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Design-Build Institute of America
Your source for information and resources related to design-build
About DBIA

About DBIA

“Integration is our Foundation”

The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) is an association of leaders in the design and construction industry utilizing design-build and integrated project delivery methods to achieve high performance projects. (Click here for DBIA's vision, mission and values.)

Founded in 1993, and headquartered in Washington, D.C.,  DBIA proudly stands as the only membership organization bringing together thousands of organizations and individuals representing architects, engineers, public and private owners, general and specialty contractors, manufacturer and suppliers, students, college and university faculty, legal and finance professionals and many more.  In summary, DBIA is the design and construction industry’s hub -- the only organization that makes whole the industry’s many parts.

  DBIA's Two-Level Certification Program
Through DBIA, hundreds of design-build professionals across the nation have demonstrate their knowledge, skills and abilities of design-build project delivery through attainment of the Designated Design-Build ProfessionalTM certification. In 2009, we added the Associate DBIATM credential for those who have the expertise, but not the experience, to qualify for the DBIA credential.

No other organization offers a credential that is specifically designed to distinguish those who have proven knowledge and expertise from the masses who "claim" to be experts.

DBIA focuses its efforts on increasing the successful use of innovative design-build teams on non-residential building, civil infrastructure and process industry projects. Best practices are disseminated through educational programs and conferences, publications such as the Design-Build Dateline monthly journal and the Design-Build Manual of Practice, and legislative efforts at the federal and state level. The prestigious annual National Design-Build Awards competition highlights successful design-build projects across all sectors. DBIA's 16 regions provide membership benefits at the local level, while also reaching out to owners to promote increased awareness, understanding and use of successful design-build project delivery.

 

 Bentley - Make Change Good

GeoStructures - Dig This!

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Strengthening DBIA’s Foundation
The Significance of Education, Certification, and the Manual of Practice
May 2010

 Lisa Washington, CAE

DBIA promotes the value of design-build project delivery and teaches the effective integration of design and construction services to ensure success for owners and design and construction practitioners.

As DBIA’s chief staff executive, I’m often asked how we are working to further the mission adopted by the DBIA Board last November. As you all know by now, DBIA’s mission is to promote the value of design-build project delivery and teach the effective integration of design and construction services to ensure success for owners and design and construction practitioners.

Without question, the most compelling part of the statement is focused on “ensuring success for owners and practitioners.” The actions of “promoting value” and “teaching” speak clearly to how we plan to get there.

Three core DBIA products are aimed at achieving this mission: education, certification, and the Design-Build Manual of Practice. Why? Because they reinforce the value of design-build project delivery by promoting best practices in integrated design and construction. These staples of DBIA have been refined and enhanced over time to reflect both the dynamic nature of the industry, as well as the evolution of design-build practice. The knowledge collected in these products is the result of extensive research, broad industry input, and lessons learned. Comprised of some of the nation’s foremost industry experts, DBIA’s Policy and Standards Committee continually focuses on verifying that the content of each offering provides relevant, cutting-edge information that supports the success of everyone involved in design-build project delivery.

The truest testimony to the value of design-build lies in the projects themselves. The goal is always innovative and high-quality design and construction of capital projects delivered on time, on budget and with the highest level of customer satisfaction. The best practices laid out in the MOP and the education courses members take to earn and maintain certification as Designated Design-Build Professionals should contribute in significant ways to success in design-build project delivery.

Practices, including those DBIA advocates as “best,” must always reflect rigorous research on design-build practices, trends and methodology. For this reason, DBIA is working to make its foundation of education, certification and Manual of Practice even stronger by reviewing, standardizing and updating coursework and adding new or revised MOP chapters. Just as importantly, we are verifying that they all reinforce one another by consistently advocating the best and most current thinking on design-build.

With nearly 1,000 professionals working to maintain certification, and several hundred in the application process, DBIA’s job is hardly done. As the use of design-build continues to grow and expand so will the need for highly qualified design-build professionals to remain at the forefront of knowledge and innovation with the help of DBIA’s educational programs, certification program and Manual of Practice.

Sincerely,

Lisa Washington, CAE
Executive Director
1100 H Street, NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005-5476
Phone 202-682-0110 - Toll Free 866-692-0110 - Fax 202-682-5877