Will Integrated Practice (IP) and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) radically change the way buildings are constructed?
The AIA describes Integrated Practice as “leveraging early contribution of knowledge through utilization of new technologies, allowing architects to better realize their highest potentials as designers and collaborators while expanding the value they provide throughout the project lifecycle.” (click here for more information on Integrated Practice from the AIA’s standpoint). The AIA California Council calls IPD “a project delivery approach that integrates people, systems, business structures, and practices into a process that collaboratively harnesses the talents and insights of all participants to reduce waste and optimize efficiency through all phases of design, fabrication, and construction.” One “new technology” that may facilitate the ultimate emergence of IP/IPD is building information modeling (BIM). However, while most members of the construction team can probably agree that IPD through BIM can be more efficient and ultimately save the owner money, there does not seem to be many examples of design/construction contracts that implement IPD/BIM. According to the Architectural Record (July 2007, p. 66), both the AIA and AGC are planning to issue some kind of IPD contract materials within the year. In the interim, DPSG is interested in seeing examples of IPD/BIM contracts that have been used successfully.
