Changes to MasterSpec???(R)???AE???? are designed to allow more flexibility when specifying lighting. They will also facilitate the removal or addition of lighting sections as older technology is phased out or as newer technology matures and is adopted by the building industry.

ARCOM, the publisher of MasterSpec and MasterSpec Small Project for The American Institute of Architects, recently announced that the lighting sections of MasterSpec have been updated to better reflect the technologies and products available to lighting designers and engineers.

The former lighting sections attempted to cover every lighting application and luminaire type. This approach made the sections large and cumbersome to edit and update. To remedy that, the following changes have been made.

Section 265600, Exterior Lighting, was split into the following five sections: 265613, Lighting Poles and Standards; 265617, Fluorescent Exterior Lighting; 265619, LED Exterior Lighting; 265621, HID Exterior Lighting; and 265668, Exterior Athletic Lighting, which was an existing section.

In addition, Section 265100, Interior Lighting, was split into six sections.

"Keeping in mind that simplicity is valued in both engineering and writing, it was decided to title the sections by technology and classification." said Michael Heinsdorf, P.E., LEED AP, CDT, MasterSpec engineering specification writer.

Splitting the sections adds flexibility for light specifying and allows MasterSpec to either withdraw or add lighting sections as older technology is phased out or as newer technology, such as OLEDs, matures and is adopted by the building industry.