CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 The Practitioners’ Forum is your opportunity to engage directly with peers and DBIA leadership on issues critical to the continued success and evolution of design-build. This interactive session invites candid input from across the industry on challenges, opportunities, and strategies to strengthen design-build delivery. A key topic this year is the growing role of Owner Advisors. As more Owners embrace design-build—many for the first time— Owner Advisors well-versed in design-build best practices are helping bridge gaps in knowledge and capacity, guiding collaborative teams toward successful outcomes. With DBIA exploring a potential specialty credential for these professionals, your insights can help shape how we recognize and support Owner Advisors in driving Owners to embrace Design-Build Done Right®, while also driving whole-team success.

2025 Design-Build Conference & Expo

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 DBIA’s family of Design-Build Contract Documents, developed by a cross-section of experienced industry professionals representing the entire design-build team, including Owners, contractors, engineers, architects, and subcontractors, are fair and balanced tools to help assure successful design-build projects. However, the vast majority of contracts within today’s design-build industry are of the proprietary variety that utilize an Owner’s, Contractor’s, or Prime Designer’s in-house developed template. These templates can vary widely in language used to cover the numerous provisions important to the parties involved and may present administrative and/or risk sharing positions skewed in favor of the drafting party. This session’s panel will 1) acknowledge and discuss the effective use of both proprietary and industry form contracts from a variety of team member perspectives; 2) examine and compare a few specific examples of proprietary vs. industry form clauses; and 3) highlight how, even when not used as the base form of contract on a project, DBIA form contracts (and other industry forms such as AIA or ConsensusDocs) can still bring significant value when used as a negotiation aid, a work planning and pricing aid, and an overall “sanity check” against risk-allocation and content of proprietary contracts.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 Progressive Design Build and adherence to DBIA Best Practices are processes for delivering projects on time, under budget, and with all stakeholders satisfied: in other words, design-build done right. What can go wrong? Well, deviating from these Best Practices can lead to project failure and potentially costly litigation. One strategy used in Progressive Design-Build is the use of an "Off Ramp" to dissolve the team. These are some of the lessons learned in the real-life execution of projects that have exercised the "Off Ramp". We will explore some strategies that will assist owners and their advisors in crafting "Off Ramp" systems and plans that will either make the "Off Ramp" less likely to happen or less painful.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 This engaging and interactive panel brings together a multi-disciplined team—owners, architects, engineers, general contractors, and construction managers—to share real-life bloopers and blunders from their project experiences. With a focus on trust and vulnerability, panelists reflect on the lessons learned from their missteps and how those experiences have shaped them into better, more effective professionals. Attendees will gain valuable insight into the key attributes that influence the success or failure of the design process and design management. The discussion highlights proven strategies for fostering a collaborative Big Room environment, building trust, maintaining schedule reliability, and delivering quality through a Project First mindset. The panel also provides a deep dive into Design-Build pursuits from the owner’s perspective, including tips for successful proposal submissions, managing confidential meetings, and preparing for interviews. By applying DBIA Best Practices and Lean Construction Methods, the team shares how to achieve cost certainty, maintain alignment with the Target Value Cost Model, and manage the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) to support overall project budget goals. This session is designed to leave attendees with practical tools and firsthand insights to improve collaboration, strengthen team performance, and elevate project delivery outcomes.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and Ferrovial's I-85 and North Druid Hills Reconstruction Project in Atlanta is a prime example of efficient collaboration amidst political and stakeholder complexities. This ambitious project involves the removal and replacement of a 6-lane, 3-span structure within an accelerated timeline of 90 days, as well as the creation of a new hospital driveway to accommodate the key stakeholder, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's monumental $2 billion campus expansion. With the governor’s commitment to a new interstate interchange, this initiative is set to elevate access and connectivity for everyone. Despite facing utility conflicts and significant traffic congestion, the project team skillfully managed these challenges through meticulous coordination and the innovative use of digital integration. By focusing on stakeholder satisfaction and effective scope management, this project not only enhances Atlanta’s infrastructure but also sets a new benchmark for urban development. Attendees will gain valuable insights into successful stakeholder partnering, team coordination, digital integration, and communication strategies, illustrated through real-world case studies such as the Gravix wall system and temporary telecom utility management. Discover how GDOT and Ferrovial are transforming Atlanta's landscape and promoting engagement and opportunities for small businesses in design-build projects.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport is undergoing a $1.24 billion Design-Build project to design and build a reconfigured on-airport Central Terminal Area roadway network, a state-of-the-art 1,950 car Ground Transportation Center, and a 400-foot long iconic pedestrian bridge. Scheduled for completion in 2027, the project is currently in construction and on track for both Envision and Parksmart Certification. Eight Alternative Technical Concepts (ATCs) were approved for incorporation into the proposal and were ultimately key to the team’s success in providing a Best Value solution that embodied the Owner’s Vision. This panel discussion will explore the perspectives of the Design-Builder, Designer, and Owner on the ATC process from RFP through Design Approval, focusing on one major ATC that significantly reconfigured the criteria scheme. Panelists will discuss the in-market ATC approval process, proposal evaluation and award, post-award Design Review as it relates to the ATC, and currently ongoing Construction. Challenges and opportunities discussed will include aligning the ATC with the broader One JFK Vision Plan, coordinating with multiple concurrent and further along interfacing major contracts, and new opportunities for enhancing Customer Experience and Design Excellence created by the ATC.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 The Hollywood Burbank Airport was originally constructed in 1930 and has seen numerous expansions over the years as well as changes in aviation safety requirements. For decades, the airport operated with outdated facilities and was considered a safety issue due to the terminal’s location within the runway safety zone Through public vote, the airport authority was allowed to develop a new terminal campus, however the procurement was postponed due to the pandemic. Once restarted, the airport authority made the decision to accelerate the project with a commitment to Progressive Design-Build best practices, allowing completion of design and construction of the new campus in record time. Hear from the project team on how collaboration through co-location, project planning, consensus building, and trust allowed for timely decision making that will enable the Hollywood Burbank Replacement Passenger Terminal to be completed in record time and achieve design excellence.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 General Motors owns tens of millions of square feet of production space, requiring constant facility updates to support annual model changeovers and evolving manufacturing needs. Speed to market and cost control are critical, yet GM’s traditional Design-Bid-Build method was struggling to handle field clashes and process changes efficiently. In response, GM transitioned to Design-Build in the early 2000s, shifting coordination risk to the builder and adopting emerging 3D coordination technologies to reduce field issues. Architects and Engineers of Record (EoRs) began managing these models, improving visualization and clash detection even with early-stage BIM tools. Today, the evolution of BIM and integrated delivery has significantly enhanced collaboration and project outcomes, particularly on recent electric vehicle facility programs. This session will explore GM’s journey from traditional delivery to integrated, technology-driven solutions—highlighting how the early adoption of BIM and a Design-Build approach led to faster, more cost-effective project delivery. Attendees will gain insights into aligning delivery methods with owner goals, managing design risk, and leveraging digital coordination tools for complex industrial projects. This presentation is highly relevant to integrated delivery professionals seeking to understand how technology, collaboration, and alternative delivery methods can transform outcomes on large-scale, high-speed capital programs.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 How can two owners use the same delivery method so differently? This session explores how very different public owners – a state Department of Transportation and a single-focus public authority – have each deployed design-build to fit their respective circumstances. DOT, with deep internal resources and varied short- and long-term responsibilities, takes a hands-on approach and leans heavily on its professional engineering and other staff. The authority by contrast, operates leanly, leveraging outside consultants to manage massive infrastructure projects. Their contrasting strategies highlight key lessons in aligning delivery models with organizational capacity. Whether you're from a small owner with a single project or a large institution, this presentation will offer practical guidance for customizing your approach to design-build.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 Join us for an insightful session that will challenge the way you approach design-build projects. We’ll explore innovative strategies, real-world examples, and key questions to refine your own processes and procedures. The pandemic reshaped how we collaborate, and this session highlights how one team leveraged disruption as an opportunity to design an important asset for the community by involving the community. The Roosevelt High School project is a case study in adaptability and teamwork. Tasked with delivering a state-of-the-art school for a Colorado district amidst post-pandemic challenges, the design-build team navigated tight timelines, virtual collaboration, and evolving constraints. With design starting in January 2021 and groundbreaking in October of the same year, creative problem-solving was essential. Completed in July 2023, the project stands as a testament to the power of a well-executed design-build approach. It also highlights how School Board imperatives for Career and Technical Education became a reality. The final facility allows for the exploration of 14 separate pathways that further connect ongoing education and community connection. Whether you’re an owner, general contractor, architect, or trade partner, this session will leave you with fresh insights and practical takeaways to strengthen your next project.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 12,500 square feet, 3 permits, 2 phases, 1 year. In September 2023, the Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center Expansion team embarked on a high-stakes mission in service of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR): to design and construct four distinct program areas within an active healthcare facility in Pendleton, Oregon, all within a strict one-year timeline. In September 2024, the team achieved Temporary Certificate of Occupancy (TCO), successfully navigating the intense schedule by leveraging the core principals of Design-Build Done Right. This journey involved strategic team selection, ongoing user engagement, rigorous communication tools, strong owner decision-making, a strong target value design workflow, timely site investigations, and meticulous construction planning—though not without some hard-earned scars. Join Yellowhawk (owner), NBBJ (architect), BNBuilders (design-builder), and Akana (structural, landscape, civil) as they share their insights, tools, and lessons-learned for meeting the challenges and avoiding diminishing returns for fast-tracked design-build projects. The presentation will include tools and strategies for project teams facing challenging schedules, as well as an in-depth discussion of trade-offs and obstacles for owners considering design-build within strict schedule constraints.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 Design Build Done Right has become the vision and message of DBIA's best practices guideline and movement. The difficult reality is that successful delivery of a design build project requires careful planning and management by skilled and trained professionals to prevent disastrous project outcomes and erosion of the public trust. This presentation and discussion will examine several case study projects that failed to deliver design build excellence and will help practitioners to identify potential project problems early in order to prevent similar outcomes from occurring on future projects.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 Five years after launching its design-build program, New York City's Department of Design and Construction (DDC) and partners are leveraging collaboration and innovation to deliver extraordinary public design at every scale. Building on a 20-year legacy of design excellence at DDC, the program exemplifies many of DBIA’s Design Excellence Position Statement principles. This session will feature leaders from New York City government, program management, and design-build teams to demonstrate Design Excellence in action. Showcasing principles like a collaboration mindset, thoughtful responses to community, health and climate, and on-the-ground innovation and problem-solving, the panel will provide lessons learned and practical solutions drawn from DDC’s design-build portfolio. From the multibillion-dollar Borough-Based Jails program to a maintenance and operations facility for NYC Parks, these lessons span project scales and types. Learn how DDC and partners are collaborating through design-build to champion an unparalleled vision of excellence that is transforming the landscape of New York City.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 All projects, from small to mega, have unique challenges. Three of the most experienced progressive design-build contract attorneys in the country representing both owners and design-builders will discuss how to tailor the PDB contract to meet the needs of the project, from the smallest to mega projects in excess of a billion dollars. The topics will cover contract provisions essential to every PDB project, assessing and allocating owner and design-builder risk in PDB based on the size of the project as well as other risks, and how the collaborative process in PDB can result in a more efficient allocation of risk that is in all parties’ interests.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 Existing buildings represent an enormous resource, but all buildings require periodic renovations which, even in the best of circumstances, present significant challenges and risks. What happens when the project budget cannot support all renewal needs, or when the unexpected happens? Progressive Design-Build offers many advantages in these situations. Working collaboratively from the outset, a PDB team can better assess existing conditions and project risks by employing thorough and, when needed, destructive investigation. Armed with a better understanding of risk, the team can effectively balance the needs for infrastructure upgrades, program upgrades, and code required upgrades to develop a scope that aligns with the project budget. Even the best selective destructive investigation will not uncover every condition. Progressive Design-Build allows the team to effectively manage unforeseen conditions throughout construction by appropriately allocating and managing risk, and through the flexibility to pivot when needed. This session will show examples of multiple renovation projects and how they have navigated a variety of twists and turns using Progressive Design-Build tools and behaviors to achieve successful renovation outcomes and make the most of our existing building resources.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 What happens when you bring together a diverse team of healthcare experts, designers, engineers, and builders under a shared mission – and a truly integrated delivery model? In this session, we explore how the 63-20 Progressive Design-Build (PDB) model enabled a highly collaborative team to reimage a complex nursing facility tailored to both owner and end-user needs. With contributions from the comprehensive multi-disciplinary team of local and national firms, the project was shaped by extensive expertise and grounded in real-time input from the nursing and operations staff who would use the facility every day. The result: a tailored cost-effective solution that meets the needs of Washington State’s Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). The 63-20 PDB model achieved early cost certainty, schedule assurance, and real-time constructability for DSHS. The public-private structure also allowed the state to defer capital costs and finance the project over time through a lease-back agreement. This session will offer key insights into how integrated delivery and public-private innovation can unlock better outcomes—for both owners and the communities they serve.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 This session explores Effective Teaming, Collaboration, & Integration through the partnership between CSU Long Beach and the Collaborative Design-Build team of The Penta Building Group and Gensler for the renovation and expansion of the University Student Union (USU). Originally designed by Edward Killingsworth, the mid-century modern USU is a central hub for student life on a campus that serves over 41,000 students. At $319 million, this is the largest project in CSU history. It includes the renovation of 180,000 GSF of existing space and a 61,000 GSF addition featuring a 9-vendor food hall and new conference facilities. The project's success stems from strategic collaboration methods, including a focused 10-week validation phase that aligned all stakeholders on goals and expectations. A dedicated on-campus “big room” promoted real-time decision-making, open communication, and deep integration between all parties. Innovative tools such as virtual reality helped engage stakeholders and visualize design concepts, fostering buy-in across the board. The team also created phased design packages to navigate agency approvals efficiently and manage a complex cashflow scenario, ensuring financial sustainability. Together, these approaches showcase how thoughtful teaming can transform a historic campus landmark into a vibrant, future-ready student center.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 Progressive Design-Build is not a spectator sport. All owners must be prepared to do PDB prior to embarking on the delivery method. Institutional owners have unique issues and challenges that they face to transform their organization to be successful in their PDB projects. This presentation combines PDB implementation experts with leaders from two of the largest institutional owners in Washington State, King County and Sound Transit, to dive into how these owners are transforming their organizations and the industry. In addition, participants see the perspective from the other side of the transformation from the leader of one of the most successful implementations of PDB in the country, the transformation of San Francisco Airport from a traditional owner into a PDB powerhouse.

CONTENT EXPIRES: December 31, 2027 Most companies' approach leadership development with a "person-centric" mindset, identifying high-potential individuals and investing in their growth as future leaders. But what happens when organizations shift their focus to a "challenge-centric" model, developing leadership capabilities across teams to address real-world business challenges collectively? In this interactive session, a panel of industry leaders will discuss their journey in rethinking leadership development strategies. They'll explore the shift from individual-focused training to a collaborative, team-based approach designed to build shared leadership capacity and tackle the complex demands of today's projects.