Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) U of W Case Study

When high expectations for its new environmental facility hit up against the familiar obstacle of budget constraints, the University of Winnipeg found an unorthodox solution. Using a process called Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), it formed a partnership that integrated project participants in a cooperative team focused on a common goal, which was to deliver the best quality Richardson College for the Environment facility in the most cost-effective way.

The adoption of the IPD process enabled our team to bring all of the team members to the table to solve the challenge of high expectations and low budget.  By implementing the IPD process we were able to fix a project that was significantly over budget and deliver a project that has the potential to become

“North Americas Most Energy Efficient Sustainable Laboratory Building.”

With all of the major trades on board we were able design a practical cost effective high performance facility on a tight budget.  The selection of building systems to achieve paradigm shift changes in performance was achieved by designing innovative laboratory ventilation volume control and heat recovery systems.   RCFE will utilize a three level lab air change rate (Red-Yellow-Green Light System) that is based upon using the appropriate amount of air in the lab based upon the actual use. 

In addition to significantly reducing the amount of air that will be required to safely operate the labs, the project team has incorporated an industry leading SEMCO heat recovery wheel that has been developed in collaboration with John Hopkins Research Labs and Hospitals.  This heat recovery wheel will enable 80% heat recovering including fume hood exhaust.

“The IPD methodology was primarily responsible for introducing a process, which brought the three sides together in a positive work environment, with all team members recognizing that innovative solutions were required and that by working together – we would achieve our goal.    We did meet those goals and the project will be completed ahead of its original project schedule, and on budget – with the design team’s primary objectives all being met.”    

Bill Sharpe, President Manshield Construction 

The IPD process was key to meeting the schedule for this type of project as it would not have been possible to get executive approval for starting the building foundations without having confidence in the numbers for the significant major building envelope components, controls, mechanical and electrical systems. It was amazing how accurate the estimates were considering that they were based upon very preliminary design drawings.  This was achieved because the designers and contractors collaborated and had a meeting of the minds on best value building system solutions in real time.

Sherman Kreiner, Director of Community Renewal Corp, needed the team to commit to a “True Fixed Price” that represented the final real number based upon a design that the contractors helped create and would be motivated to deliver.  That is where the value lies!    With a high level of contractor involvement in the design you can build value engineering into the project, deliver it at lower cost and much lower risk as measured by a less than 2% contingency.

By using the IPD methodology, our team was able to significantly reduce project costs, meet the Owners project requirements of delivering a LEED Gold Signature Building, while having an open book process that needed to withstand the scrutiny of a financial audit. 

The University of Winnipeg recognizes the added value of the IPD method and, based upon the success of the RCFE project, are in the process of changing their procurement policy to make IPD their preferred project delivery method.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXNeLVSHy2s&feature=related

It is our hope that the building industry will recognize the potential of IPD to eliminate waste in the project delivery process so that we can get on with the business of creating a real Green Buildings where Net 0 buildings become easily achievable and the best real estate investment.