As we enter another edition of March Madness for the NCAA
basketball tournament, I reflected upon one of the reasons I truly enjoy this
time of year. I think it is fascinating
to watch the match ups between teams that are oozing with skilled prima donna
players and those teams who rely on teamwork rather than individual talent. It is great to see teamwork triumph over
flair.
For some reason this battle of talent vs. teamwork make me
reflect upon a relatively new project delivery method being used in the
construction industry. The Integrated
Project Delivery (IPD) method is just beginning to gain traction in the United
States. This approach does away with the
classic delivery method that relies on individual aptitude and creates a team
atmosphere where the owner, architect, contractor, and key subcontractors all
work together from design to completion.
As I consider some of my company’s most successful projects
in the past, there is one common denominator that drove that success. On our smoothest projects, the owner,
architect, and general contractor all worked together effectively during all
stages of the venture. If a design
change was required, access to the architect was immediate, and coordination
with the contractor was prompt. Without
a doubt, the best projects had players who connected much like a finely tuned
basketball team.
The IPD method of running a project is based upon the
premise that the project can be structured to facilitate this type of
teamwork. Essentially IPD structures a
contract where a preselected architect, general contractor, and key
subcontractors sign an agreement to work on the project as a team before the
design phase. In a typical project, the
owner selects an architect who designs the work to be performed. Then the general contractor and
subcontractors are selected from the low bids and the work commences. In the IPD structure, the members are
determined prior to the design of the project.
A great deal of emphasis is put on a collaborative design approach where
the team works with the owner to mutually work through all design and budgetary
issues. This concerted effort on the
upfront design results in a much more streamlined construction phase.
The AIA’s IPD guide states the following
benefits for this method of delivery: “The integrated delivery process allows the
designer to benefit from the early contribution of constructors’ expertise
during the design phase, such as accurate budget estimates to inform design
decisions and the pre-construction resolution of design-related issues
resulting in improved project quality and financial performance. The IPD process increases the level of effort during early design phases, resulting in
reduced documentation time, and improved cost control and budget management,
all of which increase the likelihood that project goals, including schedule,
life cycle costs, quality and sustainability, will be achieved”. You
can access this guide through the following link: http://www.aia.org/contractdocs/AIAS077630
When you combine this new means of facilitating cooperation
within the construction team with some of the technological developments in the
industry, the IPD concept has an even better chance of working. The flourishing of Building Information
Modeling (BIM) and Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) make it possible for
the IDP team to work together in the design process. VDC enables the team to construct the
building in the virtual world prior to breaking ground. These systems provide a platform where all
members can collaborate and the 3D modeling displays how everything will
integrate. This article in Building Design & Construction does a good job
of describing VDC. http://www.bdcnetwork.com/bim-becomes-vdc
Another element of the IPD process is to force the team
members to co-locate. This “Big Room
Concept” relocates the owner, architect, and contractor to a single physical
location. Although there have been great
advances in teleconferencing over the years, there is nothing like physically
getting people together. This is
especially true when you are combining large egos or dealing with complex or
controversial issues.
It makes sense to involve key subcontractors in the IPD delivery method. Subcontractors who have
a unique design process or a niche skill can add a great deal to the design
process. Involving these players early
can cut costs, improve quality, and reduce construction schedules. Re-View, for example, contributes a great
deal to the design process. We often
work with architects on upfront design issues relative to historic windows. We also connect directly with general
contractors to coordinate schedules, refine scopes, and wrestle with site
logistics. It also helps to have our
company tuned into the other key subcontractors so we all work in concert.
It has yet to be determined whether IPD is going to catch on
and become accepted in the mainstream of the construction industry. Will the construction team be capable of
setting aside egos and work as a team as opposed to functioning as disparate
individuals? For now, let’s see if a
group of moderately talented basketball players will run away with the 2014 NCAA
title because of their passion for the game.
If they do, then perhaps that gives fuel to the argument that teamwork
is the best way to go in the construction industry as well.
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