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Workflow Processes:

  • Conceptualization

    Conceptualization begins to determine WHAT is to be built, WHO will build it, and HOW it will be built.

    Performance goals are developed by the team:
    Size
    Sustainable or green criteria or goals
    Economic performance based on the complete building life span including operation
    Successful outcome metrics (e.g. cost, schedule, quality, etc.)
    Cost structure is developed earlier and in greater detail than a conventional project.
    Costs may be linked to Building Information Model to enable rapid assessment of design decisions
    Costs are detailed by system, providing an understanding of the cost range and importance of each system
    Key parties assess areas where greatest improvements are possible
    Initial benchmarking comparison is performed to assess project costs against market rates
    Preliminary schedule is developed and linked to developing model.
    Communication methodologies and technologies are identified and key parameters agreed upon.
    Building Information Modeling platform(s)
    Administration and maintenance of BIM(s)
    Source of truth for all data
    Interoperability criteria
    Data transfer protocols
    Level of detail development by phase
    Development of tolerances

  • Criteria Design

    During Criteria Design, the project begins to take shape. Major options are evaluated, tested and selected.

    The following aspects of the project are finalized, allowing the team to proceed with confidence to the next level of detail:
    Scope
    Form, adjacencies and spatial relationships
    Selection and initial design of major building systems (structure, skin, HVAC, etc.)
    Cost estimate (at appropriate precision)
    Schedule (at appropriate precision)
    Agreement is reached on tolerances between trades to enable prefabrication.

  • Detailed Design

    The Detailed Design phase concludes the WHAT phase of the project. During this phase, all key design decisions are finalized. Detailed Design under IPD comprises much of what is left to the Construction Documents phase under traditional practice, thus the Detailed Design phase involves significantly more effort than the traditional Design Development phase.

    Building is fully and unambiguously defined, coordinated and validated
    All major building systems are defined, including any furnishings, fixtures and equipment within the scope of the project
    All building elements are fully engineered and coordinated. The team will have collaborated to resolve any inconsistencies, conflicts or constructability issues
    Agreement is reached on tolerances between trades to ensure constructability and to enable as much prefabrication as possible.
    Quality levels are established
    Prescriptive Specifications are completed based on prescribed and agreed systems
    Cost is established to a high level of precision
    Construction schedule is established to a high level of precision

  • Implementation Documents

    During this phase, effort shifts from WHAT is being created to documenting HOW it will be implemented. The goal of ID phase is to complete the determination and documentation of how the design intent will be implemented, not to change or develop it.

    The traditional shop drawing process is merged into this phase as constructors, trade contractors and suppliers document how systems and structure will be created. In addition, this phase generates the documents that third parties will use for permitting, financing and regulatory purposes.

    Because the Detailed Design phase concludes with the design and all building systems “fully and unambiguously defined, coordinated and validated,” the Implementation Documents phase comprises less effort than the traditional Construction Documents phase.

    Construction means and methods are finalized and documented
    Construction schedule is finalized and agreed upon
    Cost is finalized and agreed upon
    Costs are tied to the model
    The specifications are finalized, supplementing the model with narrative documentation of the design intent wherever necessary
    Implementation Documents define and visualize the project for participants who aren’t involved in the development of the model, providing:
    A “finance-able” project (a completed model that gives “the bank” sufficient detail to finance the project)
    Bid documents for parties outside the integrated process
    The “shop drawing” phase that in traditional phases occurs after Construction Documents will be largely completed during the Implementation Documents phase
    Prefabrication of some systems can commence because the model is sufficiently fixed (object sizes and positions

  • Agency Coordination and Final Buyout

    Use of BIM and early involvement and validation by agencies shortens the final permitting process.

    Agency Review commences in Criteria Design and increases in inten-sity during the final review period. This early involvement minimizes agency comments and required changes to the design as submitted for permit.

    Building Information Models have the ability to provide information either directly or through linked databases that can enhance and streamline a reviewing agency’s ability to check the design for building code or regulatory criteria. In addition, analysis software can use the model information to gen-erate performance or criteria analyses that validate the design.

    IPD assumes early involvement of key trade contractors and vendors, so buyout of work packages they provide occurs through development of prices throughout the design phases, culminating at the conclusion of Implementation Documents. Accelerated project definition during Criteria and Detailed Design allows early commitment for procurement of long lead, custom, or prefabricated items. The IPD Buyout phase is much shorter than under traditional delivery methods, since most work is already contracted for.

    All necessary permits and approvals
    Commitments are in place for all work, materials and equipment needed to complete the project

  • Construction

    In the Construction phase, the benefits of the integrated process are realized. For architects under traditional delivery models, construction contract administration is considered the final stage of design—the last chance to address issues and achieve solutions. But in Integrated Project Delivery, the design and its implementation are finalized during the Detailed Design and Implementation Documents phases. Thus, construction contract administration is primarily a quality control and cost monitoring function. Because of the greater effort put into the design phases, construction under IPD will be much more efficient.

    Substantial Completion of the project, characterized by:
    Virtually no RFIs from major trades because prime constructor, key trade contractors and key vendors have been involved in developing the design intent and implementation
    Less construction administration effort required because submittals for key scopes of work have already been integrated into the model and conflicts have been resolved virtually
    Better understanding of design intent by all participants because the BIM provides effective visualization
    More pre-fabrication resulting in:
    Less waste because more assemblies are factory generated.
    Fewer injuries because more work is being performed in a more controlled environment
    A schedule tied to the model to allow visualization of crew coordination and deviations from planned sequences and durations
    Some elements of current construction administration will remain similar to current practice
    Quality control, inspection and testing will be relatively unchanged
    Changes within the agreed project scope will be virtually eliminated, but owner-directed changes will need to be formally negotiated
    Scheduling and progress will be periodically reviewed

  • Closeout

    An intelligent 3D model can be delivered to the owner.
    Closeout of an integrated project greatly depends upon the business terms agreed by the parties. For example, if the business structure contains compensation incentives or penalties, the closeout includes calculation of appropriate credits or deducts. Some issues, however, such as warranty obligations, occupancy, and completion notification, remain unchanged due to statutory and legal requirements. Other issues, such as punch list correction, are not significantly affected by integrated project delivery.

    A complete building information model reflecting “as-built” conditions will be provided to the owner for long term use for building management, maintenance and operation. This model can also be used for:
    Integration of building monitoring, control and security systems
    Comparing actual performance of building and systems to planned performance
    Referencing of warranty, operation and maintenance information
    Traditional warranties will remain for installation quality and defective products.

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