High Performance Outcomes

Question for an owner beginning a new construction project, "Are you purchasing a Service or a Product?" I think this is an interesting question for owners to ponder as they begin another "Project Acquisition Process"; Service or Product? The former is, to a degree, well mapped and established. There are variations to the Delivery Model (Design-Bid-Build vs. IPD or Design-Build) used by owners. But within those various models, there is a somewhat established process to what and how one purchases services in pursuit of delivering a project; or at least we all accept that there is. How Would Steve Jobs Have Done Green Buildings? Purchasing-processes and management-approaches used by owners when buying 'services' provided by designers and builders is the subject of books, coursework, training, and convention throughout our industry. In simple terms it begins by establishing the 'needs' statement, then it's hire programming services, hire de...

Defining Contractual Scope for Design-Build   One of my favorite quotes comes from Maya Angelou: “ We do what we know ”. This definitely holds true for our industry at the outset of a project. 3PQ Film Link; "Satisfying Scope" For most owners, a project’s first step is establishing a budget based on a value-analysis. I use value because it speaks to an owners base business model. If an owner manufactures widgets, the cost of production contributes to the cost of the widget. Once one ascertains the total cost of delivery for each widget (including the acquisition cost of the widget-making-facility), they can in-turn establish a free-market price for said widget. Using this example, what applies to the design & construction industry is the acquisition cost of the manufacturing facility. Since the widget price is set in a free market, the manufacturing facility’s acquisition cost is like wise set (or at least capped). Let’s change the s...

It’s color and goal are lockset at start  But process and flow, tradition in part Panic pros and bank, compared to the “cart” Though known by us all, we tear it apart The answer to this riddle can be found in this: YouTube Documentary: "Achieving Best Value" Over the past few years, I’ve read a number of articles, white papers, and case-studies concerning Net Zero Energy and High Performance Green Buildings. Just about all of them offer design process & construction technology advice, and step-by-step directives to achieve a “Net Zero Energy High Performance Green Building”…wow, that term is a mouth-full. By example, the white paper put out by BD+C ( www.bdcnetwork.com ) entitled “Zero and Net-Zero Energy Buildings + Homes: Eighth in a series of white papers on Green Building Movement” has a sidebar: Step-by-step Design Map to Net-Zero Energy William Maclay, AIA, a principal with Maclay Architects, Waitsfield, Vt., offers this step-by-step ...

Prediction: The Key to Planning Let's say 10 people are invited to propose how they would execute the task of taking a trip from New York to LA. The goal is to leave NY and be in LA in 7 days (to deliver a letter for some kooky eccentric who makes-up odd challenges). Each competitor would propose details of their planned trip and would sign a contract to deliver the letter. What would influence the path and pace of their individual routes? Let's say each person had only $1,000 to spend toward the trip. Does the mode of transportation change? Let's say each must visit at least one National Park along the way (more than one park visited earns a 'tip'). Do the routes change? Let's say that each had to spend at least one day photographing a "national landmark" along the way (more than one photographed earns another 'tip'). Does the 'itinerary' change? Of course each 'proposal' would likely be different, there is a thousands ...