Softening Private Sector Pushes Design-Build to Public Work
After years of spectacular gains, design-build revenue flattened out in 2001 for the ENR Top 100 Design-Build Firms. Part of the reason for this lack of growth has been a softening in the manufacturing, petroleum and industrial process markets, along with a fall-off in the commercial building markets in many areas around the country. But now, design-build is taking aim at new markets.
The Design-Build Institute of America is attempting to open up new markets for design-build around the country. "We are going for targeted outreach for specific markets around the country," says Jeffrey Beard, CEO of DBIA. "We started three years ago, targeting transportation, and have made real progress on that front," he says. The next target will be educational facilities. "We will be having a conference in San Diego this December to try to reach out to local school districts to show how design-build can work for them," Beard says.