News


Feb 12, 2009

New Website
Integrated Designs is proud to roll out its shiny new website.  We believe we have created a world-class site that reflects the sustainable advantage our services provide to our clients.  It also attests to our philosophy of working to a higher purpose and our passion for a sustainable future. 

The site has been designed with an intuitive approach to navigating, with straightforward primary and secondary messaging regarding the work that we do, examples of that work and the way we approach it.  Please visit often, as we will be keeping things interesting and adding new information.

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)
Integrated Designs is not just talking about IPD as the preferred process for delivering sustainable building projects, we are doing it.  As 2009 unfolds, we have a number of very interesting projects underway where we are utilizing all or most IPD principles.  These include Saskatoon’s River Green Eco-Village and the Meewasin Valley Centre; the University of Winnipeg’s Richardson College for the Environment, the Student Housing/Daycare and the Plug In project; the NORTEP residential project in La Ronge, SK and the Northern Studies Centre in Churchill, MB.  Further information on these projects can be found within this website.

 

May 9, 2008

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)

In our project management experience, it took two bailouts by the same general contractor to wake up to the fact that contractors are not the bad guys; and that change notices, delay claims and confrontational relationships are the result of the traditional design-bid-build game that we force contractors to play.

How can it make sense to spend 5% to 10% of a project budget on designing a building without input from knowledgeable contractors that have better cost control, value engineering and knowledge of building construction than most design teams?

In his recent book “Broken Buildings, Busted Budgets” Barry LePatner describes an industry that is inefficient, has perverse incentives and is delivering poor product at a 10% cost premium. A project delivery team that adopts high performance project delivery processes should be able to deliver LEED Platinum facilities that are currently a 6% premium for no additional capital cost.

The separation of the design and build functions are not standard in other industries and do not appear to make any sense for building construction projects. According to a recent paper, “Integrated Project Delivery” by the American Institute of Architects, an optimized vertically integrated project delivery process will enable Better Building for Less Cost. Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is a project delivery approach that integrates people, systems, business structures and practices into a process that collaboratively harnesses the talents and insights of all participants to reduce waste and optimize efficiency through all phases of design and construction.

The added VALUE created by Integration, includes lower life cycle costs, lower project delivery costs, increased asset value that will provide a much improved indoor environmental quality.
In an age of value added partnerships, the design and construction industry seems to be glued to ineffective project delivery systems that are not taking full advantage of the skills and capabilities of the contracting industry. The alternative, the Integrated Project Delivery process, respects the expertise of all players in the design and construction industry in a more ethical manner and produces a better product at less cost.

An open-book accounting system is used with the IPD model so that project delivery fees and the capital cost of construction are completely transparent to stake holders. Also, compared to traditional linear or top-down approaches such as design-tender-build, fees will be lower because of the IPD process efficiencies.
As defined by the American Institute of Architects, Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is a project delivery approach that integrates people, systems, business structures and practices into a process that collaboratively harnesses the talents and insights of all participants to optimize project results, increase value to the owner, reduce waste, and maximize efficiency through all phases of design, fabrication, and construction. Integrated projects are uniquely distinguished by highly effective collaboration among the owner, the prime designer, and the prime constructor, commencing at early design and continuing through to project handover.

IPD leverages early contributions of knowledge and expertise through utilization of new technologies, allowing all team members to better realize their highest potentials while expanding the value they provide throughout the project life-cycle. At the core of an integrated project are collaborative, integrated and productive teams composed of key project participants. Building upon early contributions of individual expertise, these teams are guided by the following principles:

  • trust
  • transparent processes
  • effective collaboration
  • open information sharing
  • team success tied to project success
  • shared risk and reward
  • value-based decision making
  • utilization of full technological capabilities and support

The outcome is the opportunity to design, build, and operate as efficiently as possible. Integrated Designs strongly supports and promotes this collaborative project delivery approach. For further information, please contact us at 306-934-6818 or visit our website at www.i-designs.ca.

Partnering for a Sustainable Advantage