Integrated Project Delivery: Where Cooperation is CONTAGIOUS By Cynthia F. Young
In an industry that has traditionally relied on the design-bid-build approach to construction, the integrated project delivery (IPD) method inspires a different and innovative mindset. It has been proven to deliver a higher-quality product, on time, with minimal waste, and under budget. “We love being involved in IPD jobs,” says Matt Cramer, president of Dee Cramer Inc. in Holly, Michigan. “It’s the highest level of owner satisfaction as far as project delivery is concerned. And, in contracting, we operate in a silo environment. It’s a dogeat-dog world out there, and integrated project delivery is quite the opposite of that.” Cramer says IPD jobs require and enforce a team-based environment that relies on collaboration between all levels of the project from the project director all the way down to field personnel. His company has completed eight IPD projects over the past several years, including the recent Edward J. Minskoff Pavilion for Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. What exactly is integrated project delivery? “It’s a collaborative approach in our industry,” says Tom Martin, president of T.H. Martin Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, who has completed several IPD projects. “You’re working with the owner and the 10 » Partners in Progress » www.pinp.org
design team, facilities management, and other contractors. You’re working with your peers using a team approach, rather than just a ‘get it done’ approach.” His company recently finished the IPD expansion of Akron Children’s Hospital, a seven-story, 230,000-square-foot Considine Professional Building that consolidated the facility’s outpatient services. “We can’t get out in front of or behind schedule,” Martin says. “Our design team and our labor partners must work together to maintain the schedule and keep the project under budget.” Integrated project delivery also involves the use of building information modeling, lean principles, and a committed owner. It requires a formal contract among all major parties, a shared profit pool, actions that benefit all parties, and controlling costs through guaranteed maximum prices (GMP). When the project is complete, the profits are divided among the parties according to agreed percentage and performance. Integrated project delivery also offers a team-oriented environment on the jobsite, which brings the trades together and encourages the workforce to work smarter and more efficiently.
