Explore some of DBIA’s news coverage from the third quarter of 2024, featuring resources, awards, staff members and members of the DBIA National Board of Directors.
Lisa Washington, Executive Director/CEO of DBIA, expressed strong support for the Water Resources Development Act of 2024, particularly endorsing the pilot program for progressive design-build. She highlighted how this collaborative method enables early integration of expertise and better aligns design and construction with project goals.
Tariq Masud highlights the importance of collaboration in complex construction projects, emphasizing the role of organizations like DBIA. He plans to collaborate with DBIA to promote quality excellence and integrate its practices into ASQ’s new Certified Construction Quality Manager certification.
Sound Transit’s use of design-build is expanding, with plans to integrate progressive design-build and other alternative delivery methods. Collaboration with DBIA aims to enhance training and improve delivery methods for the agency’s extensive projects, including its $54-billion expansion plan.
Ryan Ware emphasizes that industrialized construction could revolutionize the construction industry, yet adoption has been slow. He highlights the importance of exploring new delivery models like design-build and suggests certifications similar to DBIA’s design-build professional credentials to encourage learning and adoption of industrialized construction practices.
DBIA has updated its Water and Wastewater Best Practices document, offering tailored guidance for the sector. The primer emphasizes performance-based requirements, innovative project delivery models like Progressive Design-Build and collaboration with operations and maintenance teams. Led by DBIA’s Water/Wastewater Markets Committee, the document aims to enhance efficiency, uphold ethical standards and improve project outcomes in this critical infrastructure sector.
The Beck Group won two 2024 DBIA National Awards of Merit for the Grady Memorial Hospital Bed Expansion and One Platte projects. Chief Design Officer Brian Miller praised the recognition as a testament to the team’s creativity and collaboration, reinforcing Beck’s commitment to delivering innovative, community-enhancing projects.
The Grady Memorial Hospital bed expansion project in Atlanta, Georgia, won the 2024 DBIA National Design-Build Project/Team Award in the healthcare facilities category. The innovative design-build team, including The Beck Group, PF&A, and WSP, implemented a vacuum pump plumbing system to prevent contamination and enhance efficiency. Additional award winners will be announced at the DBIA Design-Build Conference & Expo in November.
Jake Zwaagstra emphasizes the benefits of the design-build approach for hotel development, highlighting time savings, financial risk mitigation, and streamlined communication. Citing a forecast from the DBIA, he notes design-build will account for 47% of construction spending by 2026, helping the hospitality industry adopt innovations and improve guest satisfaction.
New York City’s Borough-Based Jails Program, aiming to replace Rikers with four borough-based facilities, showcases the city’s growing commitment to design-build delivery. With DBIA training and best practices, the city has implemented innovative solutions to address risks, collaborate with industry partners and successfully navigate this complex, multi-billion-dollar program.
Bruce W. Husselbee and Dave Hill, both DBIA National Board members, emphasize the value of design-build in water and wastewater projects. As key leaders within DBIA, they highlight the importance of updated best practices in fostering collaboration and addressing sector-specific challenges like aging infrastructure and regulatory demands.
Don G. Warren, FDBIA, a co-founder of DBIA, has been named the 2024 Brunelleschi Lifetime Achievement Award winner. A leader in promoting design-build delivery, Warren’s five-decade career shaped DBIA’s Best Practices and contract documents. His legacy of innovation, mentorship and leadership has left a lasting impact on the construction industry.
DBIA has released an updated position statement, Procuring the Design-Build Team, emphasizing the importance of team qualifications, shared values, and collaboration over traditional selection factors like price and schedule. Developed by DBIA National Board members, the document offers practical guidance for Owners in selecting high-performing design-build teams. A related webinar will be held on October 30, 2024, to discuss the statement and procurement strategies.
DBIA has announced the 2024 National Design-Build Project/Team Merit Award winners, with 63 projects across 10 categories, including one in Antarctica. These winners will now compete for National Awards of Excellence, “Best of” categories and Project of the Year. DBIA Executive Director/CEO Lisa Washington highlighted how these projects push the boundaries of high performance and design-build success as the method approaches half of all U.S. construction spending.
DBIA’s Design-Build Delivers podcast is featured among the top 15 construction podcasts to listen to in 2024. The podcast offers valuable insights into the rapidly growing design-build delivery method, with expert interviews and real-world project solutions. With episodes ranging from 19 minutes to an hour, it’s perfect for preconstruction professionals looking to stay updated on industry trends and best practices. Recommended episodes include From Sci-Fi to Site Plans and Fighting for Design-Build Authorization in Your State.
The Engineering Joint Contract Document Committee (EJCDC) has received federal approval for its contract documents, now listed as high-quality templates in the USDOT’s Volpe Center Toolbox. Other approved documents include those from DBIA, ASCE, ACEC and NSPE, offering streamlined solutions for infrastructure project delivery under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
DBIA has honored three leaders with the 2024 Distinguished Leadership Awards for their exceptional contributions to design-build. This year’s recipients are Rodney Pope, vice president of Brown and Caldwell, Emily Galliers, design manager at Build Group Inc., and James “Tony” Parrott, CEO of Louisville MSD. The awards will be presented at the DBIA Design-Build Conference & Expo in Dallas on Nov. 7, 2024.
DBIA Director of VDC Brian Skripac joined Cadnetics’ podcast Architecting an Interview with Jen Seiler to discuss his career, the role of VDC and how DBIA is shaping the future of construction.