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Working to improve public health and safety throughout Vermont —

An ICC Professional Chapter since March 2009

ICC Building Safety Association of Vermont

BSA-IPD Program

INTEGRATED PROJECT DELIVERY (IPD) WORKSHOPS

BSA-VT hopes to continue this unique opportunity for code officials, design professionals, and builders/subcontractors of all trades to explore IPD and see how collaboration works.  We have reached a point in society where design and regulation need to focus on teamwork.  By gathering professionals, officials and students we hope to bring all interests and energy into the process--a truly educational (and fun) experience!

With an annual plan in mind, the program uses upper-class student projects to charrette in teams to look at all the issues facing a project (structure, life safety, accessibility, energy/ecology, cost).  Teams will be composed from as broad a representation of backgrounds as possible. We will be searching for ways to maximize benefits by working together early in the design process.  IPD is a powerful tool to increase efficiency (cutting costs and time/delivery) and to find innovative solutions.

We are looking for professionals to make diverse teams:

►architects        ►builders   ►engineers

►code officials   ►energy consultants   

►landscape designers    ►lighting designers

►subcontractors   ►spec writers

►planning/zoning officials         

SO, JUST WHAT IS IPD?

IPD stands for “Integrated Project Delivery”.  At its root, it is basically an expression of teamwork.

Recently, BSA-VT teamed together with one of our own member architects, Sandra Vitzthum, to assist in gathering together professionals with students in architecture at Norwich University, to put IPD into action.

The students were already well advanced with their projects, having been developing their ideas for some time. The basic focus was split into two working groups, one for each project.

The residential group was developing a working plan for an affordable, highly efficient (both in use of material and overall energy usage), single-family dwelling unit that could be built in one location, in a controlled environment, then delivered for final setting on a site. The idea appeared to be a creative evolution that in essence combined the best processes of both manufactured and modular dwelling approaches currently utilized extensively in the construction industry.

The commercial group had been tasked with creating the physical plant to allow construction of the single-family units. The students were receptive to input regarding their design as they looked ahead to the challenges of bringing such a facility into reality. Their goals seemed to focus on efficiency in construction as well as reducing its energy needs.

The day was spent in charrettes, with engaged discussion and focused questions looking at site, structure, life safety, plumbing, accessibility, day lighting, emergency access, site and site development.

In addition to satisfying those minimum applicable codes, additional challenges needed to be met in developing a workable design that satisfied Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) requirements. The LEED program is a recognized system to verify, by a third party process, that a structure was designed and built in such a way that its improvements can be measured and verified in a variety of aspects, such as energy, indoor air quality, use of resources and efficiency.

The workshop was, at times, intense, with much excitement, input, and many questions

from all participants. At the end of the day, one of the key questions was, with the knowledge and input brought forth by the various construction professionals, what, if any, impact would there be to the original designs? To answer that question, BSA-VT is looking forward to a return to Norwich in 2011!

Sandy Vitzthum, architect, provides the introduction to the days event.

The commercial group focuses on site development questions.

Students discuss the implication of code requirements to the design.

The residential group listens to the presentation on the house design goals. Note the design model on the table.