CSI and McGraw-Hill Construction Announce Release of The Project Resource Manual-CSI Manual of Practice
Manual for Projects' Specifications and Documents Facilitates Communication Among Commercial Construction Industry Participants for Timely and Efficient Project Management

ALEXANDRIA, VA & NEW YORK, NY, (September 29, 2004) - The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and McGraw-Hill Construction, part of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE:MHP), announced today the release of The Project Resource Manual-CSI Manual of Practice (PRM). It is a significantly expanded new edition of the U.S. commercial construction industry's guide for developing building specifications and using construction documents to aid on-time and within budget project delivery and efficient facility management.

Using CSI's standardized methods, formats, and guidelines, the PRM documentation facilitates design, construction, and facility management by fostering communication among all project participants. Specific documents facilitating the clear communication vital to smooth project delivery include specifications (the detailed written instructions to the contractor), drawings (formerly called blueprints), reference notes on drawings, data on building materials to be installed, cost data, project scheduling, etc.

The PRM, written by CSI and published for CSI by McGraw-Hill Construction, also aids the commercial construction and facility management process by explaining the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved. They include owners, architects, specifiers, engineers, contractors, construction managers, construction product representatives, building owners, facility managers, regulatory authorities, lawyers, and financial institutions. The various types of construction delivery methods also are described, including Design-Bid-Build, Design-Negotiate-Build, Construction Management, Design-Build, and Owner-Build.

The new resource, the fifth edition of CSI's formerly-named Manual of Practice, was renamed The Project Resource Manual-CSI Manual of Practice because its scope goes substantially beyond specifications development and construction administration to encompass the entire facility life cycle. It demonstrates that planning, design, procurement, construction, facility use, operation, and maintenance are mutually dependent activities. For example, facility managers are heavily involved in construction project closeout and they reference the original construction documents to carry out building operations and maintenance.

James M. Robertson, AIA, FCSI, CCS, chair of CSI's Project Resource Manual Editorial Advisory Board, said the PRM has a vital role in advancing the industry because it is the only manual concerning specifications practice and facilitation of the overall project delivery/facility management process.

"CSI is about bringing together as a team everyone involved in construction projects to work smarter instead of harder, and the PRM truly reflects our mission. It's a must-have resource for people with a stake in the creation and use of clear, correct, concise, and complete construction documents to deliver projects efficiently. That means just about anyone who works in any stage of commercial construction projects, from conception all the way through occupancy, use, and maintenance, can benefit from this product," Robertson said.

"Setting standards to facilitate communication among the many industry players is critical to their ability to complete projects in a timely and efficient manner, and stay competitive in today's economy," observed its president Norbert W. Young, Jr. FAIA. "McGraw-Hill Construction connects the leading information and intelligence of the construction industry with the people who need it. By working with CSI to promote the use of standardized methods, formats and guidelines, McGraw-Hill Construction is delivering on its commitment to better serve its customers and advance the global construction industry."

The PRM has eight modules:


• Module 1. Introduction
  
• Module 2. Project Conception
  
• Module 3. Project Delivery
  
• Module 4. Design
  
• Module 5. Construction Documents
  
• Module 6. Bidding/Negotiating/Purchasing (Procurement)
  
• Module 7. Construction
  
• Module 8. Facility Management

The PRM's additional components include:


• MasterFormat™ 2004 Edition: Numbers & Titles, the organizational standard for specifications and other information used for most commercial/institutional building projects in the U.S. and Canada.
  
• UniFormat™, a time-saving system for classifying construction information by a building's systems and assemblies, used during a project's early design stages prior to writing detailed specifications.
  
• SectionFormat™, which guides users in uniformly organizing a construction project's specifications within each section of its project manual.
  
• PageFormat™, which guides users in uniformly organizing a building's construction specifications within each page of each section of its project manual.
  
• Glossary of Terms, which defines the PRM's commonly used terms.
  
• Sample CSI Forms, which are standardized forms used for various aspects of carrying out construction projects such as Notice to Proceed, Periodic Field Observation Report, and Change Order Request.

The new PRM will be a key reference for CSI's certificate and certification testing starting with the April 2, 2005 exams. CSI offers the Construction Documents Technologist certificate (CDT) and three certifications: Certified Construction Specifier (CCS), Certified Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA), and Certified Construction Product Representative (CCPR). For complete information on certificate/certification exams and their source materials go to www.csinet.org/certification.

List price for The Project Resource Manual-CSI Manual of Practice is $236 for CSI members and $295 for nonmembers. For more information on the PRM or to place an order, go to www.csinet.org/projectresourcemanual, e-mail CSI at csi@csinet.org, or call 800-689-2900.

About CSI
As the premier integrator for all disciplines involved in commercial, institutional, and industrial construction, the Construction Specifications Institute is an association providing technical information and products, common organizational systems for construction information, continuing education, and product shows to continuously advance the process of delivering construction projects. For more information, visit www.csinet.org or call 800-689-2900.

About McGraw-Hill Construction
McGraw-Hill Construction connects people, projects and products across the design and construction industry. From project and product information to industry news, trends and forecasts, the Company provides industry players the tools, resources and applications that help them save time, money, and energy. Backed by the power of Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, Engineering News-Record (ENR) and our Regional Publications, McGraw-Hill Construction serves more than one million customers within the $4 trillion global construction community. For more information, visit www.construction.com.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's, BusinessWeek and McGraw-Hill Education. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2003 were $4.8 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.

COMPANY CONTACTS:

Media Contact
Dan Merriman
CSI
800-689-2900 x 4776
demrriman@csinet.org

Media Contact
Kathy Malangone
McGraw-Hill Construction
212.904-4376
kathy_malangone@mcgraw-hill.com

Agency Contact
Jerry Cahn
PortfolioPR
212-736-9224
jcahn@portfoliopr.com

SOURCE: The McGraw-Hill Companies