About The Chicago Chapter of
The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI)

The Chicago chapter is one of 143 chapters of the national association Construction Specifications Institute. Founded in 1953, it was the second local chapter chartered and consistently ranks as one of the five largest chapters of the Institute.

CSI is the only organization serving all the major components of the building team involved in non-residential building design and construction

CSI members includes architects, specifiers, engineers, product manufacturers, project managers, contractors, interior designers, owners, business professionals and others involved in the design and construction industry including attorneys, consultants and service professionals. The Chicago chapter includes members living or working in Chicago, suburban Chicagoland members and members from neighboring states. Some Chicago members have multiple chapter affiliations.

For the fourth year in a row, the chapter has received an Outstanding Chapter Award from the Institute and has also received an outstanding publication award for its newsletter and an award for its website.

Why become a member of CSI and the Chicago chapter?

The Chicago Chapter is an active, professional group providing excellent continuing education programs offering CEU/ CES/ AIA credits as well as credits for state licensing of architects and other professionals.

Monthly Chapter dinner meetings provide an opportunity to network with colleagues and other industry professionals for increased technical and practice knowledge. They are complimentary for members and non-members may attend a fee.

Roundtables are held monthly during lunchtime hours and are members-only events. These are informal gatherings and topics include technical, business, and practice issues of interest to the design and construction community.

Other events include an Architecture Conference and Product Show, architectural tours, certification exams and study groups, and social events. Through chapter membership and involvement, members have access to networking and leadership development opportunities.

Membership Categories:

Professional – Primary function is to write, interpret, enforce or oversee the completion of construction documents

Industry – Primary functionis to use and/or comply with construction documents in the normal course of my work to construct or supply materials for construction projects

Associate – Primary function is to provide service, support, and assistance to the construction industry

Intermediate -- Less than three years experience in any of the fields that would qualify for professional, industry or associated membership.

Student –Full time students in a construction related curriculum

Retired –member of CSI for 5 continuous years, no longer engaged in income-producing activities, reached the age of 65, and recommended for the change by the chapter.

Membership Dues

Chapter Dues includes complimentary meals at 5 meetings or more and nominal meal charges to cover meetings/functions held outside the regular meeting site. All National and Chapter dues are paid directly to the Institute. Click here

If you would like to attend a CSI Chapter Meeting as a guest, your $40 dinner guest cost will be returned if you join the chapter within the fiscal year.

About CSI

The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) is an individual membership society that serves as the premier integrating force for those who create and sustain the built environment, and is a primary gateway to resources for programs, services, and the exchange of knowledge. Founded in 1948, CSI's more than 16,000 national members in 143 local chapters include architects, specifiers, engineers, contractors, product representatives, building owners, and facility managers. CSI is headquartered in Alexandria, VA.

CSI offers products and services that provide a common system of organization and presentation of construction information, enhancing communication among all construction industry disciplines. In addition to its flagship product, MasterFormat ™, CSI is responsible for developing essential tools used by all members of the industry: Uniformat™, US National CAD Standard/Uniform Drawing System™ the CDT program and CCS, CCPR and CCCA certifications. The CSI Manual of Practice (MOP), the preeminent authority for the industry enables the design and construction tem to speak a common language for the design and construction process.