Design-Build

Known as "turnkey" or "single-source responsibility," design-build is a system of contracting under which one entity performs both architectural/engineering design and construction.

In a "traditional" contracting approach, an owner commissions an architect or engineer to prepare drawings and specifications and separately selects a construction contractor or construction manager either by negotiation or competitive bidding.

A design-build team is closely involved in producing a product that meets an owner's needs rather than merely acting as professional advisors to the owner. Rather, the owner deals with a unified design-construct team working together on his behalf.

Single-source design and production of industrial and consumer products, both large and small, have long been the norm throughout our economy. Now, understandably, design-build has moved to the forefront of the construction industry.

Ironically, the so-called "traditional" approach of contracting separate design and construction teams is quite untraditional from a historical perspective. It is design-build, joining of design and construction tasks, that is truly a traditional approach. For centuries prior, master builders served as chief architect, engineer and builder molded into one.

Classical Greek structures, the great pyramids of Egypt, the Theatre of Dionysus, the Parthenon and even the Brooklyn Bridge and the Pentagon are all structures designed and built under single-source responsibility. These master builders accepted full responsibility for their projects, integrating conceptual design with functional performance.

While the practice faded somewhat following the Industrial Revolution of the late 1800's, since the 1960's, there has been a strong resurgence of the master builder's approach. Design-build has captured more than 70 percent of non-residential construction activity in Europe and Japan and is rapidly growing in the U.S. Cost and time factors, as well as reduced potential for litigation compared to the traditional method, have driven this growth from an owner standpoint. Practitioners see these benefits too and welcome the challenge of accepting full accountability for all aspects of facility design and construction.

The Construction Industry Institute, in conjunction with Pennsylvania State University, presented findings of the National Project Delivery System Study. This study analyzed and evaluated three project delivery systems, including design-build, construction management-at-risk and design-bid-build, comparing total cost, schedule adherence and quality