Discovering Value in the Design/Build Workflow: New conversations for better relationships with Clients and Collaborators
Join us at the BE Bottom Lines Summit to explore this together
BE Boston 23 RegistrantsBE Boston Past RegistrantsBE NYC Past RegistrantsBottom Lines - FacilitatorBottom Lines - Steering CommitteeBottom Lines - Wolf PackCompany Record ManagerMember
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Our Mission
NESEA advances sustainability practices in the built environment by cultivating a cross-disciplinary community where practitioners are encouraged to share, collaborate and learn.
I was good with blocks as a kid and still think building things is fun and keep trying to get better at it. That's why I became a designer and builder. NESEA has been at the heart of my professional community and keeps me engaged, informed, and connected. I am retired from my company Wolfworks, which is now a worker coop and designs and builds high performance homes for folks to thrive in from a home base in Avon, CT. I'm at home making things.
BE Boston 23 RegistrantsBE Boston Past RegistrantsBE NYC Past RegistrantsBottom Lines - FacilitatorBottom Lines - Steering CommitteeBottom Lines - Wolf PackCompany Record ManagerMember
Recent Posts
08/10/2016 - 16:10
Nadav at Building Green just turned me onto this architectural firm and their pursuit of a different way of working. An overview here: http://boiledarchitecture.com/how/ And extensive resources here (by all means watch the Prezi): http://boiledarchitecture.com/how-to-guides-and-resources/
And here is another great post from Boiled Architecture about IPD for small projects. Really interested in the shared risk idea and learning how that is institutionalized in a contract. http://boiledarchitecture.com/ipd-for-small-projects/
This really succinct outline of their process comes from EV Studio in Austin in a post titledThe Design-Build Project Delivery Process – Architect LedThe pre-construction services agreement allows the general contractor to work directly with the owner and EVstudio during project design providing “real time” feedback on cost consequences of design decisions based on current market conditions. The general contractor will “pre-bid” major components and systems of the project during the design process and offer advice regarding alternatives that may provide comparable performance at a lower cost. The general contractor can also provide valuable information on the constructability and predicted performance of numerous construction details based on experience and knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of available sub-contractors. By actively participating in the design of the project, the general contractor has the opportunity to familiarize himself with all the details of the project well before construction starts. This allows the general contractor to identify the critical path of the project, prepare a proactive construction schedule, and possibly even pre-order long lead time items while still in the design process. Most of all, the general contractor is able to work directly with the owner, architect, and the in-house engineers to assure the project is designed to its maximum potential in regards to the project budget. All of the bidding for the project is completed during the design process and value engineering decisions are immediately made based on current market conditions.Read the full post here:http://evstudio.com/the-design-build-project-delivery-process-architect-led/
Following our session exploring the Design/Build Workflow, I can't think of a better way for designers and builders to collaborate more effectively than for each to be participating together in a Bottom Lines network. Observing business operations in transparent detail, sharing and helping solve each others challenges, and gaining perspective thru the eyes of others inevitably results in the desire and ability to establish more fulfilling collaborative relationships in your practice. I'm hoping our next networks will have a healthy balance of designers and builders eager to learn from each other.For those who don't have that opportunity, my hope is that a better understanding of the value that each activity in the design build process provides, and who is best equipped to serve each activity, sets the stage for better conversations about who does what best and how each iteratively integrates with that capacity with the other.What would make a world of difference would be for designers to understand the reality of a builder's finances (most excel at the technical and struggle with the financial) and for builders to understand what it takes to faithfully manage the whole design process (and get paid for it)!Here's a link to the graphic of that workflow:DESIGN/BUILD WORKFLOW GRAPHIC