AIA and AIA California Council Partner to IntroduceIntegrated Project Delivery: A Guide
Guide Provides Construction and Design Industry with Outline for Working in a Collaborative Model
Washington, D.C. – November 5, 2007 - The American Institute of Architects (AIA) in conjunction with the AIA California Council today announced the availability of Integrated Project Delivery: A Guide (The Guide), a primer for working in an integrated team model that includes the owner, architect and contractor, and extends beyond the major stakeholders to also include subcontractors, engineers and major systems suppliers, among others. The Guide, which is a resource available at no cost, provides direction on transitioning existing project delivery models to a collaborative, integrated team model. The resulting model leverages the early contribution of individual expertise and allows all team members to better realize their potential while expanding the value they provide throughout the project lifecycle.
Recently, a number of studies have been conducted which show increasing inefficiencies and waste in the construction industry. An Economist article from 2000 identifies 30 percent waste in the U.S. construction industry; a National Institute Standards and Technology (NIST) study from 2004 targets lack of interoperability as costing industry $15.8 billion annually; and a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study shows construction alone out of all non-farm industry as decreasing in productivity since 1964, while all other industry has increased productivity by over 200 percent. These inefficiencies, coupled with new technologies such as building information modeling (BIM) and owner demand for better quality and cost controls, have created a need for a collaborative approach to construction and design.
Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) provides an industry-wide solution. As defined by the AIA, 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, construction, and occupancy.
Developed jointly by the AIA’s Contract Documents Committee and the AIA California Council, The Guide was drafted in response to the shifting landscape of the industry.
“Project delivery models must change to increase the quality, cost effectiveness and sustainability of the built environment,” said Markku Allison, AIA, resource architect for AIA Strategy and Business Development. “We understand that this model is still in its infancy and have worked to provide a resource that aids the industry in the paradigm shift from current fragmented processes that focus on the short-term to value-based services with high outcome long-term results for all parties involved in the construction project.”
In order for IPD to succeed, there must be competent and comprehensive input of information by key project stakeholders so that execution of the design and construction process is fully visualized prior to construction start. The Guide provides the industry with a model to achieve this integration by detailing the principles of IPD and points of consideration necessary in setting up and integrated project, ranging from team formation and building to defining roles, responsibilities and performance metrics. It also walks the reader through project execution and culminates with the discussion of the circumstances and potential contractual arrangements between parties (e.g. Multi-Party, Design Build, Construction Manager at Risk) that can enhance or limit the level of integration that can be attained.
By utilizing IPD, major stakeholder groups may anticipate the following benefits:
Owners enjoy improved cost control and budget management, as well as the potential for less litigation and enhanced business outcomes.Contractors are provided with the opportunity for stronger project pre-planning, more timely and informed understanding of design, the ability to anticipate and resolve design-related issues through direct participation in the design process, construction sequencing visualization to improve mean and methods prior to the start of construction and improved cost control and budget management. For architects and designers, IPD provides more time for design, reduces documentation time, allocates more appropriate sharing of risk and reward and improves cost control and budget management.
Ultimately, all parties involved in the IPD process gain the opportunity to enhance design and construction quality.
Because the AIA believes The Guide is an integral resource for the industry, it is available for download at no cost at www.aia.org/ipdg. The introduction of The Guide complements the release of the 2007 AIA Contract Document Update.
About The American Institute of Architects
For 150 years, members of The American Institute of Architects have worked with each other and their communities to create more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable buildings and cityscapes. AIA members have access to the right people, knowledge, and tools to create better design, and through such resources and access, they help clients and communities make their visions real. www.aia.org
