Most of us have heard the sports adage that “there is no ‘I’ in ‘team.’” Integrated
Project Delivery (IPD), however, is turning that phrase on its head in the design and construction industry by demanding collaboration, or team integration, to achieve greater success in capital projects.
As one national architectural organization defines it, 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 optimize project results, increase value to the owner, reduce waste, and maximize efficiency through all phases of design, fabrication, and construction.” Another commentator put it more simply: the “purpose is to make better buildings faster for less.”
IPD affects everyone involved in a project, including lawyers. We therefore need to be prepared to advise clients concerning the contractual framework they will use to implement this more collaborative model.