Spinoff story
Building Specifications
A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.
About this technology
Overview
National Permanant Savings Bank in Washington, DC designed a new building based on a money saving method of preparing building specifications which derived from NASA technology developed to obtain quality construction while holding down cost of launch facilities, test centers, and other structures. Written technical specifications spell out materials and components to be used on construction projects and identify the quality tests each item must pass. Specifications have a major impact on construction costs. Poorly formulated specifications can lead to unacceptable construction which must be replaced, unnecessarily high material costs, safety hazards, disputes, and often additional costs due to delays and litigation.