Department of Architecture

Construction Management
Individual Assignment - 1

Prep by:-Fatuma sulyman

Id 102980
Summited to:-L.Hiruy

Date 25/10/23
 What is Project Delivery Method in Construction Management?
Project Delivery Methods are the various comprehensive approaches project owners use to
accomplish a construction project which needs planning, designing, and building. Design-
Bid-Build (DBB), Design-Build (DB), Construction Management At-Risk (CMAR), and
Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) are among the most popular and widely used delivery
methods.

In any capital construction, choosing a suitable project delivery method is necessary as this
decision by owners can affect the future course of the project, including the scope,
achievability, and success.

Why are project delivery methods important?

Generally, three parties are important in any construction delivery method: the owner,
designer, and contractor. Choosing a construction project delivery method that best suits the
needs and benefits of project participants should be the project goal. These project goals need
careful consideration while selecting project delivery methods.

The project delivery method results from the engagement between the owner and other
parties. Hence, it influences the contractual relationship, project costs, project timeline, and
project scope to a large extent.

Nevertheless, determining a project delivery method is one of the fundamental decisions any
owner embarking on a construction project must make. Therefore, the project owners must
have a firm grasp of every delivery method and its impacts.

Crucial considerations before selecting a delivery method

When embarking on a construction program or project, an owner has various concerns like
the feasibility and constructibility of the project, and whether the project will be built as per
the expectations or not. Similarly, completing the project under the budget is the main
concern for most project owners.

It is vital to choose an overall project delivery and job order contracting strategy to deliver the
project effectively and efficiently. The following are some critical factors that will influence
the project delivery technique chosen for a project.
Budget
A fundamental necessity is cost estimation for the project and budget before the design
phase. This will help in the feasibility study, financing, and risk assessment. Having a clear
budget will also help explore various design options and site locations.

Owners must decide how quickly they need to figure out final project costs and the
contingency budget (required for emergencies when the budget overruns the set limit).

Design
Any project owner is always concerned about one thing - whether the facility will live up to
the expectations or not. It is the responsibility of the designing team to ensure the facility
functions as per the expectations of the owner and users.

Therefore, the designers must be well qualified to design such facilities. Besides transferring
responsibility, the owner should convey the needs and expectations to the designers.

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On the other hand, the designing team puts together all the inputs and prepares a buildable
design. Every party should communicate clearly and express their intent before this design is
ready.

Schedule
Maintaining a schedule in the construction phase is essential before deciding on the delivery
method. The dates of starting the design, completion of the construction process, and
commissioning the facility are crucial for project management.

Scheduling can have far-reaching consequences for a project. While on-time completion can
boost revenue generation, delays may skyrocket the construction cost. Thus, while assigning
the contract to the construction company or general contracting entity, the project owner must
consider the delivery schedule. Accordingly, the project delivery method should be finalized
by the owner.

Risk Assessment
In the construction process, several risks might arise due to the local reception, schedule,
budget of the project, and site safety. This makes it necessary for the owner to understand the
risks in the construction activity. After that, a conscientious decision should be made
regarding allocating these risks among project participants. This will lead to a proper
understanding of the risks by all parties.

Another benefit of risk allocation is that the risk will be shared with parties that can control it
in the best way. For instance, the general contractor(GC) or the project manager won’t be
forced to mitigate risks for errors in the design phase. The design professionals will be
responsible for the mistakes.

Owner’s expertise
The owner's knowledge of the construction process and level of in-house management
capabilities have a significant impact on the external support required during the process. This
may also guide the owner in identifying the optimal project delivery strategy. An owner must
analyze the involvement required under the various delivery methods and how that will
impact the project’s development.

Most widely used project delivery methods

Design-Bid-Build (DBB)
The Design-Bid-Build (DBB) is the most common construction project delivery method used
in the construction industry. In this method, the owner hires a design professional or design
firm to create the project's design, including construction drawings and specifications.

Once the design team completes the work, the owner invites interested contractors
for construction bidding. Before that, the owner gives away the bid package. This package
includes the design and bidder's information packet. The contractors then prepare and submit
bids for the work.

In most cases, the owner might choose a contractor based on the lowest bid. However,
depending upon the project complexities, the project owners might look for a combination of
price and technical merit while choosing a contractor, particularly for a public project.

The chosen general contractor then enters into a separate contract with every subcontractor
belonging to a particular construction discipline. If no construction manager is involved in the
construction process, the construction contractor also oversees the administration of the
project site.

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Advantages:
This method clearly defines the roles of every party involved.
This method is suitable for public projects that need to follow stringent construction laws.
Since everything is predefined in the design, the project owner can control the end product
more.
Disadvantages:
The process takes a long time to complete. Construction can not start until design,
procurement, and general contractor (GC) is given the contract.
Once the design is complete, the designer has limited control over the project. It may lead to
improper execution of the design.
In the case of a poor end product, the general contracting firm may blame the owner or
designer for a faulty design.
Contractors often hire subcontractors with the lowest price quotes to raise their margins. This
may result in substandard materials or low-quality final products.
A lack of construction inputs from the general contractor may limit the effectiveness of the
design.

Construction Management at Risk (CMAR)

The Construction Management at Risk (CMAR) delivery system is similar to the DBB system
as the construction manager (CMR) or construction management agency acts as a GC during
the construction phase. However, the CMR holds the risk of delivering the facility at the
agreed price.

Professional management services include consultation on the schedule, budget, and

subcontractors. Furthermore, the CMR also provides the construction inputs during the design
phase, making the design more effective. This makes the CMR a mix of a traditional general
contractor and a construction manager.

Besides being a consultant during the pre-construction phase, the Construction Management
at Risk delivery method allows construction to begin without the design is complete. This
advantage reduces the project timeline.

When the construction starts for a partially completed design, the CM agency and owner
agree to a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) as per the construction documents. This cost
includes the estimated cost for the remaining design.

Advantages:
The contractor’s inputs are included in the pre-construction and design phase, making the
design process more effective.
The construction timeline is reduced by starting the construction process for a partially
completed design.
Disadvantages:
Even if the CMR provides advisory services during the design, the owner is still primarily
responsible for the completion of the project.
Once the construction starts, the CMR acts as a GC, giving little attention to design. This may
lead to disputes in the later phase of the project when the remaining design is prepared
without the complete advisory of CMR.
The CMR does not provide any specific professional advisory management assistance during
construction.

Design-Build (DB)
The Design-Build (DB) project delivery system is an up-gradation of the previous two
methods wherein only one party is responsible for the entire design, construction
management, and building. This method has gained popularity because of its single point of
responsibility.

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In other delivery methods, disputes arise among various project participants, and the owner
acts as the referee. But in DB methods of delivery, several disputes turn into internal team
issues, thereby not affecting the owner.

Under the DB project delivery system, the project owner contracts with a single firm or entity
(which can be a joint venture between a designer and a contractor). The owner's capital risk is
wholly born, leaving the contractor to lead the team without risking any high stakes.

In some variations of the DB delivery method, the owner appoints a developing firm. This is
known as the fee-paid developer method and involves the developing firm's selection of
independent designer and contractor partners.

The team formulation may be modified in any way. Still, the DB team has a single goal to
accomplish: designing the facility and building it according to the preliminary scope specified
by the owner.

Regarding the price structure, the DB team fixed a sum at the early stage to complete the
facility's design and construction. Once the project starts, project management and team
coordination become the DB team’s responsibility.

Advantages:
The time period to complete a project is quicker in the DB method than in the conventional
DBB method.
This method has a single point of responsibility and accountability for both design and
construction.
The association between designer and contractor throughout the process ensures the overall
project cost remains under control.
Disadvantages:
The owner has the least control over the project.
The project owner must respond promptly to new decisions in order to synchronize with DB's
speed.
A single point of responsibility eliminates the checks and balances that exist in other delivery
methods.
This method is futile if the owner wants a complex project or an unusual or iconic design.

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)

As the name suggests, the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) method is where the main
stakeholders of a construction project - owner, designer, and trade contractor enter into an
integrated multi-party construction contract with each other and the subcontractor, architect,
professional engineer, and sub-consultant.

Integrated project delivery is the most recent delivery approach in the construction industry,
focusing on improved teamwork and collaboration. The primary purpose of implementing
IPD is to distribute liability, responsibility, and risk (& rewards) among the project's various
stakeholders.

Advantages
The project owner gets the maximum advantage in IPD delivery.
The chances of success are incredibly high as the entire project team focuses on achieving the
project’s goals.
There is a fair distribution of responsibility, accountability, and rewards.
A single contract makes managing the team easy.
Disadvantages:

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Funding the right team of stakeholders for the integrated contract is tedious. If not money, it
will consume a substantial amount of time.
Since the whole system is dependent on the mutual collaboration of the various parties, slack
from a single participant can make the entire IPD delivery method ineffective.

Conclusion
When executing a project, selecting the best construction delivery model is critical for the
project's success. Project owners must choose the appropriate construction delivery method
for developing the facility from several project delivery methods. While selecting the method,
a few things to take care of are:
 a probable budget with additional contingency
 an actionable schedule
 a responsive team for the quality design process
 risk assessment and mitigation
 proper distribution of works
 level of involvement

Introduction on three architectural competencies

The architectural profession requires a high level of competency in three essential

competencies - technical skills, design thinking, and communication and collaboration. These
skills aid in creating functional, aesthetically pleasing buildings that are safe and efficient for
people to use.

Competency 1: Technical Skills

What are technical skills?

Technical skills are essential for an architect; it refers to the use of technological and
engineering knowledge and skills to design, draft, and create building blueprints and
construction documents.

How to demonstrate technical skills as a practicing architect?

As an architect, I’d incorporate technical details into construction plans by using the right
symbols, abbreviations, and terminology. I'd also leverage BIM (Building Information
Modelling) and CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software that allows me to produce clear and
accurate drawings.

Competency 2: Design Thinking

Design thinking entails understanding and empathizing with users and

Definition of creating solutions. Design thinking, unlike traditional brainstorming, is
Design Thinking human-centric, and requires analyzing the problem through the user’s
lens.
The use of design thinking will help me analyze the client’s needs more
Application of critically, develop functional building designs, and test and refine the
Design Thinking in designs based on user feedback. It means the design thinking concept will
project scenarios be an iterative approach towards building projects that meet client needs
and are user-friendly.

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Competency 3: Communication and Collaboration

Effective communication and collaboration skills are imperative for any architect's career as
they involve working together with various stakeholders involved in the project to achieve the
project objectives seamlessly.

For example, an architect should ensure that they can communicate the project requirements
to contractors, engineers, and the client to ensure everyone is on the same page.

Conclusion

In conclusion, technical skills, design thinking, and communication and collaboration are
essential for a successful architect's career. Technical skills allow architects to transfer
abstract concept ideas into tangible plans, design thinking ensures that the design process is
user-oriented, and finally, communication ensures everyone involved in the project is working
towards the same goal.

Good demonstration of these competencies means gaining trust and earning respect from
peers, contractors, and clients.