NATSPEC Publications
The NATSPEC guide series of technical books covers building, design and specification themes. To place an order for one or more of the following publications please download the form (by clicking here), fill it in and send it to us.
- NATSPEC Simple Domestic Specification
by Construction Information Systems Limited 
SIMPLE DOMESTIC has been developed for those projects simple enough not to require the engagement of an architect or building designer by the owners. It defines what is deemed to be the minimum level of workmanship for satisfactory work. architects and building designers should use the Domestic digital package when engaged for Domestic work.
The primary function of the drawings and specification is to give effect to design decisions. Many design decisions cannot be expressed in graphic form and therefore rely on words for their expression. Other decisions would be too tedious or impractical to be conveyed in graphic form. The drawings and specification compliment each other.
The quality of a building project is dependent on the documentation provided. The contract documentation includes the conditions of contract, the drawings, the schedules and the specification. Whilst the specification is a multi-purpose document, its primary function is to define precisely and succinctly the quality required and the processes necessary for achieving it. Its role includes but extends beyond the selection of materials by providing the baseline for acceptable quality of construction.
Why a NATSPEC Domestic 6-pack
NATSPEC Simple Domestic Specification is provided individually or in packs of six to satisfy the needs of the project: generally three copies as required by your local council, a copy for your records, copies for tendering purposes.
PRICE: Domestic $44 inc GST / Domestic 6-pack $132 inc GST
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Publisher: Construction Information Systems Limited / 2007 ISSN: 1328-2220
- Specifying Architecture - a guide to professional practice
by John Gelder 
Perhaps with specifications in mind Mies van der Rohe, in his 1959 "less is more" article in the New York Herald Tribune, said "Architecture starts when you carefully put two bricks together. There it begins."
Through projects as diverse in time and technique as the ancient Parthenon, the sixteenth century Château Chambord, art deco houses in New Zealand and the National Museum of Australia, specifying, literally "being specific", has become an increasingly sophisticated and essential building design skill.
Specifying Architecture – a guide to professional practice, argues that whatever the aesthetic and other design sensibilities of a building, it has to be specified – and specified well.
The book discusses contractual, technical and editorial issues in the planning, production and use of specifications. It sets out best-practice professional guidelines, putting modern specification writing into an historical and international context.
This second edition has a new chapter on practice in the UK and US with expanded historical material and contract extracts. The text on specifying construction methods, performance specifying, design and construct, use of standards and product conformance has been completely revised.
The Australian practice on which the book is based is a blend of UK and US techniques making this book an invaluable reference for building professionals and students anywhere in the world. The book is illustrated and has a comprehensive index and bibliography.
Author John Gelder RAIA RIBA CSI is an architect with extensive experience in construction documentation and in the publishing of master specifications. He was Chief Editor of NATSPEC and is now Special Projects Co-ordinator of the UK National Building Specification.
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Publisher: Construction Information Systems Limited / 2001 Price: $54.00 + GST $5.40 ISBN: 0-9586187-4-7
- Specifying Trees - a guide to assessment of tree quality
by Ross Clark 
Specifying Trees provides guidance and specifications for the supplying and purchasing of trees that will establish rapidly and grow strongly to maturity every time.
An essential reference for the whole landscape industry – designers, teachers, students, growers and contractors – this new edition incorporates feedback from the industry and provides:
- Criteria for assessment of all tree stock irrespective of how it is produced.
- Benchmarks and calculations.
- Methods for root development and tree balance.
- A guide specification, based on the assessment criteria, in NATSPEC format.
- Inspection sheets, diagrams, tables, glossary and a comprehensive index.
Ross Clark has spent much of the last 15 years devoted to the development of nursery practices designed to produce trees of consistently high quality.
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Publisher: Construction Information Systems Limited / 2003 Price: $35.00 + GST $3.50 ISBN: 0 9586187 7 1
- Timber in Context - a guide to sustainable use
by Anne-Marie Willis 
Timber in Context – a guide to sustainable use demystifies the debate about the harvesting of timber and its use for construction.
This balanced guide (NATSPEC Guide 3) will help specifiers make informed decisions about the selection and sustainable use of timber based on the application, the anticipated life span and the nature of the project. The properties of more than 50 timber species are tabulated and timber use in Sydney 2000 Olympics projects is discussed.
Anne-Marie Willis is Director of Research and Publishing at the EcoDesign Foundation
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Publisher: Construction Information Systems Limited / 1998 Price: $45.00 + GST $4.50 ISBN: 0-9586187-0-4
- NATsource
by NATSPEC 
NATsource is the list of the 1000 documents cited in NATSPEC specification packages. Use NATsource to check:
- Document titles: Only the reference numbers of standards are cited in worksections.
- Document currency: Dates of listed documents are current at 1 April 2007.
- Document content: Abstracts are provided for most of the listed documents.
- Document publishers: Some 150 Australian and overseas publishers are listed.
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Publisher: Construction Information Systems Limited / 2007 Price: $33.00 + GST $3.30 ISBN: None
- Simple Office Fitout
by NATSPEC 
This specification is a quality statement supplementing the drawings prepared by the contractor and has been designed to be a condition of contract between the client and the contractor.
It has been prepared for a small tenancy fitout in an existing building that is complete with finishes, services and facilities. For work involving extensive alterations, prestige finishes or additional facilities, consider commissioning an interior designer or architect.
The specification relies on a design and construct contract in which the contractor takes all design responsibility including the preparation of drawings and complying with statutory, landlord and other mandatory requirements.
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Publisher: Construction Information Systems Limited / 2007 Price: $88.00 + GST $8.80 ISBN: None
