The Commercial Real Estate Revolution

We now have some in-depth and insightful case studies for the success of IPD (Integrated Project Delivery). The projects reviewed include:

1. Autodesk Inc. AEC Solutions Division Headquarters
2. Sutter Health Fairfield Medical Office Building
3. Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital Expansion
4. St. Clare Health Center
5. Encircle Health Ambulatory Care Center
6. Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, Arizona State University

Phil Berstein, VP Industry Strategy + Relations, AEC at Autodesk Inc, offered an interesting side note during a presentation at the Construction Institutes Visionary Leaders forum in January of 2010.  When he researched the use of IPD agreements for their Waltham, MA Headquarters project he found that there were fewer than 20 known projects that have actually taken the process through to shared risk/shared reward contracting.

The following LINK will let you read a summary of the report and download the PDF.

These case studies present a challenge. They worked!  However, they do not follow any of the conventional thinking related to project development, supplier selection or project delivery.

The biggest challenge I have when presenting the lessons from our book is that most try to take a piece or two from the puzzle. That won’t work. At least not to the degree that the projects in these case studies experienced.

We need stronger metaphors and tools to challenge our current conventions when it comes to the built environment. I’ve included this TED video for that reason. This is an unconventional firm doing unconventional work. It will take this kind of thinking to spur a revolution.