Doha: The Lean Construction Institute Qatar (LCI Qatar), in strategic partnership with the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) will hold the first virtual international conference on introducing Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) in the Middle East tomorow. Titled “Opportunity Calls: IPD in Qatar”, the virtual event is open to the public and will feature IPD principles and case studies from North America and Europe.
Factors hindering successful delivery of construction projects are many. One of the worst mysteries are the disconnect between design and construction, the gaps between design and operations, and the lack of coordination between planning and execution. Construction services are often tagged with inefficiency, poor productivity, and terrible safety records. Project participants and stakeholders are often challenged with conflicting interests. Risk allocation in traditional contracts rigidly result in consequences of failure and does not bring the value owners deserve to receive. Not surprisingly, traditional delivery methods and procurement strategies often end with suboptimal results.
Owners across the world are exploring ways of delivering projects that are different than traditional design, bid, and build system. Current processes do not deliver timely, affordable, and quality projects most of the time.
The reasons behind this are many, but are largely connected to erroneous understanding of design and construction as transforming binary bits of materials into buildings. Research over the last 30 years has made it clear that the “transformation model” does not leverage the production qualities of other “manufacturing” industries because it disregards how work flows across projects. It focuses on trades and not elements, it designs projects without regard to how they will be constructed and it does not provide for value recognition by the owners. Bent Flyvberg calls this the project delivery imperative: “Over time, over budget, under valued time and time again.”
IPD models are one of the alternatives owners are considering. IPD Contracts clear the way for a Lean operating system in design and construction but the contract itself is not an operating system.
LCI-Qatar has been working with the world’s top scholars to introduce IPD concepts to professionals in Qatar. During the event, participants will learn ‘why current practice does not deliver value’; ‘what the integrated project delivery model looks like’; ‘what IPD is designed to do’; and the ‘steps to bringing the IPD contracts and philosophy to Qatar’ among others. Participants can register for free at https://www.eventbrite.com.
