This is the second in a multi-article series examining how the Design Assist approach adds value to the benefits of Off-Site Construction.
As the construction industry continues to embrace Off-Site Construction (OSC), the next logical question becomes, “how do we maximize all the possible benefits that OSC brings to our project?” The Epsilon team has consistently seen significant advantages when clients utilize our team in a Design Assist approach. We’ve highlighted the top six advantages most commonly referenced by the clients and project teams we work with.
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Provides schedule compression and surety
Provides Schedule Compression and Surety
Construction projects inevitably take longer than the original forecast. Unexpected weather and labor shortages lead to delays, and supply chain and inventory issues impact critical component deliveries.
These schedule delays are a fact of the construction life, and no amount of planning can accommodate every scenario. That’s one of the many challenges that OSC helps solve, particularly for sectors like healthcare, mission critical and manufacturing.
OSC systems are typically built in controlled environments that are configured to leverage manufacturing best-practices. That means weather impacts are extremely rare, and the labor is both experienced and consistent. Add in the repetitive workflows and frequent purchasing power that comes from being a manufacturer, and OSC projects have an immense benefit in schedule compression and surety.
The Design Assist approach further enhances the inherent schedule benefits of OSC by getting key stakeholders involved early in the process. With the subject-matter expert OSC partners on-board early, the project team benefits from overlapping design schedules; the OSC submittals are essentially developed in parallel with the balance of the project design. As a result, when the overall project design is complete, the OSC package is essentially ready to transition into fabrication; this creates tremendous schedule compression, compared to the traditional approach. No prolonged and frustrating submittal phase, no value (de)engineering required. Moreover, the systems delivered through OSC using Design Assist are usually removed from the project’s critical path, allowing everyone to breathe easier.
At Epsilon, we know that schedule compression and surety provide meaningful value to owners and constructors. The Design Assist approach means project teams are investing in stability and consistency throughout the preconstruction and construction process. Contact Epsilon today to learn more about our Design Assist and cost-certainty approaches for your central utility system project.
