From spec to install, visibility you can measure

The relay race that drops the baton

Specifications start the race, not the medal ceremony. Architects model and list products, then estimators, buyers, and field teams make the calls that stick. If the handoffs aren’t tracked, the baton hits the ground and competitors pick it up.

Where visibility goes dark

The blind spot is procurement through submittals. Contractors still swap materials when schedules squeeze or pricing shifts. In 2024, 36% of firms reported specifying alternative materials or products, easing to 25% in 2025 as supply chains improved (AGC, 2024; AGC, 2025). That is a lot of room for substitution.

EPDs matter after the spec

LEED v5 raised the floor by adding an embodied carbon tracking prerequisite for key materials, with member ratification in March 2025. Teams that can cite product-specific EPDs avoid default assumptions that can hurt scores and slow approvals (USGBC, 2025). Even when value engineering is on the table, the credential can keep a product competitive when carbon is tracked.

The cost pressure behind substitutions

Costs still move the goalposts. Turner's Building Cost Index rose 3.33% year over year in Q4 2024, a modest number that still pushes buyers to hunt alternates when bids are tight (Turner Construction, 2025). When the budget creaks, the line item without a clear advantage gets traded first.

Map the lifecycle with data you already touch

Think like a product CRM for projects. Start with design-phase records, then join procurement and field signals so each project has one evolving thread. That thread should include spec intent, bid participants, submittal history, change orders, and actual install notes.

The three-data play that closes the gap

Pull from design-phase project databases to capture spec intent and competitor mentions. Layer in construction management platforms for submittals, RFIs, and approved equals. Add structured sales and field feedback that confirms which SKU shipped and where it landed. Do this weekly, not quarterly, so the window to counter a swap stays open.

Build a “spec survival” score

Assign points for strength signals such as EPD present, prior approvals, short lead time, and distributor inventory. Subtract for risk signals like close-to-expiry declarations, long fabrication windows, or frequent change orders in that project type. Scores don’t need to be perfect to be useful. They just need to rank where to intervene first.

Practical joins that make it work

Match projects across tools with three keys: owner or campus name, street address, and scheduled install window. Normalize product names to a controlled catalog so “Acme 123” and “Acme-123 high Solids” collapse to one ID. Create a single submittal status field that only has four values: planned, submitted, approved, installed. Teams gets alignment when fields are this plain.

Fast pilots that prove value in 30 days

Pick one region and two product families. Backfill the last 90 days of bids, submittals, and shipments. Hold a weekly 20 minute huddle to chase only projects where the spec survival score drops or a substitute appears. Expect a few saves quickly. It’s repeatable and boring in the best way.

Keep EPDs ready for the decision window

EPDs are typically valid for five years, which matters because many capital projects cross calendar years. If a declaration is due to expire inside the install window, flag it in your survival score so renewals are sequenced to protect live opportunities. No one wants a compliance fire drill at submittal time.

Measure the right outcomes

Track three metrics that sales actually feels: percentage of spec’d projects that convert to shipments, average days from spec to approved submittal, and number of substitutions reversed after first submittal. Add one product metric too. Share of revenue from projects where an EPD was cited. If it climbs, the credential is earning its keep.

The EPD supply wave is real

Program operators are publishing more, which lifts the competitive bar. IBU reported more than 840 EPDs in 2024, up 9% year over year (IBU, 2024). The International EPD System also crossed 18,000 valid and registered EPDs by late 2025, signaling broader market uptake (EPD International, 2025). More transparency in the market means more pressure to hold the spec during procurement.

What “good” looks like inside a manufacturer

Marketing sees live project threads, not stale lists. Product management knows which SKUs lose at submittal and why. Sales spends time where a save is likely this week. The baton gets passed, not dropped. And the gap from “we’re on the spec” to “we’re on the wall” finally narrows.

A quick note on numbers

Reliable substitution percentages vary by sector and project delivery. Where broad, current figures are missing, we cite the best available industry sources and avoid filling gaps with guesswork. If a market lacks data, call it out and collect it. That habit pays back fast, even if it feels a bit tedious to start. We all know how that feels, teh first week is the hardest.