This is the fifth 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.
5
Reduces burden on the AE
Reduces Burden on the AE
When we hear about labor constraints negatively affecting the construction industry, it’s not just about field trades. In fact, every element of the typical construction project team is experiencing historical challenges in recruiting and retaining talent. And our friends in the architectural and engineering professional services space are no exception.
The results of this AE resource shortage can be impactful, particularly as the projects we see continue to grow in size and complexity. For instance, the sheer magnitude of design hours required to meet interim design milestones can be difficult to muster, creating the potential for schedule delays and missed details.
These challenges – and potential implications – are magnified when a project happens to include a central utility plant (CUP), since these systems can be very design-and-engineering labor intensive, yet may not be necessarily be an area of expertise within any given AE team.
By engaging a subject-matter expert (SME) in CUP systems early in the preconstruction phase, using the Design Assist approach, project teams create an extension of the existing design team solely focused on the specialized CUP systems. The positive impacts of this decision are multi-fold:
- The incumbent AE is now able to focus valuable resources on defining the CUP’s performance requirements rather than detailing every design nuance, freeing up valuable design resources to be applied elsewhere on the project.
- The AE – and indeed, the entire project team – benefits from specialized expertise that only a SME can bring to bear; this includes everything from optimizing CUP layouts to balance modularization with long-term operations, to the procurement of major equipment in a way that balances life-cycle costs with the latest reality in manufacturing lead-times.
In this scenario, the AE remains a critical leader in the design effort, generally retaining overall approval for the design effort and providing regular input to the SME throughout the preconstruction process on factors that would impact the SME’s design. When the culture of a project team is oriented towards collaboration, the successful integration of SMEs using Design Assist creates a win-win, dramatically improving the team’s performance to goals.
Contact Epsilon today to learn more about our Design Assist approach for your central utility system project.
