

The post DATA CENTERS UPDATE 3.17.2023 appeared first on Accountability Information Management.

The Need for Certification Has Never Been Greater

Product certification marks help businesses build trust in their products while providing a mechanism for market differentiation between brands. For consumers, certification programs offer assurance that the products they buy conform to specific requirements. For manufacturers, the programs provide a way to demonstrate product performance to gain the trust of their customers.

There is a problem: almost every product category contains multiple certifications which all have unique rules. Even within national standards like the National Electrical Code, there are numerous certifications governing myriad products. This causes confusion (i.e., hence the need for electrical inspectors).

Today, for example, consumers are increasingly seeking and buying more environmentally-friendly products, adding another layer of performance specification requirements to certifications.

This AIM report examines certification in the cabinet industry specifically.

The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) expressed a desire to understand the penetration and awareness of their standards within the design communities. In particular, awareness of the A161.1 standard among design professionals was of strong interest, as th standard is the basis of manufacturing quality cabinetry.

Accountability Information Management, Inc. (AIM) was retained to explore this issue with designers and architects. AIM is a marketing research company with a special emphasis on business-to-business sales channels. Their multi-disciplinary team has the expertise to evaluate and advise on market conditions and movements. Using their proprietary lists in these categories, AIM conducted a comprehensive study about awareness of KCMA certification standards. This report covers the results of that research with KCMA’s approval to share specific information.

Why a Certification Study?

According to the 2023 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study, “The majority of homeowners (66%), however, continue to replace all the cabinets during a kitchen remodel.” IN addition, the report noted that “The majority of homeowners (77%) select solid wood as the primary material for new kitchen cabinets.”

With these high a percentages, certification for the cabinet makers’ products plays a key role in not only customer satisfaction, but in understanding “quality” as it pertains to cabinets. Interestingly, the Houzz report fails to mention certification once.

Besides, there is plenty of research out there on cabinets in the kitchen. However, until now. there hasn’t been one that traces certification as one of the primary ingredients of what people call quality in a cabinet.

The new 26-page report contains charts, graphs, and slides covering the types of tests behind the KCMA Quality Certification Seal. As a comparison basis, the report utilized the number of times certifications are placed in actual construction specifications.

“This eye-opener showed that even well-known standard bodies don’t cover the gamut of specifications that you would expect,” Jim Nowakowski, President of AIM noted. “We looked at 525,148 projects that had any kind of certification listed, and you’ll see in the report surprisingly, the call for certification is often left out of the documentation. KCMA wants to change that for cabinetry.”

The comprehensive report also contains verbatim comments about why quality certification is important by a third party. These verbatims came from the surveys, which were sent out to the proprietary AIM audiences of interior designers, kitchen and bath designers and architects. A 5% response rate was attained.

For example, the important factors of selecting a brand were quality, durability and style according to respondents. “The research pointed out that the environmental practices of the manufacturer were at the bottom of the selection criteria,” said Nowakowski, “But that’s going to change. Our other research is showing consumers are driving manufacturers to be more stewards of our environment. KCMA has a certification that covers that as well.”

The KCMA research study on certification was done to gauge the awareness level of certification among design professionals. There were three key takeaways that would bring certification and its importance upfront: Education, Marketing, and Content. For cabinets, we believe the study outlines some directions for our client that might also apply to other certification organizations. KCMA, in allowing AIM to share some of their data and findings, believes that the industry itself can benefit from knowing about certification, its processes and how it differentiates their members.

To download a copy of this important research, go to our website here and fill out the form. For more information, drop Jim Nowakowski, President, a note at jnowak@a-i-m.com. Thank you.

NOTE: Image by rawpixel.coma on Freepik

The post The Importance of Certification in the Cabinet Industry appeared first on Accountability Information Management.

According to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, there are about 3 million data centers in the United States.[1] You can see 1,269 of them at dataceters.com. And there is a map of 1,806 of them at datacentermap.com/usa. This doesn’t take into account Google Data Centers. Nor is there an official count on how many facilities or servers Google has. Or Amazon, who really doesn’t broadcast where its data centers are located.

Besides, there is no way to count the existing data centers within individual companies with any accuracy.[2] And most companies have them somewhere within their walls.

So, it’s no wonder data center construction is on the upswing.

Mordor Intelligence should know about these things. This India-based company relies on a network of experts across the value chains of different markets in different countries to provide them with the perspective, data and insights to deliver the right information to partners, which comprise 1700+ enterprises across 20 industries.

According to Mordor, the US Data Center Construction Market is divided into infrastructure (electrical, mechanical and general construction), the tier type (I, II, III or IV), and end user type (banking, financial, IT, telecom, government, defense and healthcare).

They valued the market at $8.4B in 2020, suggesting it will grow to $13.9B by 2026.

Their analysis refers to the Turner & Townsend report (cost index), which suggested Dallas, North Virginia and Phoenix were the most demanded markets for such construction in 2019.[3]

But, that study in 2020 suggested 79 percent of people they polled believed COVID-19 caused productivity losses and higher operating costs on data center construction sites.[4]

COVID-19 only increased the appetite for data.

Besides COVID-19, the entire “work from home” movement and other trends noted below are driving data center construction. In a recent WSJ article[5], fewer than three out of 10 white-collar employees were working at the office on average in 10 major US cities. Those statistics came from Kastle Systems, a nationwide security company monitoring access-card swipes in more than 2,500 office buildings in cities across the country (who says you are not being watched!).

This shift only increases the demand for digital exchanges, which means more data centers.

Two other trends that came up from these independent research companies included: 1) Cooling Systems (Mechanical Infrastructure) Expected to Show Significant Growth and 2) Healthcare Industry Expected to Grow i.e., virtual health consulting.

But, there is a third not really mentioned: Internet of Things (IoT)[6].

The IoT refers to the billions of physical devices around the world that are now connected to the internet, all collecting and sharing data. According to Steve Ranger, writing in ZDNet, “Tech analyst company IDC predicts that in total there will be 41.6 billion connected IoT devices by 2025.” Ranger further points out that building automation will be the fastest growing sector, followed by automotive (connected cars) and healthcare (monitoring of chronic conditions).

For example, in “How Intelligent is Your Floor,” Robert Nieminen outlined how Shaw Contract developed Sole with SensFloor Technology. This puts sensors in the floor itself to improve outcomes for resident safety in senior living and other facilities because the sensors will detect when someone falls or some other “noteworthy event” occurs.[7]

How to Tap This Market

What are the data centers being built in the US and Canada? And who is building them? What do you need to know in order to penetrate this lucrative and burgeoning market?

To help understand and plow through the vast amount of already-published information to answer these questions, AIM used primary and secondary research as well as ConstructConnect to explore data centers. What we hope to accomplish is to add a comprehensive layer to your understanding as you, the manufacturers and design professionals, seek to penetrate and grow your share in this data center market.

In other words, we want to help.

Among the over 500,00 active construction projects going on in any given movement in the US and Canada, 11,198 of them seem to involve data centers. We use the word “seem” because there is no single database comprehensive enough to deliver all the information on these facilities that you would want or expect to see if you were going to do a marketing campaign. In the words of a former boss, “You run with the horses you have.”

These 11,198 data centers being built are within companies or as standalone data centers. If we can identify the professionals involved in building them, we can certainly make headway into the market, despite the apparent secrecy around such facilities.[8]

If we examine data centers closer, however, we can see around 297 projects going on as standalone.[9] Looking closer at these 297 projects will tell us something about not just those projects, but the trends toward the digital world we find ourselves working within to help develop our strategy of attack.

Data Centers are Hot

Like all facilities, data centers have particular requirements, which architects, engineers, contractors and manufacturers should be aware of.

In fact, all companies have something that can be called a “data center.” That’s why it is important to understand not only the nuances of such facilities, but what seems the never-ending need for more of them to be built. This is also why it is essential for all product manufacturers to know about the value chain participants and their needs specifically as related to data centers. It’s not every architect who is involved with such facilities. Nor every mechanical, electrical, etc. It’s specialized work…and you’ll find that certain firms emerge to support these structures.

This  AIM report is based on those 297 data centers. By conducting a thorough study of these projects – and folding in additional ancillary information — it is our intent to help you navigate this market both in terms of successfully working on these and future projects by knowing the players that surround such facilities. The report is not intended to be the be-all, end-all, but to stimulate conversation to help you find your way around the facilities and their needs. In short, we want to help shape your strategy, and then help you execute it.

What is a Data Center?

Cisco, who should know about such things, defines a data center in the following terms:

At its simplest, a data center is a physical facility that organizations use to house their critical applications and data. A data center’s design is based on a network of computing and storage resources that enable the delivery of shared applications and data. The key components of a data center design include routers, switches, firewalls, storage systems, servers, and application-delivery controllers.

That definition used to fit your desk drawer before the internet or file cabinet. In those days, the data were phone numbers and addresses.

Data center components today, on the other hand, require significant infrastructure to support the center’s hardware and software. These include power subsystems, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), ventilation, cooling systems, fire suppression, backup generators, and connections to external networks. That’s besides what offices utilize: desks, restroom facilities, etc.

As professionals, you may already know all this. But, how does knowing “this” relate to what the market demand needs for data centers? And exactly where do you, as a professional firm or manufacturer, fit? Should you approve a particular segment (i.e., architects) first, or penetrate where your products fit (i.e., cooling systems) with the mechanical engineer? What does it take to get a foothold?

Let’s start by finding out WHERE these projects are located.

Where are These Projects

Over half of the 297 data center projects are happening in only nine (9) states, while 43 other states and Canadian districts control the other 49 percent. In Virginia, for example, even though there are 29 projects accounting for $6.6 billion of work, only two projects represent over half of that value: the Secure Data Center Campus and Prince William County Data Center Development. Google, for example, is building in Virginia, but also in Arizona, Nevada, Missouri, Minnesota and Nebraska.

The Secure Data Center Campus is a 1,500,000-square-foot data center facility. The fully built-out campus will feature over 1.5 million square feet of space with 300 megawatts of power and a dedicated onsite substation. TA Realty LLC, a leading provider of real estate investment management services to US and non-US institutional investors, is listed as the architect.

The other huge project – the Prince William County Data Center Development— calls for a 700,000-square-foot building as Phase one. A timeline for future phases has not been determined. Information on architects or contractors handling is sparse. Prince William, according to county officials, is among the counties with the largest concentration of data centers in the commonwealth. There are two developers listed for this particular project: Stack Infrastructure and The Peterson Companies.

Stack builds data centers and offers a white paper (seven pages) on 5 things to know about data center site selection. There is content in this paper to use in your own pitches for such business.

The Peteron Companies also builds data centers, but also other types of properties. Their website highlights the Prince William one, with an interactive map for your review. They also are involved in the Ashburn VA Microsoft Campus called Compass Creek. This project is part of the 29 projects in Virginia in the chart.

Are these companies on your target list? Should they be? Your strategy has to consider the owners of data centers as one of the primary targets in your tactics. Why? Because they have the financing behind the building itself. Owners are always the key to a project, so the closer you get to them, the more likely your products and services will be specified.

You can do the same type of review state by state with much the same results and opportunities.

Deep in the Heart of Texas

In Texas, for example, one project represents over 50 percent of the value of all 28 projects going on in that state: the EdgeCore Data Center / Richardson. This is a 900,000-square-foot, two-story above grade data center facility that was stalled in 2020 according to the information we have and was actually cancelled. Should that stop you from pursuing the players or the project? Why was it stopped? How will that affect the project you might be pursuing?

These are important questions. Every cancelled project holds clues to help you gain business. For example, EdgeCore Data Centers develops such facilities. Why would you not put them on your hit list? Indeed, the architects and civil engineers involved in that now-cancelled project didn’t just stop doing that type of work! In fact, EdgeCore has many projects in varies stages.

But with that large gone, it makes the Digital Realty Data Center / Garland becomes the top Texas data center project, a 48-acre data center facility. When finished in its phased construction, the center is expected to operate in excess of 150 megawatts of critical IT load. The owner is Digital Realty Trust, and the architect is Alliance Architects. Are they on your hit list?

The point is that each of these locations offer a rich variety of opportunities for professionals seeking to gain data center work. What is clearer is that when a leading authority tells you that Dallas, North Virginia and Phoenix are the hot spots for construction of data centers, reality sets in. Reality suggests every state has action going on! Only deep analysis will help you hatch the right strategy to win in this market. In short, the more you look, the more you see, and the more you see, the better you know where to look.

Sector Classification

A sector used in this report is a classification of the  type of overall category wherein the data center will reside.

Most of the 297 projects are classified as “offices” and this sector includes Facebook, Amazon, etc. Universities and Colleges would be next (a distant next with only 6%) This sector includes the RFQ Design – High Performance Computing Data Center at Mississippi State University. As far as we know, this project is still in motion. You can access the RFQ here.

COVID-19 caused most of these projects to be fluid in terms of construction development, so the only way to navigate them is through a coordinated attack plan that involves communicating with the key players on a regular basis: architects, owners, designers, developers.

Your strategy as a manufacturer should include these people in a continuity campaign. If you are one of the value-chain participants – the architects for example – you would target the developers and owners for the work. Likewise, a mechanical engineering firm would target the general contractor or the owner. The point is, these targets exist for you to pursue.

If you Google the words “should you sell to an individual or a group” you will see on page one of the Google results a useful article that discusses such a continuity strategy. It points this out: “Unless you aim at the decision maker first and PERSONALIZE your contact strategy (not automate it), you waste time.” So the key is to identify the decision maker, and then target that person and everyone around that person!

The remainder of this report will provide you possible targets to aim at for your strategy development. For more information, simply contact the AIM research director, Patty Fleider at patty@a-i-m.com.

Targeting Architects

There are 67 architects who handle data centers (and remember, many architects have not be named yet for planning-stage projects) in our dataset of 297 projects. You can look at these architectural companies in two ways: those who have the most projects, and those with the highest valued projects. The groups are often not the same.

Then still, keep in mind that the architectural firm is working on MORE than what is among the 297 data center set of projects in our study. Sheehan Nagle Hartray Architects, (SNH) for example, has several (but not all) Facebook data center projects, as Facebook has internal architects working on them as well.

SNH is working on the $5 million Country Club Drive Data Center in Itasca, Illinois for the owner, Bridge Development Partners, a real estate operating and investment company.

Volume of Projects: Leading Architectural Firms

These are the top four architectural firms in terms of volume of projects. SNH Architects is working on the following:

• Facebook – 9th Data Center Building / Prineville
• Facebook Fort Worth Data Center
• McLaren Data Center
• Microsoft Data Centers Phase 1A / Leesburg
• Vantage Data Centers McLaren Expansion

Value of Projects: Leading Architectural Firms

These are the top four architecture firms in terms of the project valuation. The Page Southerland Page firm has a single large project: Microsoft DM4 Data Center / Project Osmium. Jacobs has Niobrara Data Center Energy Park.

The question always becomes: What is your strategy for approaching these firms in terms of your own marketing? Here are just a couple of ideas:

• Examine your own products/services in terms of data center needs, and then target the architects with why they should specify your company.
• Create a panel of experts on using your products/services in data centers, and then create an “event,” inviting architects to attend and ask questions.
• Create a series of case histories on your products/services in data centers for your website.

For example, many specification contain “basis of design” wording for your products and services. How many are you a part of in the world of data centers? How many are you competitors? Such a specification study

Our company produces reports called “Snapshots” that study these problems. In How often do you include the “basis of design” language when specifying a particular brand of product, the report said that Approximately half of architects’/designers’ specifications include “basis of design” language when specifying commercial products. You can request the report here. But the highest reason is “client request” for including such language, so the question you have to ask yourself is: do you think the owner of a data center is going to be telling the value chain participants what product he or she wants in there? Of course, you know the answer, and then you also know what to do: work the owners as well.

There are plenty of other tactics to pursue in a continuity strategy. If you want more information, including contact information, contact: the AIM research director, Patty Fleider at patty@a-i-m.com.

Targeting Owners

There are 204 owners who operate these data centers in our dataset of 297 projects. Like other segments, you can look at these types of companies in two ways: those with the most projects and those with the highest valued projects.

DC Blox is the company with the highest number of data center projects, but their valuation is dwarfed by the higher profiled companies like Microsoft and Facebook. Their 18 data centers on average are valued at $15M each. Whereas an Apple Data center is valued at $776M or a Microsoft one at $331M. Their owner strategies are obviously different, but since there are 204 owners in our data set, with average valuations ranging from $30,000 to $2B, there is no shortage of targets to aim at with product strategies.

Volume of Projects: Leading Owner Firms

Value of Projects: Leading Owner Firms

University of Washington – Capital Projects Office is the median of the 204 owners ranked highest to lowest in terms of number of projects average values of the data centers. Their project is the UW Medical Center, IT EDS Office Space Interior Renovation of the data center.

This project ,valued at $744,000, is for the renovation of an existing data center facility with a wide range of “wants” that include demolition of selective existing partitions, adding new partitions and drywall, a new suspended acoustical ceiling, hollow metal and wood doors, new hardware; new Nora tile flooring, new resilient base, prep and paint all new and existing walls, lighting and much more.

In other words, it’s a viable, exciting target in data centers! The architect is Buffalo Design and bids were open as of June 22, 2021. You can find the project manual here, all 630 pages of it!

But, the real point is that each one of these owners can be researched and contacted to get in on the work!

For example, in certain cases (i.e., data centers) the general contractor may assume a more powerful role in the facility’s construction than in a typical process. The owner delegates to the general contractor that responsibility for the facility, in which case what the contractors says goes. Therefore, it is important to target these special firms as well!

The question always becomes: What is your strategy for approaching these owners and gaining some or all of their business? If you want more information on these owners, including contact information and strategy help, contact: the AIM research director, Patty Fleider at patty@a-i-m.com.

Targeting General Contractors

There are 36 general contractors who handle data centers (some not yet named) in our dataset of 297 projects. Like architects, you can look at these types of companies in two ways: those with the most projects and those with the highest valued projects.

And like architects, the contractor firm is working on MORE than what is among the 297 data center set of projects in our study.

DPR Construction, for example, occupies the top two spots in terms of number of projects (their total is six in our dataset counting all their separate offices). Their website tells you why: “DPR consistently ranks among the top five mission critical facility builders in the country.” They tell visitors that since 1990 when founded, they have completed over 857 data centers. But, they are not alone: HITT Contracting holds the other top four slots in terms of volume of projects.

HITT for example has the Microsft DM4 Data Center in West Des Moines, Iowa. This is a $2B estimated project for a data center facility on 42 acres. According to sources, Microsoft has invested between $3 billion and $5 billion since 2010 in that area. Other sources indicated that the company uses 35 weighted criteria to evaluate construction of data centers, including close proximity to customers, an ample and reliable power source and fiber optic networks, a large pool of skilled labor, and affordable energy rates to determine the long-term viability of each site.

Volume of Projects: Leading General Contractor Firms

Value of Projects: Leading General Contractor Firms

The question always becomes: What is your strategy for approaching these firms in terms of marketing? If you want more information on these general contractors, including contact information, contact: the AIM research director, Patty Fleider at patty@a-i-m.com.

A Final Word

AIM has many more opportunities for you to explore to help you develop a successful strategy for penetrating  data center decision makers and influencers.  Other professionals to target include developers, tenants, structural engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers, plumbing engineers, fire protection engineers, HVAC contractor and engineers, and more.

As the new construction and renovation of data centers continues to build over the next several years. let us help you try to satisfy this insatiable market of data centers today! Contact the AIM research director, Patty Fleider at patty@a-i-m.com or call Jim Nowakowski, President, at 847-358-8558. We’re looking forward to the conversations!

For example, projects are in continual motion. Just recently, one of the architects mentioned in this report was added to another major data center project –a 472,920-square-foot, four-story above grade data center facility; 51,000-square-foot, six-story above grade office development; and 36,520-square-foot warehouse / distribution facility. Five new data center projects were also identified, including Microsoft’s San Antonio, Texas 60,000-square-foot facility. If you’d like to receive information on such data center work, or need to penetrate these projects with your sales and marketing, Contact the AIM research director, Patty Fleider at patty@a-i-m.com or call Jim Nowakowski, President, at 847-358-8558. We’re here to help!

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[1] Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy: 10 Facts to Know About Data Centers.

[2] The US Chamber of Commerce has a 2017 20-page report called Data Centers: Jobs and Opportunities in Communities Nationwide, which offers a terrific overview. Dmdatabases.com shows a nice chart listing 18.204,679 businesses in the US. You can and should assume each is using some type of data center, whether someone else’s or their own. Any way you count it, you can see why data is insatiable.

[3] Data center cost index 2020, Turner & Townsend. This company has 111 offices around the globe that offer advice to companies about real estate, infrastructure and natural resources – the stuff of construction. Their data center section of their website is worth your time, where they aptly note: “The data center is now a recognized real estate asset type and there is no shortage of investment funds looking to capitalize on the market conditions. End-user spending on global data center infrastructure is projected to reach $200bn in 2021.” In its fourth year, their data center cost index is the construction industry’s only cost index specified to data centers.

[4] There will always be controversy around these facilities and where they are built. Often, it becomes an energy play, since they need blocks of power to run properly. According to Energy Innovation, on average servers and cooling systems in data centers account for the greatest shares of direct electricity use, followed by storage drives and network devices. The US DOE says that some of the world’s largest data centers can each contain many tens of thousands of IT devices and require more than 100 megawatts (MW) of power capacity—enough to power around 80,000 US households. The IEA has an excellent report here on data centers and transmission. It points out that: “Data networks consumed around 250 TWh in 2019 or about 1% of global electricity use, with mobile networks accounting for two-thirds.”

[5] “People Are Returning to Restaurants, Stores and Hotels. But Not Yet the Office” by Peter Grant.

[6] In addition, let’s not forget bitcoins’ affect the data center industry. According to Alex Carroll in “The Impact of Bitcoin Mining on Data Centers,” the data centers to support this activity require specialized high performance hardware. “Along with the demand for this kind of specialized hardware, the growing demand for data centers to equip and to handle cooling of this kind of heat generating hardware is increasing,” he said. “Specialized data centers use immersion cooling, which is a liquid cooling technique for high density hardware.”  Other sources report that the record-breaking surge in Bitcoin price at the start of 2021 may result in network consuming as much energy as all data centers globally, with an associated carbon footprint matching London’s footprint size.

[7] “How Intelligent is your Floor,” by Robert Nieminen, BUILDINGS magazine.

[8] I remember doing a case study for the ASIC (American Institute of Steel Construction on a project on secure buildings as part of the ON STEEL series were doing at the time. The structural engineer we interviewed was building a Command Center (this was after 9/11) for the government, and the RFP (which we couldn’t see and he wouldn’t share) called for concrete in the structure. Our interview involved why they switched to steel, and it made terrific copy, though we never saw the plans. You can bet at the heart of the facility was a datacenter.

[9] Based on ConstructConnect database in July, 2021.

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Globally, COVID-19 has disrupted everyday life, bringing drastic changes to the way business is conducted. The complexity of the pandemic and its response has impacted the economy in many different ways, creating a gap between “essential” and “non-essential” businesses.

So, what does that mean for the business of architecture today? What will it mean in the immediate future…the long-term picture? More specifically, how does the pandemic and its consequences impact architects and the means by which they obtain product information they so readily depend on for their specifications?

These questions were explored in depth in new Accountability Information Management (AIM) research that tried to understand how COVID-19 has impacted how architects get product information from manufacturers. The research also identified how businesses are using different strategies to recover in the turbulent COVID economy. Unsurprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic role in changing how architects get product information from manufacturers. For example, the research also explores the drastic change in manufacturers reps’ ability to visit architects and present CEU lunch and learns.

COVID-19 Slams the Architectural Business

The shutdown hit architects hard. The Architectural Billings Index, which is used to project nonresidential building prospects, saw its largest single-month decline due to the pandemic since the American Institute of Architects (AIA) developed the economic indicator 25 years ago[1]. By April, 80 percent of architectural firms applied for federal PPP loans according to AIA. According to ConstructConnect, a leading provider of construction information, the way architects will be working is seeing a paradigm shift. Kevin Songer from Gensler said, “We continue to see design needs in the market and are staying in close contact with our clients to support their needs during this time. We are seeing some needs shift, and everyone is thinking about the near now and the far future impact. Paired with new information each day, we believe more than ever that design is what will make us stronger when we come out of this time.”

But, Gensler is always optimistic. Their DIALOGUE blog is helping shape the thinking that will be forthcoming from architects[2]. What is also being reshaped is HOW they get information, which is what the AIM research sought to explore.

Due to the pandemic, product information reaches architects differently than before, in a mostly digital format. Because of advantages in technology and automation, however, the transfer of some types of information is easier than before in some work settings[3].

The AIM research directly asked architects, interior designers, facility managers and engineers: In the era of COVID-19 and social distancing, have you changed the way you get new product information from manufacturers? The vast majority (81%) of the architects surveyed have changed the way they seek new product information.

Chart 1: In the era of COVID-19 and social distancing, have you changed the way you get new product information from manufacturers?

Their open-ended comments on how it has changed shows the shift in trajectory. Once the pandemic began, the in-person aspect was eliminated (35% no longer have in person visits and lunch-n-learns), which seems to be directly replaced with virtual meetings (34%). However, the aspect of getting product information online remains strong (25%).

Chart 2: Open ended comments . . . How has it changed?

The AIM study further emphasizes the shift from in-person to virtual/online. Just look at the dramatic swings in elements of the chart below, such as the increase in online CEU attendance pre-to post-COVID (30% to 73%), or the dramatic decrease in office CEU Meet & Greets pre-COVID to post-COVID (77% to 11%). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, architects are using more online resources, phone calls and email to get product information.

Chart 3:  Where professionals go for new product information, pre and post COVID.

These results stress the importance of providing product information on websites (a 15% increase) and a dramatic rise of online presentations (43% increase).

It also affects organizations like the AIA. Note the collapse of trade shows as a source of information. These shows pre-COVID-19 tended to be grazing grounds for architects throughout the world. As they locked down and out, the situation is forcing these organizations to rethink their positions dramatically. One major association in the construction industry AIM interviewed put it bluntly: “We lost a million dollars and more when you factor in the cancellation fees. How do you replace that?”

More specifically, the AIM study asked: Today many manufacturers are trying different methods to get product information to you. How likely are you to use the following types of communications to learn about new products/materials?

Chart 4: How likely are you to use the following types of communications to learn about new products/materials?

Clearly with architects, free online CEU webinars with detailed product information are the most useful. Architects rely heavily on CEUs for professional education regardless of COVID-19, so ensuring that your online courses are up-to-date, robust, and easily accessible is likely the best method for staying connected with this group.

This does not discount the other communications tactics like emails with links to website or YouTube product information. However, you can see that providing architects with free CEU webinars is more likely to get their attention – especially if you and your sales reps already had the contacts!

AIM also asked: how much of an impact will the COVID pandemic have on the architect’s future selection and specification of products for the projects you are involved with? The overall weighted impact (five being extremely high impact) was 3.1. However, the architect’s weighted impact score was 2.9 –making it an important factor, if slightly lower than other occupations.

Chart 5: How much of an impact will the COVID pandemic have on your future selection and specification of products for the facilities you are involved with?

The top four verbatim comments about this impact were:

• Importance of easy cleanability
• Supply/product availability
• More willing to use familiar products
• Increasing interest/importance of touch-free products

Interested in how other building professionals look for product information or on when architects anticipate they will return to work in the office?

Check out the AIM website for more details on this research.  The above is just a limited summary of the many insights contained in AIM’s research report. For further discussion and more detailed information on architects or to see how other building professionals are finding new products and product details, contact AIM by phone or email today.  AIM is a full-service marketing research company specializing in B2B research in the building construction market.  Visit our website to take advantage of other research and reports.

[1] Designing to Survive, by Philip Kennicott, JULY 13, 2020, WASHINGTON POST.

[2] For example, “Here’s How Developers Can Reposition Office Buildings for the Future” is one of many articles from Gensler in their ongoing Blog about this topic.

[3] AIM research has continually demonstrated that the manufacturer’s website is the most important marketing tactic for manufacturers to disperse their information.

The post Manufacturer Brief: How COVID-19 Changed the Way Architects Get Product Information appeared first on Accountability Information Management.

In 2019 Houzz Bathroom research report[2], designers surveyed indicated size matters. According to the report, 83% of homeowners upgrade the shower when they remodel their bathroom with over half (54%) increasing the size of the shower.

The continued bathroom trend for 2020 will be to create “enclosed shower areas,” giving users the feeling of being in a spa. Walk in showers with compartmental shower doors of frameless glass will also continue to be part of this trend.

That spells tremendous opportunity for manufacturers of shower enclosures.

To take advantage of these 2020 trends for larger enclosed shower areas, manufacturers of shower doors and enclosures should take time to review and strengthen their position in designer’s specifications.

Shower Enclosure Market Potential

The new construction and bathroom remodeling market is large and is predicted to continue to grow. According to a comprehensive market study by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA)[3] in 2017 the market spent $78 billion on bathroom products, with 63% attributed to bathroom remodeling projects and the remainder from new construction.

In addition,  the Global Shower Enclosure and Cubicles Market 2017-2021[4] detailed report indicates that the shower enclosure market is predicted to grow approximately 5% per year to 2021. The report states the demand for shower enclosures is driven by the high level of consumers participating in bathroom renovations.

Understanding & Maximizing the Specs

In order to increase a shower enclosure manufacturer’s chances of being specified, selected and ultimately purchased, it is important to understand how the specification process works and learn more about how architects and designers are actually specifying shower enclosure products.

To do that, AIM used the ConstructConnect database of construction to look at 2019 specifications. At the time of the report, there were 45,485 projects in the planning stages (updated in the past 12 months) within the U.S. that had specifications. Of these projects only 7% or 181 projects had a plumbing specification for shower enclosures.

This indicates that this is a narrow market, making it even more critical for shower enclosure manufacturers to evaluate and strengthen their position in the designer’s spec.

Many manufactures work hard to get their brand in the designer’s specification and to be included in the list of approved brands. For many manufacturers, getting a product into the specification can be a difficult task. Architects and designers do not change or review their specs often. In research conducted and published by Architect Magazine titled The Truth About Specification[5], many times architects re-use or revise existing specifications. In addition, there are many large national established brands in the shower enclosure market which makes it almost impossible for new brands to penetrate the market.

In “shower enclosures,” Sweets represents 70 manufacturers. ThomasNet says there are 71. This is a competitive set of companies!

Looking closer at the shower enclosure specifications, there is a wide dispersion of how shower enclosure brands appear. Several manufacturers that can be used might be listed, or a detailed description and specs on the required enclosure without a brand or even just a model number might be provided.

For example, in some specifications the architect requires a specific brand which is used as the “basis of design” but indicates the owner can approve an equal product. Other specifications indicate the “basis of design” product can be found on the drawings and also lists comparable products that can replace the basis of design product. Here are some examples.

Interestingly, four companies from the A specification above are not found in Sweets, while none of them are found in ThomasNet.

Brand Preference

Accountability Information Management’s (AIM) Brand Preference Study revealed just how competitive the shower enclosure market is.

In this unaided blind brand preference study, architects and designers were asked to list their top three brands of shower enclosures. There were over 20 different brands or companies mentioned by architects in AIM’s proprietary research with architects that were “involved” with the specification of these products. Although the list of specific brands has no doubt shifted over time, the numerous choices designers can choose from still holds true.

Designers have lots of brand choices when it comes to shower enclosures. In fact, the recent search of specs for shower enclosures in the ConstructConnect database showed there were often more than 5 different shower brands specified in a project, with the option to mix and match brands. Oftentimes, the spec would say the brand of shower specified could be replaced with an equal brand approved by the owner.

Using Spec Analysis to Boost Brand’s Market Position

To help manufacturers evaluate their brand position in the marketplace, it is important to first understand more about an architect’s level of involvement when specifying shower enclosures. How much control or influence does the architect or designer have on selecting a particular brand of shower?

The architects’ involvement in specifying a specific brand or manufacturer of shower enclosure can vary based on the project type, the owner’s requirements and the architect’s design preferences.

In AIM’s Architect’s Brand Preference research, only 33% of architects surveyed indicated that they were involved in selecting and specifying the brand of shower enclosure. This was down from an earlier study where 55% of architects surveyed indicated they were involved in making brand decisions for showers. Does that mean someone else (i.e., engineer, interior designer) is doing the specifications?

In addition, of those that were involved, 42% indicated they did not have brand preference. This was a major increase since previous research which indicated only 6% had no brand preference.

Maybe some architects do not distinguish the difference of one brand over another? Or, is the choice being delegated to someone else in the value chain as mentioned, or simply, not relevant and left to the contractor?

While architects may indicate they have “no preference,” they are, in fact, involved in specifying and recommending shower enclosures. The architect will weigh in on the type of look or style they want to achieve besides performance criteria.

However, due to the abundance of brand options, architects may delegate the brand selection to “others” in the specification path (i.e., the interior designer). Many design firms today maintain a list of “approved” brands that have met specific performance and quality requirements. If a manufacturer is not on “the list,” the chance of being in a specification are limited. It is becoming increasingly important for manufacturers to expose and educate architects on their product features, benefits and other services they offer the market.

In AIM’s Brand Preference research, overall, most architects indicated that brand was extremely important to their selection of a particular shower enclosure—rating brand 3.92 in importance where one equals not very important and 5 equals extremely important.

In fact, verbatim comments in AIM’s research indicated that one architect used one brand exclusively because they were proven over time to be durable and the manufacturer also provided a variety of selection. Other architects used brands that provided a certain look or met the specific project goals.

Becoming a brand on the architect’s preferred list of brands is key to impacting a brand’s position in the specifications. To be on a firm’s list of approved shower providers, a manufacturer needs to provide more than just a quality product. They need to have a history of top performance, offer premiere service and local support for their brand. What can manufacturers of shower enclosures do to enhance brand selection and preference? How can manufacturers convert “no preference” answers into specifications and recommendations for their brands? These are important questions.

Impacting Brand Specification with the Basis of Design

To answer these questions, consider what we know about specifications. The key to gaining ground in specifications is to become part of the “basis of design”[6] or be listed as the brand of choice with no substitutions. The “basis of design” means that the architect or designer is calling out a specific brand that is used to meet the objectives of the project. To learn more about how often “basis of design” is used in shower enclosure specs, we used ConstructConnect, an online construction database, to get a better sense of how shower enclosures are specified. By searching the projects for “shower enclosure or individual shower with Basis of Design” in specific years, we can see how the specification for “basis of design” and specific brands has changed.

Only a quarter or 25% of U.S. projects in 2019 with a shower enclosure specification also included a brand as the “basis of design.” In fact, this has decreased slightly since 2012 where “basis of design” was specified in 28% of the shower specifications. This analysis also indicates that while less than 50% of projects with a shower specification have a “basis of design” spec, there are specific brands that consistently appear as the basis of design.

Since there are a variety of different brands that are involved in providing shower enclosures to the market, this type of spec analysis can show manufacturers how often their brand is specified as the “basis of design” and if it has shifted over a specific period of time.

Since the market is constantly changing as new and existing manufacturers introduce new products to the market, it is important for a manufacturer to continuously review their position in the project specifications. While a manufacturer cannot always be sure that they are on a firm’s “preferred” list, they can evaluate how often their brand appears in the specifications and measure how often they are the “basis of the design” or appear in the project shower enclosure schedules. If a brand is found in the specifications and is the “basis of design”, they certainly are going to be on the list of “preferred” brands.

The specification analysis also indicates that in some specs a specific brand can be called out. To avoid being replaced by a “less expensive” or a “comparable” product, shower enclosure manufacturers may want to strive to be specified as the brand with “no substitutions”. This requires a “contact strategy” with the architectural firms in the market.

Let’s take a “sneak peek” on how a strategy might look.

Sneak Peek at Strategy

Here is a sample of how you might approach this type of analysis for your marketing purposes if you are a shower enclosure manufacturer.

There are currently 614 projects in the construction database ConstructConnect in the planning stage with “shower enclosures” specified. There are actually over 6.800 projects, but we selected the planning stage for our sneak peek to demonstrate what we mean by specification analysis to help your marketing strategy.

This next chart shows the “share” of specifications by category in these 614 planning projects.

Note that Apartments is the top category, tied with Elementary and Pre Schools. Other categories which is almost half of the pie chart include Fire And Police Stations , High Schools, Nursing Homes and Hospitals, Clinics to mention a few.

Targeting

The object of your strategy is to identify the architects who specify shower enclosures. There are 70 architects who are specifying the apartment projects in the prior pie chart. They can, through specification analysis, be identified, targeted, and contacted. But what do you tell them? That you have greatest enclosures in the world? Every shower enclosure manufacturer says that!

Besides, as pointed out in this article, they already have a “short list,” and if you are not on it, the road to specification will be long.

Contact strategies have to be about differentiation, and differentiation starts with knowledge – self knowledge about a company’s strengths and weaknesses. What if you could identify which manufacturer is being specified…and identify which architectural firm specifies them? Then, what if you could target the company with YOUR products? If you are a leader[7], what if you identified the other leader you want to attack? Or stop the upstart newcomer who is entering the marketing?

And in both cases, what if you could identify the architects associated with those projects in order to convince them of your value over your competitors?

The next chart shows the enclosure manufacturers being specified in the Apartment category in order for you to take those steps.

You can see that the Basis of Design study graph shown earlier holds true: the three companies who dominate basis of design are here, in these specifications. However, another company – Lasco – is a strong contender. But Lasco is simply a “brand.” It’s owned by Aquatic, who also has specifications in the chart (one of the 11 others). Are they a threat? Where does YOUR company stand in this mix?

Now targeting and creating a contact strategy makes more sense, doesn’t it? You actually have many choices.

You can target the 70 architects who are involved in Apartments, for example. Or, you might target one of the manufacturers in the second chart you want to attack and attempt to take share away.

Let’s say you decide on the latter. You can reduce your targets to 13 architects depending on the competitor you select – a much more manageable number.

Here are the architects specifying that competitor (we selected a random competitor for the chart):

• Architecture Incorporated
• Cadco Architects-Engineers Inc.
• Cornerstone Architectural Group
• Delta Engineers, Architects
• E4H Architecture
• Helix Design Group
• KKT Architects, Inc
• NAC Architecture – Spokane Office
• Randall-Paulson Architects Inc.
• Selser Schaefer Architects
• TSHD Architects
• W Design
• WM2A

Now all you have to do is craft a contact strategy, which would involve examining the specifications these firms are writing using enclosures closer. The projects they control – which are valued at $146M – include Government, Medical, Elementary schools, Athletic Buildings, Manufacturing and more. And they all have shower enclosures!

For example, one project – a museum – includes a specification for seven enclosure manufacturers. You might be among them; you might not. Regardless, your strategy if you follow this line of thinking will be the same: to make your product the one that gets installed.

Here’s the problem: in the specification, all seven are listed as “basis of design.” If you are among them, your strategy might be different than if you are not among them. It would be harder if you are not part of the seven, but not impossible.

Let’s say you are one of the seven. Now your task is to prove to the architect you are the one over the other six that should be installed. Maybe a CEU does that. Or, perhaps sales call strategy on the owner of the project. Maybe you do a “value added” project, like conducting a study on other museum projects that included shower enclosures and present it to the architect.

KKT Architects, Inc. ,who happens to be one on this museum project, provides comprehensive architectural, interiors, structural engineering, civil engineering and planning services. It’s a good-sized firm, with many contacts. You need to identify the key one or two and then start that type of conversation.

But say you are NOT one of the seven. How would you proceed?

The same way! CEUs, engagement, personal presentations – the difference is that you have to “introduce” yourself in what’s known as the “cold call.”

And that’s a story for another time.

Keep in mind that this kind of strategy can be done with any product. We’re here to help because we know you don’t have all the time necessary! Let us know how we can do that. Thanks for reading.

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[1] Builder On-line, September 2019, “Top Bathroom Design Trends Expected for 2020” and article by Sebring Design Build, 14 Bathroom Design Trends for 2020.

[2] 2019 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study, November, 2019, Survey of 1,360 homeowners.

[3] NKBA, 2018-19 Kitchen and Bath Market Outlook, February 2019.

[4] Global Shower Enclosure and Cubicles Market 2017-2021

[5] The Truth About Specification, by John Schneidawind, AIA highlights key findings on an AIA survey of 330 architects on how they select and specify building materials for commercial projects. The article stresses the importance of an architect’s relationship with building product manufacturers and report that 60% of the time the architect already knows which materials an architect is going to use. https://www.architectmagazine.com/aia-architect/aiafeature/the-truth-about-specification_o

[6]USlegal.com defines it as “Basis of design is a term used in engineering, which typically consists of text paragraphs, preliminary drawings, equipment lists, etc. Well-defined requirements consist of a set of statements that could form the basis of inspection and test acceptance criteria. The basis of design documentation and the specification identify how the design provides the performance and operational requirements of the project and its systems.”

[7] We had a client recently tell us that they are not only the leader, but that get three out of four specifications in their product area. We congratulated them, and then did our own research. We found out this assumption was not only false; it was dangerous, because other companies who make what our client made were creeping into the specifications. Aggressive companies – not complacent companies – win the battles. As Jim Mattis said in his book, Call Sign Chaos, “Improvise, adapt, and overcome. Do whatever it takes to carry out the intent.”

The post Open Showers Trend in 2020 Offers Opportunity to Increase Brand Exposure in Shower Enclosure Specifications appeared first on Accountability Information Management.

As water conservation becomes more and more critical to the commercial building industry, designers need to look at more than just cost and aesthetics when selecting a particular brand or type of flush valve.

According to the 2015 EPA WaterSense Fact Sheet [1]there were over 27 million flush valve commercial toilets in existing facilities with an average 500,000 new flushometers/flush valves installed every year. The WaterSense EPA study went on to estimate that there are over 67 billion commercial flushometer/flush valve flushes per year, and that adds up to a lot of water.

By conserving water, building owners can not only be environmentally conscientious but can also save money. More and more architects and engineers need to consider the efficiency and performance of  flushometers and flush valves if water conservation is a goal. It is important when specifying a particular brand of flush valve that the architect’s specification stress the importance and requirements for overall performance and water conservation.

So which Flush Valves are being specified? Which ones SHOULD be specified?

Selecting Flushometers or Flush Valves

So often in the construction of new commercial buildings, the up-front cost in relationship to the water conservation goals is the key consideration when selecting and installing a particular brand of flush valve.

While the architect may have specified a particular “brand” based on performance, aesthetics and preference, many times value engineering takes over and an alternative brand is purchased simply because it is cheaper. In the long run, to save a facility time and money, the “true cost” or life-time cost of a flush valve needs should be considered over just the original purchase price.

In a 2018 article published by Construction Canada[2], architects and engineers were encouraged to consider all costs, direct and indirect that would be incurred throughout the life cycle of a product. This would include several factors such as the durability, reliability, ease of installation and product efficiency.

One of the major issues that can impact the life-time cost of a flush valve is the frequency and ease of maintenance. Many times, flush valves are exposed to added vandalism or poor water conditions that increase the long-term cost to maintain the product. According to the WaterSense EPA fact sheet, a flush valve can last up to 20 years but can require parts replacements such as batteries (in the case of electronic) or new diaphragms. Some, like piston flush valves, require less maintenance and deliver more accuracy according to experts in the field. Maintenance will add additional labor costs too.

As far as other selection criteria, the style and look of commercial flush valves or flushometers have not changed too much over the years. Current models may be offered in different finishes or with a manual or electronic option, but the overall design (and functionality) has not changed much. For some types of projects, architects and interior designers may look for flush valves that have a unique look or style. However, the flush valve must still demonstrate superior performance and long-term durability. Manufacturers that can design a unique flush valve design that offers superior performance and durability may just have a way to differentiate their brand from the “others” specified.

One of the best ways for manufacturers to increase their position in this market is to provide architects, designers and engineers with data and “real” examples of their flush valve’s long-term performance and durability by type of building. In a 2019 Accountability Information Management, Inc. (AIM) Market Trends Research Study[3], building professionals indicated that their biggest fear in trying new products was that the product won’t perform or last as long as promised.  With actual proof of performance and durability manufacturers have a better chance of being specified and ultimately installed.

Using Spec Analysis Strengthen a Brand’s Market Position

Many manufactures work hard to get their brand in the architect’s specification and to be included in the list of approved brands. For many manufacturers getting a product into the specification can be a difficult task. Architects and designers do not change or review their specs often.

In research conducted and published by Architect Magazine titled The Truth About Specification[4], many times architects re-use or revise existing specifications.

AIM’s own Brand Preference Study revealed just how competitive the flush valve market is. In this unaided blind brand preference study, architects and designers were asked to list their top three brands of flush valve/flushometer products.

There were over 10 brands or companies mentioned by architects that were “involved” with the specification of these products. Although the list of specific brands has no doubt shifted over time, the numerous choices designers have to choose from still holds true. Designers have lots of brand choices when it comes to flush valve products. In fact, the recent search of specs for flush valves there were often at least 5 brands specified and contractors could basically select any brand that complied with the performance requirements outlined in the specification or in the drawings.

To help manufacturers evaluate their brand position in the marketplace, it is important to first understand more about an architect’s level of involvement when specifying flush valve products. How much control or influence does the architect or designer have on selecting a particular brand of flush valve.

Influence Matters

Looking at flush valves, the architects’ involvement in specifying a specific brand or manufacturer can vary based on the project type and impact on the overall project. In AIM’s Architect’s Brand Preference research, 45% of the architects surveyed indicated that they were involved in selecting and specifying the brand of flush valve. However, of those that were involved, 31% indicated they did not have a brand preference.

This was a major increase since previous research which indicated only 3% had no brand preference. Seemingly, brand in flushometers is meaning less and less.

Could this be that the specification of flush valves doesn’t matter to the architect or is this type of specification and decision on brand delegated to other professionals? Or possibly, the architect really doesn’t perceive any differences among brand?

While architects may indicate they have “no preference,” they are, in fact, involved in specifying and recommending commercial flush valves. The architect will weigh in on the type of look or performance they want achieve. However, due to the increasingly complexity of commercial projects (i.e., IoT and other trends), architects may delegate the brand selection to “others” in the specification path.

Many design firms today maintain a list of “approved” brands that have met specific performance and quality requirements. If a manufacturer is not on “the list”, the chance of being in a specification are limited. It is becoming increasingly important for manufacturers to expose and educate architects on their product features, benefits and other services they offer the market.

Becoming a brand on the architect’s preferred list of brands is key to impacting a brand’s position in the specifications. To be on a firm’s list of approved flush valves, a manufacturer needs to provide more than just a quality product. They need to have a history of top performance, offer premiere service and local support for their brand. What can flush valve manufacturers do to enhance brand selection and preference? How can manufacturers convert “no preference” answers into specifications and recommendations for their brands? These are important questions.

Brand

In one of AIM’s research reports – What is a Brand – we argued that “Architects are like ranchers when it comes to managing  brands that they specify. While the architect may specify a variety of different manufacturers’ brands (beef), it’s the firm’s name on the door that owner hires — not the manufacturer(s). The architectural firm itself becomes the “brand” and the assurance that the products in that specification offer quality and reliability.”

Products like flush valves have been around a long time, and specific brands have established themselves within these categories. However, the Internet has changed this, as has mergers and acquisitions of companies. One thing is certain: the installed base is where the battle for brand dominance takes place. New companies entering the market know this; they go after high-valued projects to break through and establish performance.

The measurement of who wins and loses is always in the specifications themselves. When a market like flush valves who has seen the same names year over year start seeing new entrants on the specifications, that is the signal that the game is changing. Architects are driven people – who seek knowledge to help their clients build the best building that they can build. That thirst for knowledge is also a thirst for creativity – solutions that not just sound good, but actually deliver on performance. This is why the “Basis of Design” becomes a critical factor in understanding how to impact market penetration.

Impacting Brand Specification with the Basis of Design

Consider what we know about specifications. The key to gaining ground in specifications is to become part of the “basis of design.”[5] This means that the architect or designer is calling out a specific brand that is used to meet the objectives of the project. To learn more about how often “basis of design” is used in flushometer/flush valve specs, we used ConstructConnect, (https://www.constructconnect.com/), an online construction database, to get a better sense of how flush valves are specified. By searching the projects plumbing specifications for “flushometer or flush valve with Basis of Design,” in specific years, we can see how the specification for “basis of design” and specific brands has changed.

Only 27% of projects in 2018 with a flush valve specification also included a brand as the “basis of design.” In fact, this has decreased since 2012 where “basis of design” was specified in 30% of the flush valve specifications.

Think about that: almost 75% of projects are non-brand specific! This is the signal that it is a commodity marketplace – and can be available for a new or established player to gain market share.

AIM’s analysis also indicated that while the number of projects that have a “basis of design” spec is fairly low, there are specific brands that consistently appear as the basis of design.

Since there are many brands that are involved in delivering flush valves to the market, this type of spec analysis can show manufacturers how often their brand is specified as the “basis of design” and if it has shifted over a specific period of time.

Ultimately, the owner or facility will have control of the brand that is purchased but contractors, architects and engineers all have influence. Recent research we conducted suggests 6 to 10 people are involved in a purchasing decision!

In another proprietary piece of research conducted by AIM, we saw – for the first time – where the leader in this category was displaced in architectural specifications by another brand! The conclusion is obvious: they are fighting harder!

Since the market is constantly changing as new and existing manufacturers introduce new products to the it, what is important is for a manufacturer to continuously review their position in the project specifications. While a manufacturer cannot always be sure that they are on a firm’s “preferred” list, they can evaluate how often their brand appears in the specifications and measure how often they are the “basis of the design” or appear in the project schedules.

If a brand is found in the specifications and is the “basis of design”, they certainly are going to be on the list of “preferred” brands. Recent analysis of the flush valve specs also indicates that the “basis of design” brand may not even be listed in the spec, but can only be found on the drawings.

To avoid being replaced, flush valve manufacturers may want to strive to be specified as the brand with “no substitutions”.

The same research can be done on the other product categories or on specific brands based on the manufacturer’s needs. AIM can design a spec analysis to meet a client’s objectives and look at a particular brand/manufacturer, by territory, competitors, project type, location or by spec area/schedule. Let us know where your interests are. Thank you.

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[1] EPA WaterSense Flushometer-Valve Toilet Fact Sheet (EPA-832-F-13-003) December 2015 https://www.epa.gov/watersense/commercial-toilets

[2] Construction Canada, “Consider Lifetime Cost When Specifying Commercial Plumbing Products”,

December 4, 2018,

[3] 2019 Market Trends Study on Product Selection, October 2019, On-line survey with 170 architects, designers and facility professionals. Open-ended comments indicated over 50% of respondents feared a new product would not perform or last as long as promised.

[4] The Truth About Specification, by John Schneidawind, AIA highlights key findings on an AIA survey of 330 architects on how they select and specify building materials for commercial projects. The article stresses the importance of an architect’s relationship with building product manufacturers and report that 60% of the time the architect already knows which materials an architect is going to use. https://www.architectmagazine.com/aia-architect/aiafeature/the-truth-about-specification_o

[5]USlegal.com defines it as “Basis of design is a term used in engineering, which typically consists of text paragraphs, preliminary drawings, equipment lists, etc. Well-defined requirements consist of a set of statements that could form the basis of inspection and test acceptance criteria. The basis of design documentation and the specification identify how the design provides the performance and operational requirements of the project and its systems.”

The post How Manufacturers Make Sure Their Flush Valve Brand Doesn’t Get “Flushed” Out of Designer’s Specs appeared first on Accountability Information Management.

Accountability Information Management’s idea of a “safari” is to prospect for new business in a specific targeted area. For example, for one of our clients, AIM pulls projects from our access to the ConstructConnect database, perhaps the most comprehensive construction project database in the country. We look for projects (hotels/condos) in planning based on the client’s criteria.

We then eliminate projects on hold, or pending approval or zoning issues, and the result is we help identify boutique hotel or luxury condo projects of interest to the client. Our client is assisted by our flagging the projects as “higher” potential where possible.  With the “mixed use” projects, for example, it is sometimes more difficult to filter out the other activities going on.

We then make appointments by calling them. We can filter by architects or other key contacts.

For example, one of the projects was in La Quinta California valued at $330M. We not only identified the architect (Gensler) but helped the client book the presentation. In another instance,  in Fort Lauderdale Florida, a $550M hotel we identified Fentress Architects as the designer and helped our client secure an appointment.

In the client’s filtered targeted area, $59,823,769,500 of projects existed — far to many to pursue. AIM helped by filtered and using our proven phone techniques, secured appointments for our client to many of his high-valued projects.

For more information, please contact us.

The post New Type of Safari Involves Appointment Setting appeared first on Accountability Information Management.

Today, more and more home owners are also considering metal roofing as an alternative to other traditional roofing options[1].

To take advantage of this growing market for metal roofing products, manufacturers need to begin to explore and evaluate their brand’s position in the specifications. Knowing more about how a brand is positioned with architects will help maximize success.

Facts of the Case

According to a 2019 research study recently published Roofing Contractor Magazine[2] 82% of contractors indicated they are currently involved with metal roofing. Many also indicated they see increased opportunity for growth in metal roofing, particularly in the residential market. More than half of respondents indicated their residential metal roofing sales increased in 2018 and 57% indicated they expected sales to increase in 2019.

The best way for manufacturers to take advantage of the growing metal roofing market is to strengthen relationships with architects and designers who specify metal roofing. Today, if a manufacturer is not on a firm’s “short list,” it is almost impossible to be listed in a project’s specifications.

Architects have many choices in brand when it comes to roofing. So it is even better for a manufacturer to be named as the projects’ “basis of design” or better yet, be listed as the brand with no substitutions or on the roofing schedule. Manufacturers need to start developing relationships with architects to provide them with the information they need to make better product selections. To do this, manufacturers must first understand the specification process and what factors are most important to the architect’s selection of metal roofing products. This will assure the architect that the manufacturer has the information and product details to meet their project objectives.

Many manufactures work hard to get their brand in the architect’s specification and to be included in the list of approved brands. For new manufacturers or existing manufacturers trying to get a new product into the specification can be a daunting task.

Architects and designers do not change or review their specifications often. In research conducted and published by Architect Magazine titled The Truth About Specification[3], many times architects re-use or revise existing specifications. In fact, the research found that only 26% write specifications from scratch and 57% end up using specifications from a previous project—sometimes using the specifications with no changes.

Adapt Change or Disappear

Where manufacturers can start to penetrate the specifications is to at least get on the “list” of brand options specified. Typically, architects are required to list “alternative” brands to help promote competitive bids/pricing. While being on the list is better than not, it still does not mean your product will be purchased.

Key Factors In Architect’s Selection of Metal Roofing Products

The key factors for architects can vary based on the project and the particular objectives of the architect’s client. According to research and an article published by Architect Magazine[4] titled How to Specify a Metal Roof for Commercial Buildings, there are several factors architects must consider when selecting a brand of metal roof.

Architects must not only consider product standards and performance requirements, but they also need to take into consideration other factors like the climate of where the project will be located, any local zoning requirements or the particular pitch or form the roof will need.

Many times, metal roofing is selected to obtain a certain “look” or aesthetics, which will need to be balanced with other goals of the project like functionality, energy savings, or even exposure to various types of weather. The more specific product information manufacturers can provide the architect, the better. They need specific information on how products can meet their project goals.

In fact, in reviewing metal roofing specifications there are very specific product requirements outlined by architects. For example, a metal roof product often needs to meet wind resistance, thermal performance and resistance to various temperatures.

Manufacturers need to outline and offer proof of product performance standards. Also, they must meet and deliver standards for packaging, delivery and warranties.

Installation requirements are often outlined in the specification. Accountability Information Management, Inc. (AIM) conducted qualitative one-on-one interviews with architects for a metal product manufacturer. Architects stressed that they will not specify a metal exterior product that does not have a history of product performance in the project location and type of project they are specifying.

In addition, an equal amount of importance was given to having trained, educated and experienced installers. To strengthen the relationship with architects, manufacturers should study the specifications of metal roofing so they can best address the key issues and factors impacting architect’s brand selection.

Specifications Analysis Helps Identify and Strengthen a Brand’s Position with Architects

AIM Architects’ Brand Preference Study revealed just how competitive the metal roofing market is. In this unaided blind brand preference study, architects and designers were asked to list their top three brands of metal roofing products.

There were over 27 brands or companies mentioned by architects that were “involved” with the specification of these products. Although the list of specific brands has no doubt shifted over time, the numerous choices they have to choose from still holds true[5]. Architects and designers have lots of brand choices when it comes to metal roofing products.

To help manufacturers evaluate their brand position in the marketplace, it is important to first understand more about an architect’s level of involvement when specifying metal roofing products. How much control or influence does the architect or designer have on selecting a particular brand of metal roofing.

Looking at metal roofing, the degree to which architects are involved in specifying a specific brand or manufacturer can vary. In AIM’s Architect’s Brand Preference research, only 32% of the architects surveyed indicated that they were involved in selecting and specifying the brand metal roofing products. Of those that were involved, 46% indicated they did not have a brand preference. This was a major decrease since previous research, which indicated only 15% had no brand preference. Could this be that the specification of metal roofing is increasingly complex and many architects delegate that other professionals like a structural architect or an architect specializing in materials or exterior building products?

While architects may indicate they have “no preference,” they are, in fact, involved in specifying and recommending the metal roofing products. The architect will weigh in on the type of look or performance they want to achieve.

However, due to the growing complexity of commercial projects, architects may delegate or collaborate the brand selection to “others” in the specification path. Many design firms today maintain a list of “approved” brands that have met specific performance and quality requirements. If a manufacturer is not on “the list,” the chance of being in a specification are limited. It is becoming increasingly important for manufacturers to expose and educate architects on their product features, benefits and other services they offer the market.

Becoming a brand on the architect’s preferred list of brands is key to impacting a brand’s position in the specifications. To be on a firm’s list of approved metal roofing brands, a manufacturer needs to provide more than just a quality product. They need to have a history of top performance, offer premiere service, local support for their brand and often a list of certified installers.

What should metal roof manufacturers do to enhance brand selection and preference? How can manufacturers convert “no preference” answers into specifications and recommendations for their brands? These are important questions.

Impacting Brand Specification with the “Basis of Design”

To answer these questions, consider what we know about specifications. The key to gaining ground in specifications is to become part of the “basis of design.”[6] This means that the architect or designer is calling out a specific brand that is used to meet the objectives of the project. To learn more about how often “basis of design” is used in metal roofing specifications, we used ConstructConnect, (https://www.constructconnect.com/), an online construction database, to get a better sense of how metal roofing products are specified. By searching the projects roof specifications for “metal roof projects with Basis of Design,” in specific years, we can see how the specification for “basis of design” and specific brands has changed.

41% of projects in 2018 with a metal roof specification also included a brand as the “basis of design.” However, this has increased since 2012 where “basis of design” was specified in only 36% of the metal roof specifications.

There are many brands that are involved in delivering metal roof products to the market. This type of specifications analysis can show manufacturers how often their brand is specified as the “basis of design” and if it has shifted over a specific period of time.

The market is constantly changing and it is important for a manufacturer to continuously review their position in architect’s specifications. A manufacturer cannot always be sure that they are on a firm’s “preferred” list. They can, however, evaluate how often their brand appears in the specifications. They can measure how often they are the “basis of the design” or appear in the roofing schedule. A brand found in the specifications and labeled the “basis of design” is automatically on the list of “preferred” brands.

The same research can be done on the other product categories or on specific brands based on the manufacturer’s needs. AIM can design a specifications analysis to meet a client’s objectives and look at a particular brand/manufacturer, by territory, competitors, project type, location or by specifications area/schedule. Let us know where your interests are. Thank you.

 _______________

[1] An expected increase in metal roofing sales in 2018 was 60 percent, the highest amount recorded by Roofing Contractor’s survey respondents since 2012. Roofing Contractor’s State of the Industry Report and Survey 2018, Roofing Contractor Magazine; February 2018.

[2] Roofing Contractor’s State of the Industry Report & Survey 2019; Roofing Contractor Magazine; February 2019.

[3] The Truth About Specification, by John Schneidawind, AIA highlights key findings on an AIA survey of 330 architects on how they select and specify building materials for commercial projects. The article stresses the importance of an architect’s relationship with building product manufacturers and report that 60% of the time the architect already knows which materials an architect is going to use. https://www.architectmagazine.com/aia-architect/aiafeature/the-truth-about-specification_o

[4] How to Specify a Metal Roof for Commercial Buildings, Architect, November 2017, https://www.architectmagazine.com/technology/products/how-to-specify-a-metal-roof-for-commercial-buildings_o

[5] Sweets, for example, lists only 11 manufacturers in the category “metal roofing.” However, in a recent specification for a mixed-use development in Julian California, there were 24 manufacturers listed for the metal roofing portion of the specification! Interestingly, six of the Sweet’s manufacturers were not even in that specification, which means 19 of the manufacturers in that specification were not in Sweet’s. Architects get their information in many ways, and it is important for the manufacturer of any product to make sure that they are in the architect’s line of sight.

[6] USlegal.com defines it as “Basis of design is a term used in engineering, which typically consists of text paragraphs, preliminary drawings, equipment lists, etc. Well-defined requirements consist of a set of statements that could form the basis of inspection and test acceptance criteria. The basis of design documentation and the specification identify how the design provides the performance and operational requirements of the project and its systems.”

The post Maximize Success During the Metal Roofing Boom Through Specifications appeared first on Accountability Information Management.