DBIA Releases 10 Best Practices for Design-Build Done Right

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Design-Build Institute of America has released a “Design-Build Done Right Best Practices” guidebook. Based on research, case studies and extensive industry input for more than a year, DBIA has identified the design-build best practices and implementing techniques that directly impact project performance.

“The 10 “Design-Build Done Right Best Practices” serves as a single source that clearly defines design-build fundamentals to significantly enhance superior project outcomes,” says Lisa Washington, CAE, executive director/CEO, DBIA. “With design-build currently at 40 percent of all non-residential design and construction, the impetus for owners to engage in design-build done right is at an all-time high. By applying these 10 DBIA best practices, owners and practitioners will unlock the inherent value of design-build project delivery.”

Advancing “Design-Build Done Right”
Best practices supporting effective design-build start during the owner’s procurement, decision-making process and span through project execution. Each DBIA best practice is supplemented by several techniques that provide guidance on specific ways to implement the best practice. The combination of best practices and implementing techniques are the basis for “Design-Build Done Right.”

Design-build done right requires more than a good contract and appropriate risk allocation. Everyone from the owner to the subcontractors must understand the process, the expectations and fully engage in the collaboration. DBIA categorizes the 10 best practices (and nearly 50 supporting implementing techniques) into three areas:

1. Procuring Design-Build Services
2. Contracting for Design-Build Services
3. Executing the Delivery of Design-Build Projects

Market Sector Differences
DBIA recognizes that there are real-world differences among design-build market sectors (e.g., water/wastewater, transportation, federal projects), and that specific implementation techniques might differ slightly from one market sector to another. For this reason, DBIA is in the process of working with market sector experts on sector-specific documents to supplement the overall best practices released today. These will provide more detailed guidance on how to put these best practices and implementing techniques into use in different design-build market sectors.

DBIA intends to continually update its portfolio of publications, tools and other resources so that design-build stakeholders will have access to leading-edge information that will allow them to achieve design-build done right in accordance with the concepts expressed in this document.

For a comprehensive overview of the guidebook, visit the resources section of www.dbia.org.