Integrated Project Delivery approach shaves months off Sutter Castro Valley Medical Office Building project

In an industry facing as much cost pressure as healthcare, efficiency isn’t just important. It’s paramount.

So when DPR Construction started work on the new Sutter Castro Valley Medical Office Building in Castro Valley, Calif., there was a pressing need not only to create an energy-efficient facility that would save millions of dollars over the following decades, but to build it in the least expensive way possible while still meeting rigorous quality standards.

DPR hired American Direct as the openings provider on the project, and quickly involved them in the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) project management method they were employing. Through IPD, the contractor provides suppliers with a budget and a list of specifications that must be met, and gives them the leeway to find the best products and solutions for the project.

“Traditionally the owner bids out the job to contractors and architects and costs come back that are over budget,” said Josh Bronitsky, the DPR project manager. “Now, with IPD, an owner gives you the budget up-front with a list of design criteria that must be met. It is then the team’s responsibility to find out how they can build what the owner wants and what the trade-offs might be.”

American Direct worked within this leading-edge project management scheme to supply products that helped DPR save energy. They also incorporated recyclable materials that can be maintained with minimal environmental damage moving forward, a crucial component in obtaining Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

“American Direct helped come up with a hardware package that provided the owner the functionality, the look, and the value they wanted,” Bronitsky said.

American Direct President Byron Whetstone pointed to the project as another example of the company’s work to stay ahead of the curve.

“IPD may be a relatively new concept in the construction industry, but there is no doubt with successful projects like this and the core team that made it happen, IPD will be a familiar player in many construction jobs to come,” Whetstone said. “We are always looking to employ the most modern, cost-effective project management techniques available.”