When architects need assistance making decisions about commercial kitchen faucet brands, an independent research study has found that architects most often turn to engineers. The 2008 Accountability Architects’ Brand Preference Study-a blind preference research study that asked architects to write in their responses as opposed to choosing answers from a given list-demonstrates the importance of engineers in the decision-making process for commercial kitchen faucets, followed by consultants and facilities managers.

In every commercial plumbing product category Accountability researched, architects noted the involvement of engineers in the specification and recommendation of brands. No other title appeared in all of the 13 plumbing product categories that Accountability studied. Consultants were the next most often named professionals to be involved in brand decisions. Architects also listed facilities managers and project managers, among other professionals.

According to the study, 62% of architects say they are directly involved in specifying or recommending commercial kitchen faucets. Another 25% of architects report that they are involved in this decision, yet they have no preference for any particular faucet brand. About 20% of those saying they’re involved in the decision-making process, in actuality, defer the brand choice to another professional. In other words, instead of naming an actual product or company name as their preferred brand, they wrote in responses such as “engineer” or “consultant.”

“The results offer very revealing insights into architects’ perceptions of commercial kitchen faucet brands and how architects turn to engineers, in particular, as part of the specification process,” says Jim Nowakowski, president of Accountability Information Management. “Architects also wrote in comments on their survey forms, which underscored their concerns about product value, maintenance and other factors. The engineer plays a vital role in deciding on products that address cost, as well as long-term performance issues.”

For more information about the 2008 Accountability Architects’ Brand Preference Study, which also researched mixing valves, toilet/urinal fixtures and other commercial plumbing products, please visitwww.a-i-m.com/architector call 847-358-8558.