Company Profile


ARCOM (Architectural Computer Services, Inc.) specializes in software and specification development services for design professionals and the construction industry. In 1995, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) selected ARCOM to operate all aspects of the MASTERSPEC® system. Today MASTERSPEC is the most widely used master guide specification system in the U.S.

MASTERSPEC, a product of the AIA, is exclusively endorsed by:

  • American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)
  • The American Institute of Architects (AIA)
  • American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)
  • American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA)
  • The Council of American Structural Engineers (CASE)
  • National Landscape Association (NLA), the Landscape Division of the ANLA
  • National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)

ARCOM is also a strategic alliance partner of:

  • Construction Specifications Institute (CSI)
  • International Interior Design Association (IIDA)

History

For more than 20 years, ARCOM has been a key player in the growth and automation of MASTERSPEC, developed by AIA in 1969 as a series of printed specification documents. Users of the original system had to retype the appropriate section for each job.

ARCOM started as a division of a Salt Lake City architectural firm, inputting MASTERSPEC sections into a mainframe computer to be edited and customized for other firms. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, AIA relied on ARCOM for increasing automation to meet the needs of design professionals acquiring personal computers.

Since AIA outsourced MASTERSPEC to ARCOM in 1995, ARCOM has enhanced products and services by ensuring timely updates and dependable customer service; increasing the number of products, libraries, and sections; developing new software; and including professional organization participation in the review of MASTERSPEC.

ARCOM has its headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah and its research, writing, and editing office in Alexandria, Virginia. The company employs about 45 specification writers, architects, engineers, editors, researchers, computer programmers, and customer and technical support personnel. ARCOM’s full-time specification writers are the most experienced group of specification writers in the industry with combined specification writing experience that exceeds 300 years .

Management

ARCOM’s management experience reflects a synergy of architectural specification and software development expertise.

Christopher G. Bushnell, AIA, FCSI, CCS, is ARCOM’s new President.  Mr. Bushnell has been with ARCOM for 10 years, the last three years as Director of MASTERSPEC Operations.  Prior to joining ARCOM, he spent 16 years as a practicing architect in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. He holds a Masters of Business Administration from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Architecture from Washington State University.  Mr. Bushnell’s experience along with his management skills and knowledge of specifications are invaluable assets to ARCOM and its success.

Paul Brosnahan, AIA, CSI, CCS,  ARCOM’s Corporate Treasurer also is Vice President of Architectural Specifications.  He joined the AIA MASTERSPEC program in 1992 and has spent the past 11 years with ARCOM, the last four as Director of Architectural Specifications. Mr. Brosnahan graduated from the School of Architecture, Auckland University, New Zealand in 1974 and is a licensed architect in the Commonwealth of Virginia. With more than 30 years international architectural and specifying experience as a project manager, construction administrator, and architectural specifier, Mr. Brosnahan, brings a depth of construction specification experience to ARCOM.

Michael King, FCSI, CCS, ARCOM’s Corporate Secretary, also serves as ARCOM’s Vice President of Engineering Specifications. He also worked nine years with MASTERSPEC at American Institute of Architects. Mr. King has 40 years experience in HVAC design, specifications, and contract administration.  He has been involved in the development of office master specifications for two large architectural/ engineering firms, plus a master specification system for the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project, a $1.75 billion program to rebuild the railroad from Washington, DC to Boston, MA for high-speed train service. Mr. King has undergraduate studies in Math and English from Indiana University/Purdue University and in Business Law and Accounting from Roanoke College.

Angelica Matinkhah (M.Arch, CSI), ARCOM’s Corporate Vice President, serves as Vice President of Marketing and Sales. With more than 20 years experience in various aspects of specifications development, Ms. Matinkhah brings to ARCOM an intimate understanding of construction technology and automated specification library development. Her design experience includes project design for private and commercial buildings in the Philippines. Ms. Matinkhah graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of the Philippines. As a recipient of a Rotary International Foundation scholarship, she moved to Salt Lake City and completed a Master of Architecture at the University of Utah where she completed her Master’s thesis in specification automation.

Edward F. Smith (Ted) is currently Chairman Emeritus of the ARCOM board.  Mr. Smith currently serves as chairman of the aecXML Domain of IAI North America, is a member of the Implementers Support Group of IAI NA, a member of the Scoping Team of the Building Information Modeling Standard Committee, and a member of the OCCS Task Team of CSI and IAI NA.

Products

ARCOM’s approach to specification solutions is unique in the industry. While other providers offer a “fill-in-the-blank” framework, MASTERSPEC is a comprehensive system that provides specifiers all of the important criteria to make the right specification decisions. Using MASTERSPEC, design professionals simply delete portions of the specification text irrelevant to their project.

In addition, MASTERSPEC is the only commercial specification system that provides a reference database of manufacturers, standards, and detailed product information. This resource provides a “peace-of-mind” factor, especially when architectural and engineering professionals may be unfamiliar with the intricacies of specification writing and the latest developments in products and construction methodologies.

The ARCOM suite of products and automated solutions includes:

MASTERSPEC® – Comprehensive specification text as well as qualitative product overviews, editing instructions, reference standards, manufacturer and product comparisons, and drawing and specification coordination checklists. This database consists of more than 1600 full-length, short-form, and outline sections, organized into 13 practice-specific libraries:

  • Architectural / Structural / Civil (A/S/C)
  • Interiors
  • Roofing
  • Security and Detention
  • Structural / Civil / Landscape (S/C/L)
  • Structural
  • Site Civil
  • Landscape Architecture
  • Mechanical / Electrical (M/E)
  • Mechanical
  • Fire Protection
  • Electrical
  • General Requirements

Small Project™ – Abbreviated specifications including over 190 sections used for projects modest in size, scope, complexity, and duration.

SPECWARE® – Software that further automates specification production, including:

  • LINX™ –” Automates MASTERSPEC editing by linking related paragraphs. The linking of paragraphs supports interactive editing, using questions and answers for on-screen editing.
  • MASTERWORKS™ — Specification production software that automates many of the word processing functions associated with specification editing and production. This $300 value is offered free to all MASTERSPEC licensed users.
  • e-SPECS Linx —  A new generation of LINX that uses a paragraph-selector checklist and includes project documentation management along with specification automation and editing tools. This tool facilitates synchronization of all project documents and generates a variety of reports, such as Submittals and Executive Summaries.
  • eSPECS for AutoCAD® —  Integrates MASTERSPEC directly with Autodesk’s AutoCAD and Architectural Desktop, providing specification writers the ability to link sections and paragraphs to elements in drawings. It also facilitates remote connectivity and collaboration for all members of the project team.
  • e-SPECS for Revit® — Integrates MASTERSPEC with Revit Building and Revit Structures allowing designers to link specification sections to features on models. Changes in models are automatically reflected in changes to specification documents.
  • e-SPECS Designer— Customizes MASTERSPEC to suit your firm's preferences as well as integrate any custom office master section.

Specifying LEED Requirements and Companion CD – Simplify preparation of LEED specifications using one handy reference. With hundreds of pages of information, this resource tool provides an overview of LEED requirements and a checklist of relevant specification sections, three full-length MASTERSPEC sections needed for LEED certification, and specification text and instructions extracted from 175 MASTERSPEC sections.

Support Services

ARCOM provides customer and product support, including rigorous review by ARCOM’s consultants and on-staff specification writers and editors. Committees of practicing design and specification professionals participate in peer reviews as well. Regular, substantive updates incorporate changes in building standards and construction technology. In addition, ARCOM works closely with industry associations to develop new specification products, libraries, and writing tools.

ARCOM’s approach to computer and specification technical support goes beyond providing unlimited use and a toll-free number. Users who have questions about specifications can talk directly with ARCOM’s research and writing staff. Those who need help with SPECWARE software can call ARCOM’s programmers and support specialists.