Review Manufacturer Specifications and Professional Perspectives

After you have performed some initial research and have identified a couple of different options for your project, your next move is to further investigate these technologies to see how they stack up against each other. The initial research you performed weeded out some options right off the bat, enabling you to focus on those that best fit your project. Get a closer look at these identified technologies to help you weigh the pros and cons of each when it comes time for a final decision. You can use a number of sources to further examine the applicability of these technologies.

Manufacturer’s Literature

A good place to start your review is with the product specifications, brochures, and other materials available directly from the manufacturer. Reviewing the manufacturer literature can help you determine if the technology is going to be a fit for your project. You need to make sure that the technology you are researching will be compatible with the other components in your building. Remember, think of your building as a whole rather than the sum of its parts. The various components interact with each other on a daily basis and can significantly affect how each performs. Simply because a technology provides your desired attributes does not mean it will work for your building.

At this point, you can also review what third party certifications a particular technology has earned. A number of agencies and companies test and certify various products for performance measures for every type of technology. Products that earn certification marks or labels from third parties provide a level of assurance that a product is going to meet a certain set of criteria or standards of performance.

Professional Perspectives

As a building owner or manager, one of your best sources of information is the professional who has first-hand experience with the technology. Reaching out to contractors, labor specialists, other building owners, and tenants will enable you obtain a better perspective on how the technology has worked in other applications that might be similar to your project. You should identify local projects that are using these technologies and talk with both the tenants and owners/managers to gain their perspectives. These opinions may differ. Maybe the building owner likes his new HVAC system because it saves him money on energy bills; however, the tenants may complain that the temperature of their units is uncomfortable. A building owner may be considering an innovative faucet, but a professional review of that specific product or model may reveal the unit is difficult to maintain.

You should also look to see what skilled labor is locally available to you. It may be that nobody in your area has ever used this technology making installation of technology expensive or run the risk of it being done improperly. These professionals are also a great source of information. The people who handle these technologies on a regular basis are likely the ones who have the strongest opinions on which ones perform the best, are the most reliable, and will last the longest.

Another important contact to make is with your local code official. He/she will know whether a technology will be compliant with the local building code. In addition, they are likely to see the technology through a different lens and might be able to give you an alternative point of view. Learning how these different professionals view a certain technology will help make you feel more comfortable when you ultimately make your choice.