Materials Hub: Because every material choice matters

When Materials Make or Break Design

We’ve all been there. That moment when you realize the perfect material for your project exists — somewhere — but finding it feels like searching for a needle in a haystack. Or worse, discovering the material you specified doesn’t perform as expected once installed.

During my time in architectural practice, I saw how the right materials elevated ordinary designs into extraordinary spaces. I also witnessed how the wrong choices led to compromises no one wanted to make.

The Real-World Materials Challenge

Architecture school taught us to love materials — their textures, properties, and possibilities. But in real-world practice, material selection often becomes a rushed checkbox in the project timeline.

It’s not hard to see why:

• There are 8,000+ manufacturers producing 125,000+ building products
• Each product comes with mountains of technical data — over 20 million data points in total
• Most firms store this information in disconnected systems: personal spreadsheets, individual emails, and the memories of senior team members

A typical architect spends 7–10 hours per week just searching for product information. Let that sink in — that’s nearly 500 hours every year, or more than 12 full work weeks.

Even worse, 68% of architects admit they regularly have to recycle specs due to lack of time to find better options. And when experienced team members retire or leave, 82% of firms report losing valuable knowledge that took years to develop.

Making Every Material Decision Count

Every material decision shapes not just how a building looks, but how it performs, how sustainable it is, and how it serves the people who use it.

That’s why we created Materials Hub — a platform built by architects, for the entire building community. We wanted to solve these everyday challenges:

For Architects and Designers:

• No more starting from scratch on every project
• Quick answers to complex material questions
• Confidence that you’re finding the best options, not just the familiar ones

For Building Owners:

• Better-performing buildings that age gracefully
• Lower maintenance costs through more informed material choices
• Spaces that truly match your vision and needs

For Manufacturers:

• Connect with designers when your products are the perfect solution
• Showcase your innovations to the right audience
• Build relationships based on performance data, not just sales pitches

How It Works: Simple Tools for Complex Decisions

Materials Hub brings together three things every project team needs:

1. Your Firm’s Collective Knowledge We’ve created a digital home for all your material knowledge. Everything your team learns on each project — what worked, what didn’t, which products performed best — gets preserved in one searchable place. When someone retires, their expertise stays with your firm.

2. Smart Answers to Real Questions Ask in plain English: “What’s the best ceiling tile for a hospital corridor with high acoustical requirements?” Our AI — trained on the industry’s largest materials database — understands what you’re looking for and finds options that match your specific needs.

3. No More Repetitive Spec Writing Stop rewriting the same specifications project after project. Materials Hub remembers your preferences and helps you maintain consistency while adapting to each project’s unique requirements.

Real Results for Real Projects

The numbers tell the story: firms using Materials Hub save an average of 15–20 hours per project on specification and documentation. But the bigger impact comes in better-performing buildings and more satisfied clients.

When architects can quickly find the perfect material for each application, when owners get spaces that truly meet their needs, and when manufacturers can connect with designers at exactly the right moment — that’s when we all win.

Making Materials Matter More

Every wall we specify, every floor we design, every facade we create has consequences — for the people who use our buildings, for our clients’ budgets, and for our environment.

Materials matter. With the right tools and information, we can make them matter even more.