Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is gaining attention and popularity by encouraging in-depth team collaboration, which leads to fast delivery, ease of budgeting, and high-quality design and construction. This approach was used by an 11-member team that entered into an IPD Agreement with a stated goal of delivering the Sutter Medical Center in Castro Valley, Calif., on budget and 30% faster than comparable projects. A key element in achieving that goal was the façade’s use of pre-assembled precast concrete panels and glass-fiber-reinforced concrete (GFRC).
“In my opinion, how we deliver design and construction in a normal contract is somewhat broken,” says Ralph Eslick, senior project manager at DPR Construction, the general contractor on the Sutter Medical Center project. “It adds construction time, cost, risk, and makes it difficult to foster teamwork. Decisions get made that prove costly for others on the team. With an IPD, we all work together to minimize costs for everyone.” Read the full article.
