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orequal
Glossary

Or approved equal

Spec language that lets a product other than the named one be used, if the design professional accepts it as equal.

“Or approved equal” follows a named product and means that product is the reference, not the requirement. A different product can be used if the architect or engineer agrees it matches the named product’s performance, quality and appearance.

The word approved matters: equality is decided by the design team through the procedure in the project’s Division 01, not by the contractor alone. Variants include “or equal” and “or equal as approved by the Architect.”

Why it matters to manufacturers

Every “or approved equal” is a dated opportunity: a named competitor, a deadline and an architect to talk to.

Read more: The full guide to “or approved equal”

Related terms

Substitution requestA formal request to use a product other than the one specified, reviewed by the architect or engineer.Prior approvalApproval of a substitute product before bids are due, so every bidder can price it.Basis of designThe product a design was built around, named in the spec as the reference other products are measured against.

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