SIA Working Group Contributions Reflected in CSI MasterFormat

Panel’s recommended overhaul of Division 28 included in document

Silver Spring, Md. — The 2016 edition of MasterFormat from the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and Construction Specifications Canada (CSC), which contains extensive recommendations from a Security Industry Association (SIA) working group, is now available.

MasterFormat provides an organizational structure that is an important tool in the construction and architecture and engineering (A&E) fields. The document’s Division 28 lists titles and numbers for “Electronic Safety and Security,” but that section had not been fully updated since 2004. In late 2014 and early 2015, an SIA working group chaired by Ray Coulombe, founder of SecuritySpecifiers, produced a set of recommendations to overhaul Division 28 to reflect the current state of security technology. Those recommendations were incorporated into the new edition of MasterFormat.

“We had a fantastic group of dedicated volunteers who put these recommendations together, SIA provided critical outreach and resources, and the support team at CSI was very generous with their time. Their guidance kept us on the right track throughout the process,” Coulombe said. “This was a great team effort that will have a lasting impact on the industry.”

AS CSI has noted in supporting materials for MasterFormat, “The Security Industry Association assembled a technical subcommittee to provide the subject matter expertise for a near complete revision of Division 28, bringing it current with today’s security industry.”

“CSI and CSC have found contributions to MasterFormat from expert organizations invaluable, and SIA’s work was no exception,” CSI Director of Technical Services Greg Ceton said. “We were happy to work with the SIA subcommittee, allowing MasterFormat and the industry to benefit from SIA member expertise.”

SIA CEO Don Erickson said the group’s success is one sign of the broadening impact of the association.

“We were proud to have people from many sectors work together under the SIA umbrella on this important project,” Erickson said. “And we are happy to have integrators, specifiers and A&E firms joining the association and participating alongside manufacturers and distributors. I thank Ray Coloumbe of SecuritySpecifiers and Ron Hawkins of SIA for their leadership in working with CSI and our volunteers to secure this major success.”

The new MasterFormat is available at http://www.csinet.org/masterformat.

About the Security Industry Association (SIA)

The Security Industry Association (SIA) (https://www.securityindustry.org) is the leading trade association for electronic and physical security solution providers, with roughly 650 innovative member companies representing more than 400,000 security leaders and experts who shape the future of the security industry. SIA protects and advances its members’ interests by advocating pro-industry policies and legislation at the federal and state levels; creating open industry standards that enable integration; advancing industry professionalism through education and training; opening global market opportunities, and collaboration with other like-minded organizations. As a proud sponsor of ISC Events expos and conferences, and owner of the Securing New Ground® conference, SIA ensures its members have access to top-level buyers and influencers, as well as unparalleled learning and network opportunities.