A: Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is 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. Typically, this team consists of key decision-makers and project stakeholders (including engineers and contractors). The team is most effective when they identify cost and schedule economies that become incorporated into construction document details.

This revolutionary approach is made possible through BIM – an acronym for Building Information Model. In the many facets of BIM, LBB uses three-dimensional, real-time, dynamic building modeling software that creates 3-D digital representations of all stages of the building process and simulates real-world performance. This process encompasses building geometry, spatial relationships, geographic information, and quantities and properties of building components.

By doing so, BIM can be used to demonstrate the entire building life cycle – including the processes of construction and facility operation. Quantities and shared properties of materials can easily be extracted. Scopes of work can be isolated and defined. Systems, assemblies, and sequences are able to be shown in a relative scale with the entire facility or group of facilities.

IPD allows a project’s collaborative teams to effectively generate and exchange information. The process seamlessly bridges communication within the architecture, engineering and construction industries when working on the same project – thus greatly streamlining the workflow, increasing productivity, making optimal use of materials, ensuring perfect systems integration and, ultimately, increasing profitability.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) have both issued standard contract agreements that create alliances between the owner, architect and contractor to encourage collaborative teamwork for more equitable sharing of project risk and reward. IPD plays easily into this new “network” approach to work (as opposed to the traditional, sometimes territorial, relationship among those involved).

Projects delivered through IPD provide the following benefits:
     •  A superior ability to visualize and coordinate building systems
     •  A reduction of Requests for Information during construction
     •  The ability to communicate more complete scope, resulting in tighter bids
     •  Shorter lead times and compression of construction schedules, resulting in
        cost savings and/or added value
     •  Revolutionizes the roles of project team members across all disciplines to
        become collaborators

Grasping the full potential of BIM and integrated practice, IPD is on its way to creating the next revolution in the architecture, structural engineering and construction industries.