JE Dunn Construction’s Oklahoma offices know that design-build is a collective effort and these teams have years of experience bringing this value and success to a variety of projects.
When you look at Oklahomaโs construction growth today, itโs heavily influenced by demand for complex work in hospitals, public buildings, education facilities, and highway infrastructure. It all points to the rise of population growth and the need to build essential places that support vibrant cities and communities.
That need to build and the demand to have these places sooner than later is more apparent today than ever to Jason Bishop. He leads JE Dunn Constructionโs Oklahoma City and Tulsa offices.
For him, there is no room to look at construction projects as fractured teams, deadlines, and budgets that are working around each other. No matter a projectโs size, or cost, or scope, it just wonโt do.
โCollective. Shared. Related. Thatโs how we have to look at every project we build. There is no, โthis is yours and this is mine and stay on your side.โ That kind of mindset damages a construction project. Itโs what causes issues with schedule and cost. And especially when youโre trying to build trust.โ
Collaborative Project Delivery. Thatโs the term JE Dunn uses to frame the collective effort Jason described. In the industry, itโs better known as Design-Build or Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). Whether a project is design-build, design-bid-build, or construction management-at-risk (CMAR), Oklahoma City and Tulsa projects are managed with Collaborate Project Delivery at the helm using behaviors based in lean principles and transparent work processes. Over the years that focus has allowed the offices to build a management culture influenced by the fundamental nature of these integrated delivery methods.
โConstruction projects that are particularly complex and multi-phased need to be managed with the highest level of communication and alignment between design and construction activities so project teams can identify challenges immediately so they are corrected early. That one team approach brings all the best talent and resources to overcome the challenges that every project goes through.โ
Design-build delivery seems to be gaining more traction in the Oklahoma market. At the end of 2022, Jason and the leadership team in Oklahoma City identified a dozen strategic design-build opportunities to watch and potentially pursue in 2023. They range in scope, size, and cost, and most are in the public sectorโ a significant jump from recent years.
What he is seeing is what the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) has been reporting since 2021. Design-build has become the fastest growing construction method in the United States. Also, the West South Central United States โ Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana โ will represent the largest volume of design-build spending through 2025.
โReduced schedule, faster delivery, better opportunity for cost control and savings โ youโre going to hear people talk about that all the time with alternative deliveries, such as design-build,โ said Jason. โWe want to deliver that for our clients no matter the method. But when the owner chooses design-build, we know the partnership is already defined as a collective effort. Our Oklahoma teams have years of experience and success leading these types of projects with our owner, design team, and trade partners.โ
