Chapter 4: Iterative and Integrated Design and Delivery Process

This chapter places emphasis on the crucial need of close collaboration among different actors along the built environment value chain, in order to close performance and quality gaps throughout a project's evolution. It also highlights the critical role continuous evaluation (i.e. iterative assessments) plays in consistently and frequently measuring a project's performance outcomes at every key, major decision milestone (which can be several within the same project phase), and against a multitude of criteria. This chapter starts by setting the context of the industry's current, ‘linear operation’ and often siloed approach which collectively promote a lack of effective engagement and collaboration, especially with actors outside of the typical design-stage scope, such as the manufacturers, the contractors and/or the end users. Building on this context, it discusses the need of a new industry model to promote and encourage an iterative and integrated design process where a building's performance can be consciously improved, and decisions are made in an informed manner throughout the life of the project. This chapter concludes by providing an overview of how the iterative and integrated design and delivery approach would define a new form of intelligence for the built environment.