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IPD, BIM, and Supply Chain Optimization
Bottom-line benefits of 3D-enabled lean delivery for AEC projects
By Samir Emdanat; Robert Mauck, AIA, P.E.; and Matthew Jogan, AIA
In traditional design-bid-build project delivery, workflows from preliminary design through construction closeout are linear. Paper-based documentation exchanges are sequential, and revisions cycle through the system until the design is acceptable — prior to fabrication and installation, though often after design documents are issued. Fast-track projects present a challenge to the linear flow and force specific tasks to proceed in parallel before their predecessors are completed, potentially causing rework. Under ideal conditions, design-bid-build can yield projects on time, within budget, and to the owner’s satisfaction. The reality is, AEC projects are often fraught with wasteful practices that cause delays, cost overruns, and quality concerns.
On large-scale, complex projects, team members frequently work with incomplete or changing information that is both reliant upon and integral to other parts of the project. Under these conditions, linear workflows and sequential information exchanges become obsolete. Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) enables relationships to be structured so that work can progress in parallel across disciplines and organizational boundaries. In this alternative approach, project stakeholders — owner/operator, architect, engineer, builder, and subcontractor — form an integrated, collaborative team focused on delivering optimal results from an overall project perspective.
IPD presents project teams with new challenges, such as how to redesign workflows, share information, and collaborate on an iterative design process while eliminating waste and inefficiency (Emdanat and Christian, 2010). By viewing the project delivery system as a supply chain, project teams can optimize the system to achieve the best quality. An essential component of this lean system is an integrated, 3D-enabled design-to-fabrication process that facilitates design review and direct digital exchange among stakeholders.
This article defines IPD and the opportunities it presents, reviews best practices in AEC project supply chain optimization, explores stakeholder relationships in an integrated team, and discusses the benefits of a 3D-enabled lean delivery system for AEC projects. An in-depth case study illustrates how Sutter Health has applied IPD and lean delivery principles to build a $320 million hospital replacement in Northern California.
IPD and the project supply chain
The IPD Task Force, an interdisciplinary group sponsored by The American Institute of Architects California Council and McGraw-Hill Construction, developed this working definition of IPD: “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.” (IPD Definition Task Group, 2007)
In practice, IPD brings together all key participants at the outset, from engineers and architects to fabricators and installers, creating a cohesive, cooperative team. Every team member has a say in how to do the job most efficiently and with the fewest errors. It is this level of highly effective collaboration among team members that distinguishes IPD from other delivery methods.
Excerpt from "IPD, BIM, and Supply Chain Optimization," Structural Engineering & Design Professional Development Series, Copyright 2010 Stagnito Media, Deerfield, IL |
