Collaborative Project Delivery Methods: New Models Aim to De-risk North America's Heavy Civil Infrastructure Markets

Summary

This practice note discusses the North American civil infrastructure market's shift to the design-build project delivery method in recent years after a series of high-profile problem projects. It explains the potential downsides and risks to project teams (i.e., owners, contractors, and designers) of using a standard design-build model for many heavy infrastructure projects. The practice note then proposes several possible ways to mitigate these risks, with a focus on the market's recent shift to more collaborative project delivery methods.