Washington, DC — Developing the articles for this issue has been an exciting venture. An astounding variety of tools is now available that facilitate significant innovation in design, estimating, planning, scheduling, construction, quality control, budgeting, and maintenance. Wireless systems, smart technology, holographic imaging, and 3D/4D modeling are just some of the instruments and processes that our industry will soon utilize. Unfortunately, the design-build community has been slow to adopt these technologies. This is ironic, since a design-build approach is best positioned to make use of these technologies that place a premium on close team integration and concurrent design and construction strategies.
Changing our cultural assumptions and making intelligent use of new technologies are challenges that we must embrace. Rebekah Gladson, Associate Vice Chancellor and Campus Architect for the University of California, Irvine, and Treasurer on the DBIA Board of Directors, addresses these themes in this month’s Board Reflections.
Overview. Paul Doherty (General Land Corporation) provides a template for design-builders who are just beginning to develop an information technology (IT) strategic plan. Key elements of the plan include advancing a vision, undertaking an audit, developing a gap analysis, and creating a planning document and feasibility study. Doherty suggests that design-build professionals can adopt IT innovations effectively, but only if they approach these new tools through proper planning and sober recognition of their respective strengths and limitations. Randy Tardy (Bentley) and Tom Harter (Kiewit Corporation) discuss how electronic document management systems (EDMS) are central to a design-build project’s infrastructure. They explain how a robust EDMS can help standardize best business practices, ensuring a high level of project quality and reduction in delivery, review, and approval cycles.
Dennis Stroud and Jon Taffler (Spitfire Management, LLC) focus on internet-based collaborative technologies. Key elements include browser-based project management system, “collaborative capable” security, and adequate routing/workflow capabilities.
Wanda Lenkewich and Randy Beauchamp (Chinook Systems Inc.) address quality strategies for commissioning, verifying that the services performed by others are in accordance with both the project contract requirements and the owner’s needs. The authors discuss key commissioning activities that can be effectively managed in a robust database environment, including issue management, field observation reports, construction checklists, and operator training facilitation.
Rick Rundell and Ken Stowe (Autodesk Building Solutions) explain the effectiveness of building information modeling (BIM) for design-builders. Drawing on recent BIM project experience, they emphasize how this approach can support project integration across all project phases, and not just productivity improvement of individual tasks. Bob Batcheler and Ian Howell (Newforma) argue that BIM does not fully address cost burdens associated with inadequate interoperability. They present their strategy of Purpose-Driven Exchange of Information, a process-centric approach that attempts to capture and deliver the “right information to the right people at the right time.” Noting our ever-increasing reliance on complex electronic information, Bill Mazzetti (Rosendin Electric) looks at the challenges of maintaining delivery of mission-critical projects. He introduces concepts of tier ratings for developing building standards for mission-critical facilities.
Some Additional Thoughts. I am delighted to present some important research findings by Preston Haskell, Chairman of The Haskell Company and a founding member of DBIA. Preston examines productivity in the construction industry, developing two different methodologies to quantify our industry’s output and efficiency. He further identifies areas where productivity gains are likely. This is a seminal piece, establishing the intellectual framework for virtually all future discussion on the subject.
Robynne Thaxton Parkinson and David C. Groff (Groff Murphy Trachtenberg & Everard PLLC) look at enforceability issues in teaming agreements. They point out that courts typically interpret most teaming agreements as “agreements to agree;” if there is an essential element missing in the agreement, the parties may not be forced to enter into a final contract. A key additional conclusion to their analysis is that even when a teaming agreement is enforceable, disputing parties may not always get the financial relief they expect.
Next Issue. The July-August issue will focus on healthcare facilities, exploring why this sector is one of the fastest growing markets utilizing design-build delivery. Over the next few months, we will convene four regional healthcare conferences in Berkeley, CA (August 31-September 1), New Haven, CT (September 8-9), Chicago, IL (September 26-27), and Orlando, FL (October 5-6). I hope many of you will be able to participate.
Good reading to you!
Richard A. Belle
Vice President, Public Affairs/Information
Design-Build DATELINE Editor