Benefit sofDesign/Build - Haskell

1 From the great pyramids of Egypt to the Theater of Dionysus to theParthenon and the Brooklyn Bridge,design/ build has played a role in some ofthe world s most outstanding struc-tures. And while traditional construc-tion methods such as design/bid/ build (DBB) and construction managementat-risk (CM at risk) have ruled the con-struction industry for the past 200 years,design/ build is emerging once again as acost-efficient alternative. According to the Design BuildInstitute of America, the design/buildconstruction delivery method has grownapproximately 40 percent over the past15 years, which makes it one of the mostsignificant trends in design and con-struction today. Total revenue from non-residential design/ build projects grewfrom $47 billion in 2004 to more than$97 billion in 2008.

2 Until recently, highly contentiousrelationships among architects, engi-neers, contractors and subcontractorscharacterized the design and construc-tion industry. However, in recent years,collaboration, alternative delivery sys-tems and more enlightened owner-designer-contractor relationships suchas design/ build have improved theseadversarial relationships. Design/ build isa system of contracting under which oneentity performs both design and con-struction for a client. In traditional con-tracting, a client commissions an archi-tect or engineer to prepare drawings andspecifications, and then separatelyselects a construction contractor or con-struction manager. In design/ build , a sin-gle entity produces a product that meetsa client s needs. Collaboration between designers and builders is the foundation ofdesign/ build , and this method offersthe client the benefits of even greaterdesign and construction integrationand singular responsibility for the out-come and overall process.

3 There are essentially five advantagesthat are associated with the design/buildprocess:1.)Single responsibility The design/ build approach provides both architec-ture/engineering and constructionunder a single contract. Therefore, the owner s control of the entiredesign/ build process is strengthened andfinancial risk is reduced by contractingwith a single firm that is unconditionallycommitted to the success of the project. 1.)Early knowledge of the firm price Adesign/ build team, working closely withits client, accurately conceptualizes thecompleted project at an early and concurrent estimating14 b&c midsouthspring 2010 WWhile design/ build has emergedas aleader in today s cost-consciousconstruction industry, it is a con-cept that is more than 4,000 yearsold. The design/ build method isbased on the ancient concept of amaster builder who accepted fullresponsibility for designing andconstructing a project from concep-tion to completion.

4 >Although it s been around for thousands of years, thedesign/ build method recently has become a popular choicewith contractors and owners looking to cut project // by paul the development of design resultsin accurate, guaranteed constructioncosts and schedule far sooner than tradi-tionally possible. This permits the firm establishment ofproject feasibility and financing well inadvance of the drafting of final construc-tion documents. 3.)Value-engineering Design and con-struction personnel working as a team evaluate alternative systems, materialsand methods efficiently and the outset of the project, both designand construction expertise is brought tobear upon all components of a expense is evaluated againstcapital cost to optimize lifecycle )Time strategies The design andconstruction processes can be over-lapped, bidding periods and redesigntime are eliminated, and long lead timepurchases can be made early on in thedesign phase.

5 The total project durationis significantly reduced, resulting in earlier utilization and superior total proj-ect )Quality enhancement Design/buildinherently provides higher quality thanthe separate, often conflicting architectvs. contractor approach. Because the design/builder has re -sponsibility for performance, it is moti-vated to build with quality. Design/buildeliminates the traditional finger pointingamong the architect, engineer and con-tractor, and allows resources and atten-tion to be productively focused on cost-effective solutions that reflect best valueand EfficiencyThe Construction Industry Institute andPennsylvania State University studiedreal-world application of the design/ build process and found some interest-ing statistics. The study evaluated the three projectdelivery types mentioned earlier design/ build , CM at risk and DBB com-paring total cost, schedule adherenceand quality on 351 projects in six markets:light industrial, heavy industrial, multi-story residential, simple office, complexoffice and high technology.

6 The industry study concluded thatdesign/ build is the most economical andefficient project delivery system in thebuilding and construction industry to -day. The findings of the constructionstudy included: Unit cost Design/ build costs at percent less than CM and 6 percentless than DBB; Construction speed Design/ build is constructed at least 7 percent fasterthan CM and 12 percent faster than DBB; Delivery speed Design/ build is deliv-ered at least 23 percent faster than CMand 33 percent faster than DBB; and Quality Design/ build exceeds qualityexpectations at all is little doubt that thedesign/ build method is more cost-effec-tive and time-efficient than other meth-ods the only obstacle that it currentlyfaces is education about its owners are unfamiliar with thedesign/ build delivery system and its benefits.

7 However, there are majorFortune 500companies that are using thedesign/ build process to construct new,quality facilities. Such companies using design/buildinclude Frito Lay, Kraft Foods, Gatorade,Nestle Waters, PepsiCo, Anheuser-Busch,Starbucks, ConAgra, Procter & Gambleand Sara Lee. It is evident the design/ build processis gaining momentum to become theleading project delivery system in theindustry, and by 2015, the Design BuildInstitute of America predicts that morethan 50 percent of all projects will bedesign/built. In the final analysis,design/ build is easier for the owner,more efficient, faster and less expensivethan any other process of facility plan-ning and Tyleris president of the commercialgroup at Haskell , ranked the No. 1 2010healthcare design/ build firm by ModernHealthcaremagazine.

8 Tyler oversees theoperations of Haskell s Commercial ProjectDelivery Group, which specializes in thedesign and construction of various struc-tures. Tyler can be reached at Paul. 2010 spring b&c midsouth15xIt is evident the design/ build processis gaining momentum to become theleading project delivery system in theindustry, and by 2015, the DesignBuild Institute of America predictsthat more than 50 percent of all proj-ects will be design/built. In the finalanalysis, design/ build is easier for theowner, more efficient, faster and lessexpensive than any other process offacility planning and construction. by paul tyler \\ desig