Overview

Tyler Drake, an experienced certifier at Drake Development Solutions, recently completed a construction certificate (CC) assessment where the inclusion of Tools™ significantly sped up the assessment process. The project showcased how including Tools™ SpecBlocks into a set of plans can improve both communication and compliance verification.

Challenge

Certification assessments often involve time-consuming compliance checks, particularly in high-risk areas like wet zones or detailed drainage systems – and often compliance is accepted by Certifiers without visibility on what will be built. Traditional plans can make it difficult to convey or verify compliance visually, leading to time-consuming back-and-forth with designers and builders.

Solution

In this assessment, the building designer had cleverly embedded SpecBlocks into the design documentation. These blocks, which include a QR and clickable link, directed Tyler and his team to clear, high-quality visual compliance on the Tools™ app. This significantly sped up mutual understanding between all parties, and ultimately assessment times. 

“The QR code integration drastically sped up my assessment time,” Tyler explains. “These links are easy to follow and give us a lot more detail.”

Benefits

• Faster Assessment Times: Instant access to visual building compliance reduced the need for additional documentation or prolonged clarification processes.
• Improved On-Site Compliance Checks: The same visuals used in the design phase could be scanned and viewed on-site, enabling faster and more accurate decisions in collaboration with builders and designers.
• Enhanced Communication: Complex compliance requirements – like a waterstop angle or drainage detail – were more effectively communicated using annotated graphics instead of relying solely on technical language.

“It’s very hard to demonstrate intricate compliance in words. These visuals make it easier to see what we’re trying to achieve, and that means it can be more effectively produced on site.”

Conclusion

This real-world example highlights how designers and certifiers like Tyler are embracing digital innovation to make building compliance faster, clearer, and more collaborative. By adopting Tools™ and the SpecBlock feature, the certification process becomes less about interpretation and more about shared understanding, saving time and reducing errors.