Design-build (DB) is a project delivery method in which the owner holds a single contract with one entity, the design-builder, which is responsible for both designing and constructing the project.
Because one team owns design and construction, the owner has a single point of responsibility and the phases can overlap: site work can start while upper floors are still being designed. The owner usually defines the program and performance requirements, sometimes with bridging documents prepared by its own consultant, and the design-builder carries the design forward. The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) is the main U.S. industry body for the method.
How it works
- Owner requirements. The owner sets the program, budget, schedule and performance criteria.
- Selection. Teams are chosen on qualifications, price or a best value combination of both.
- Design and build. The design-builder develops the design, prices it and builds it under one contract, with design and construction overlapping.
Variants
- Lump-sum or best value design-build. Teams compete on a concept and a price; the price is fixed at award.
- Progressive design-build. The team is chosen mainly on qualifications, and the price is developed with the owner and committed later, often as a GMP.
- Bridging. The owner’s consultant takes the design part way, then design-builders complete and build it.
What to watch
- Less direct design control. The owner shapes outcomes through requirements and reviews rather than drawing every detail.
- Clear criteria matter. Vague performance requirements produce designs that meet the letter and miss the intent.
- Legal authority. Public owners need statutory authority to use design-build in some jurisdictions.
The Parkonomics view
Design-build fits parking well because a garage is a system, not just a structure: slabs, lighting, ventilation, PARCS, guidance and charging all have to work together. One team that owns the whole result has every reason to coordinate them. The owner’s job shifts from drawing the garage to defining what it must do, and that definition should include how the technology will be upgraded over the building’s life.
Related terms: Progressive Design-Build (PDB), Design-Bid-Build, Construction Manager at Risk, Guaranteed Maximum Price, Integrated Project Delivery
Further reading: Procurement Is Still Buying the Past While Parking Has Moved On; Rethinking Future Proofing, Part 3: Construction and Commissioning