Blog

Supply Chain Engagement

Posted on June 15, 2020 by Ernie Maschner, DBIA, Vice President Global Infrastructure, Victaulic

On the Northeast Water Purification Plant in Houston, TX, Victaulic worked with WDBC members CDM Smith, Jacobs, Carollo, Balfour Beatty, and McCarthy during the engineering phase to address piping differential settlement entering and exiting structures. The solution was incorporated into the design at an early stage, and Victaulic was released to begin production to allow for delivery during the early works excavation phase.

Water/wastewater projects are becoming larger and more complex. Our industry is continuously innovating to maximize the productivity of existing and new plants. Recent events related to the COVID-19 outbreak may have permanent changes in the way plants are designed and built. The design and procurement process for collaborative-delivery projects requires early involvement of supply chain partners to reduce risks for a successful proposal and construction.

Topics: Collaborative Delivery, Equipment/Technology Suppliers, Victaulic.

The Art and Science of Digital Delivery

Posted on June 9, 2020 by Dr. Marco Aieta, Senior Vice President and Director of Engineering, MWH

Digital tools are the bread and butter of construction management, used to track schedules, budgets, checklists, daily journals, RFIs, etc. About 25 years ago, design engineers began a wholesale conversion from 2D flat drawings to 3D digital design tools. The benefits of converting to 3D included clash detection, electronic tracking of bits and parts for an electronic equipment and materials inventory, and easier owner visualization.

Topics: MWH, Virtual Design & Construction (VDC).

Leadership is Key on Design-Build Projects

Posted on May 4, 2020 by Dennis Tinkler, PE, Senior Business Development Manager, Kokosing Industrial

A design-build team must communicate effectively to build trust and achieve results

The design-build delivery method demands people from various backgrounds, companies, and professional expertise work together to deliver a successful project that benefits the entire team — owners, contractors, and engineers alike. Leadership from all members of the team makes the difference in delivering great results; however, how does such a varied team ensure that each member contributes elite leadership? How does each member of the team be the best version of themselves and contribute the most?

Topics: Design-Build, Kokosing.

City of Goodyear, Arizona, Takes Critical Step in Ensuring Its Water Future

Posted on April 15, 2020 by Greg Fischer, DBIA, CPC, Vice President, People & Places Solutions Design-Build, Jacobs

Groundbreaking ceremony held to commemorate construction on 8-mgd surface water treatment facility.

In early 2017, the City of Goodyear, Arizona, initiated the procurement process for the implementation of a robust water management plan. On November 1, 2019, construction began on the new $129M surface water treatment campus with an initial capacity of 8 mgd and future build-out to 16 mgd. The new surface water treatment facility will use state-of-the-art water treatment technology; maintain water quality and quantity for the citizens of Goodyear; and will allow the City to continue its aggressive pace of development and economic growth.

Topics: Design-Build-Operate, Jacobs.

Communication Leads to Shared Success in a Design-Build-Operate (DBO) Partnership

Posted on April 6, 2020 by Kevin Smith, PE, DBIA, Project Engineer, AECOM

A standard design-build-operate (DBO) partnership in the water and wastewater market may include an operations company, a lead design engineering firm, and a contractor to complete the construction phase. Depending on the contractual arrangement, each organization is typically contractually bound to one another through the completion of the construction elements of the project, and in some cases this relationship extends into the steady-state, long-term operations and maintenance period. Given the complexity of these projects, the question arises: How does each company succeed in a DBO partnership? Is there an overarching goal that will share success between the companies equally, or is everyone trying to achieve success for themselves?

Topics: AECOM, Design-Build-Operate.

Timing Can Be A “Risky Business”

Posted on March 24, 2020 by Tony Joyce, Sr. Vice President & Operations Manager, Kiewit Water

The discussion on risk allocation and project contingency versus design-builder contingency has been well documented in several previous blogs. The WDBC Water and Wastewater Design-Build Handbook also provides excellent guidance on best practices for risk allocation. However, my recent experiences on current projects have led me to believe that, far too often, a project’s price, contingency, and schedule are adversely impacted by not addressing project risks with the right team members at the right time, and this topic is worthy of further discussion.

Topics: Collaborative Delivery, Design-Build, Kiewit, Risk Allocation.

Keeping Important Steps in a Progressive Design-Build Selection Process

Posted on February 5, 2020 by Bob Dudley, PE, Senior Division Officer-1, Ramboll

So you are putting out a project and plan to use progressive design-build.You have been working with your procurement department and an owner’s agent who suggests a two-step procurement process following industry best practices, but the process seems like it takes forever:

Topics: Progressive Design-Build, Ramboll.

Avoiding Pitfalls to Optimize the Benefits of Progressive Design-Build Delivery

Posted on January 28, 2020 by Blayne Goodman, Senior Project Manager, The Walsh Group

The growing popularity of progressive design-build (PDB) delivery over the last decade has been celebrated by owners, contractors, and designers alike throughout the water/wastewater industry. The delivery method has proven beneficial in reducing procurement time and costs, allowing owners to work with a single point of accountability throughout design and construction, and driving innovative and creative technical and design solutions without the limitation of the singularly developed, prescribed solution presented in an RFP. The PDB approach encourages the owner and …

Topics: Progressive Design-Build, The Walsh Group.

The Spearin Doctrine in Water and Wastewater Projects

Posted on October 18, 2019 by Joe Davis, Contracts Manager, Reynolds Construction

When choosing a project delivery method for a water or wastewater project, it is imperative for the owner to understand the concept of the Spearin Doctrine and which party is accountable for the project design.

Topics: Reynolds Construction, Spearin Doctrine.

‘Quick Start’ Procurement Accelerates Project Delivery

Posted on September 13, 2019 by Steve Gates, PE, BCEE, Brown and Caldwell Senior Vice President and WDBC Past President and Gus Hrncir, DBIA, National IPD Sales Services Manager, Brown and Caldwell

With an ever-growing list of urgent water and wastewater infrastructure projects, the industry’s demand for expedited project delivery has increased, and project procurement is often overlooked as a way to get your job started—and finished— faster. Early collaboration enables ‘Quick Start’ procurement that contributes to achieving an owner’s schedule and cost commitment, with both the owner and design-builder reaping benefits.

Topics: Brown and Caldwell, Collaborative Delivery, Water Design-Build Project.

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