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A sk an architect for his ideal structure, and you might get an unbuildable landmark. Ask a contractor for the same, and you might get a box. But ask an owner, and you'll probably get something like this – a functional facility that meets business needs, comes with the latest building technology, looks great, lasts, provides energy savings and can be built quickly at a good price. As solutions providers, it's our job to step beyond the narrow silos of the traditional architect, contractor or specialty contractor and deliver results. Given today's complex building needs and aggressive projects, we must align our thinking, strate- gies and solutions as a cohesive team. And we need a project delivery meth- od that makes it possible. Fortunately, one has been proven time and again to create a successful team environment that fosters smarter projects, smoother delivery and reductions in risk, cost and schedule – not just for owners, but also for project teams. That method is Design-Build. Single-source responsibility How many times have you seen something like this happen on a job? An architect designs a facility, then a contractor wins the job and begins construction, but a specifed building solution is impractical or expensive to build. A change order is requested, the ar- chitect and contractor spar over whose fault it is, and the owner is stuck with a higher bill and project delays. In many traditional design-bid-build projects, this is standard operating procedure. Now picture this: Architect, contractor, owner and specialty contractors sit down with a proposed, early-stage design. This multi-disciplined project team reviews the design for potential issues of cost, schedule and constructability. Specifc strategies are developed to alleviate any ambiguities left in the design. And any potential problems are identifed, solved and averted before construction begins. Sounds a lot better right? That's how it works in Design-Build. In the Design-Build project approach, one entity takes single-source responsibility for all project aspects. All team members are contractually aligned from the start, instead of working against each other and taking on concerns of contrac- tual blame. Not only is life easier for the owner, but also for all project team members, who are freed up to solve problems through collaboration. How to get the job done better, faster and smarter with Design-Build By Todd Imming Create opportunity to add and capture value In most any job, the best opportunities to capture value are before the project begins and in early design. Specifcally, by bringing together the expertise of a full team and working in open discussion with the owner, you can align the project to achieve maximum value. Whether you're building a distribution center to support logistical effciency or a hospital to support quality care, collabo- rating up front as an expert team allows you to defne top-level and specifc goals, then identify the most sound design and construction solutions. Early stage designs incorporate the expertise of a full team and can be adapted to put the project on a course for success. The entire job be- comes an exercise in value engineering, with specialty trades and domain experts gaining the ability to offer value-added solutions on everything from energy effciency to foundation construction and fooring materials. Through Design-Build, your team and your project become more valuable to the owner, who reaps the value of a smarter project. Controlling the process Some contractors shy away from taking on the design risks associat- ed with Design-Build. In our experience, there's far greater risk in not taking some ownership of the design process. To us, the look and feel of a facility is only one part of the design. With- out incorporating cost, schedule and constructability analysis into the design, it's incomplete. And an incomplete design leads to change orders, delays, quality concerns or worse – contract disputes and even safety issues. 83 MAY : JUNE 2016 — COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATION