The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) has updated its Design Excellence Position Statement to emphasize collaboration between design and construction professionals through all stages of the project delivery, from procurement and development through execution.
 
 Understanding the changing needs of the design community, the statement introduces five lenses to help provide a framework for evaluating design excellence and to acknowledge the diverse aspects crucial for successful design-build outcomes. These lenses include:

• Integration & Collaborative Process: Emphasizing collaboration and integration across project teams throughout the project lifecycle.
• Healthy Living: Prioritizing user experience by crafting spaces that promote well-being, health and safety.
• Community Impact & Delight: Recognizing a project's connection to and impact on the surrounding community.
• Sustainability & Resiliency: Addressing environmental impact and ensuring project adaptability to future changes.
• Responsibility of Design: Focusing on specific project components, material selection and design constructability.

DBIA emphasizes the synergy of these elements for true design excellence, and the statement is a practical guide that aids design-build teams in navigating the complexities of modern projects.
 
DBIA’s Design Excellence Subcommittee — composed of industry experts representing the perspectives of designers, contractors, architects and engineers — were responsible for drafting the new statement. “The new Design Excellence Position Statement opens the door for all design-build team members to see how they can contribute to design excellence,” said subcommittee member Susan O’Connell, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, DBIA. She added, “The update also gives concrete examples of the many ways team members’ experience and expertise helps to achieve Design Excellence that aligns with the Owner’s vision and goals on projects.”
 
 As design-build moves toward representing nearly one half of construction spending, aligning guiding principles with the industry’s current ethos is key. DBIA periodically evaluates and updates its position statements to reflect the growth and evolution of design-build. The Design Excellence Position Statement reinforces a culture built on collaboration, innovation and a relentless pursuit of excellence and is a strategic response to the dynamic expectations of Owners, architects, engineers and contractors.
 
The Design Excellence Position Statement is available to download for free in DBIA’s Bookstore.