The most important ingredient in a fine wine is a quality grape. The grape must be properly watered, exposed to sunlight and fertilized. The result of an insufficient grape could be a wine with an unpleasant taste. The taste of a poor quality wine could ultimately ruin the whole dinning experience. Trust me, the pleasure of that a fine homemade spaghetti diner can have on the palate is quickly canceled out by a sour-tasting cheap red made in a suburban garage.

The same can be said for a new building construction completed without proper design. The stakes are a lot higher than a bad meal. It is the responsibility of the architect to design the building in accordance with proper codes and regulations.

In this regard the architects should view themselves as the grape. Time, money and considerable effort went into your educational process that marked your development. Field experience provided the sunlight and fertilizer required for your growth. The building design is based on your vision and it is your responsibility to protect that vision during the construction phase.

The final phase in the “racking” of your development should be to become acquainted with the materials that you are specifying. Gaining elementary knowledge of materials will prevent your design from improper “value engineering” or unscrupulous salesmen that are only focused only on the legal tender. Leaving the most critical component of your design to salesmen (manufacturers’ representatives) can lead to a disastrous design.

Architectural Roofing & Waterproofing is here to help you with education on roofing and waterproofing materials and design issues. In 2010, make a resolution to attend some of the 12 free webinars that we offer or read technical information provided in the e-zine and print editions of ARW.

For more information on our webinars, check out this link: w.on24.com/r.htm?e=186925&s=1&k=DC42B4168879DFB075F4A92E05BDE0A9&partnerref=blog

All the best for 2010!