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One of our favorite aspects about being a key player in the AC space is getting to stay on top of the new trends in civil engineering construction. Builders and designers are constantly coming up with new, innovative ways to best support the infrastructure and energy use in home and commercial establishments. Trends in the construction industry continue to shape the way that projects come together and the way that key players interact to collaborate and accomplish projects. Let’s take a look at what is going on today and which trends are best for which owners.

Right now, one of the biggest fads evolving is using design-assist model. Design-assist molds with the design-build process, which brings the contractor into quarterback a project. In the design-build process, the contractor is at the helm for all decision-making elements and personnel. Contractors get to select which firms will handle building, design and engineering affairs, regardless of client preference. In design-assist, the client remains in control of determining which professionals are on-boarded to carry out the tasks.

A number of reasons precede the logic for a client’s preference to choose their own team. They’ve worked together before; they have a pre-existing agreement; the corporate company at the head of the table has an architect or engineer on-hand; commercial expansion needs to remain on brand. Whatever the reason, the design-assist model affords the client the opportunity to maintain their relationships and bring the best players to the table in order to see their visualization into reality.

In many cases, clients bring general contractors onto the project before the rest of the team is assembled. This allows the contractor to offer an opinion on the scope of work and shed insight onto timelines and theoretical hiring to save the client hassle and money later on. A contractor is especially useful in an initial walk-through. An early evaluation sets the direction for the client and aids in the team assembly process.

Design-assist promotes fewer surprises on costs. A contractor works with the chosen architect, for example, in the conceptual budget construction, so prices are accurate to what the architect charges; not guestimates. Surprise costs are one of the biggest upsets in commercial construction, so eliminating this concern is a huge win for clients.

Instead of bidding for a client’s project and running into budget constraints, design-assist encourages clients to work with contractors from the get-go, making sure that every wish on the to-build list is possible.

Finally, design-assist is overall a more collaborative experience. Everybody at the table was invited and is in the loop. With every head contributing, the process becomes enjoyable, imaginative and likely to spur new relationships amongst the group that will go on to create more new, innovative designs together. A win for all!

If you are gathering your team for a new commercial project, Chills Air Conditioning is qualified to help make early assessments and would love to be at your side from the get-go. And if following construction trends interests you, we invite you to stay connected with our team through our blog and by communicating with our employees whenever they are sent out for projects at your site. You will be surprised at the wealth of knowledge you can gain through just one conversation with a Chills professional!