The Educational Facilities Standard and Guidelines (EFSG) - Technical Specification consists of DoE specific requirements for use in school building project specifications. EFSG Technical Specification text is based on the NATSPEC Building Professional Template/Worksection.
NATSPEC is a National Master Specification and as such it does not contain all the technical requirements for every project. The EFSG text must be read in conjunction with NATSPEC. For each project, the specification writer will need to select the appropriate NATSPEC worksections and edit the material to suit the project. The appropriate EFSG Specification clauses are to replace and/ or be merged with NATSPEC clauses to form a project specification.
If another version of NATSPEC or a more recent version of NATSPEC is being used, the clause content, format and numbering must be adapted to suit. Select only those Clauses that are relevant and do not amend any Clause unless it is necessary to suit a particular requirement of the project.
Refer to NATSPEC for the content and NATSPEC Commentary about their usage.
The design team should refer to the EFSG Design Guide for guidance on product selection, materials and quality outcomes expected in school projects. In particular construction components must be selected from a Whole of Life perspective - must be of the highest appropriate quality, cost efficient and effective (Fit for purpose). Ideally construction components must provide longevity, be low maintenance and represent value for money to the school and its users.
The project specifications should complement, without duplication, the information in the drawings, preliminaries or the general conditions of contract. The Specification is to be a written description of the required quality of the built product, its component products and performance criteria to execute the works. The specification may also include the procedures for determining that the requirements of the specification have been met.