Contractors Embrace New Roles

Faced with higher hurdles to build new projects, clients embrace design-build, IPD

Those who worked during the boom of the early 2000s remember when getting a project together was as simple as owners having the desire to expand.

"It's tougher to get projects up and running today," Wallis says.

Design-build projects have become more prevalent in an effort to limit the time and expense spent from project conception to completion.

"Health care, especially, has seen a shift to design-build or integrated project delivery. It really makes you able to shrink project schedules," says Lucas.

As a result, construction executives will need to continually develop both their technological aptitude and interpersonal skills, he says.

"The personnel needs to be both tech savvy and have the ability to communicate, because you are working hand-in-hand with your clients," Lucas adds.