SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--David Umstot, PE, has assumed the leadership of the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) Western Pacific Region as President in 2015 based on a vote by the membership. The DBIA is responsible for educating, advocating and fostering innovative use of design-build for project delivery. Its membership totals nearly 1000 individuals and firms in Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada. There are 8 chapters in the region including 5 in California.
Umstot will be working with each of the chapters to help focus energy and efforts to improve productivity, add value, shorten schedules and reduce costs. The United States construction industry is the only industry in the US to decrease in productivity since 1964 based on US Department of Commerce data. Design-build project delivery in concert with application of Lean enterprise principles borrowed from manufacturing has the potential to reverse this decades-long trend.
Design-Build is a method of project delivery in which one entity – the design-build team – works under a single contract with the project owner to provide design and construction services. One entity, one contract, one unified flow of work from initial concept through completion – thereby re-integrating the roles of designers, builders and specialty trade contractors. DBIA is focused on (1) advocacy of "design-build done right" across public and private market sectors; (2) advancing collaboration and integration of project teams; and (3) development and effective dissemination of design-build knowledge for all owners and practitioners.
Umstot has been a member of the Board since 2011 and has been recognized for his innovative practices in design-build project delivery by the DBIA with a national leadership award in 2012. He has been involved with design-build delivery of projects for more than 15 years. Umstot plans to foster greater collaboration with other professional organizations with an interest in design-build including the Lean Construction Institute with the aim of helping change the way capital projects are delivered to create more customer value through elimination of waste in the design and construction process. He is a recognized national expert in Lean project delivery and regularly conducts Target Value Design training for the Lean Construction Institute. In concert with Dan Fauchier of The ReAlignment Group, a leading expert on alternative project scheduling, he has introduced the Last Planner® System (www.leanconstruction.org) to more than 20 teams.
He will be delivering talks on “Lean Project Delivery through Design Build” to students and the AEC community at Arizona State in February, in Honolulu in April and in Los Angeles this summer. The framework of lean project delivery is particularly well-suited for design-build and Umstot a former Vice Chancellor with the San Diego Community College District shares how lean practices and design-build saved an average of $900,000 on each of 15 projects, improved scheduled performance and enhanced value generation with tax payer funds while he was there.
Under Umstot’s leadership, expect to see more collaboration with other professional societies in the region in 2015 and higher visibility at each of the university DBIA student chapters in the region including Arizona State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CSU Chico, CSU Sacramento, Fresno State, Long Beach State, and Stanford.
Umstot shares, “I am honored to be President of DBIA Western Pacific Region in 2015 and aim to continue regional growth of ‘design-build done right’ with the message that projects delivered with a Lean approach through design-build can lead to spectacular results.”
About Design Build Institute of America Western Pacific Region
The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) Western Pacific is a membership organization founded to advocate and advance single source project delivery within the design and construction community. The design-build method of project delivery embraces architecture, engineering and construction services under a single contract, thereby re-integrating the roles of designer and constructor. In addition to public- and private-sector project owners, DBIA members include practitioners from all project phases. Learn more at http://www.dbiawpr.org/.
DBIA’s Values
- Excellence in integrated design-build project delivery, producing high value outcomes.
- An environment of trust characterized by integrity and honest communication.
- Mutual respect for and appreciation of diverse perspectives and ideas.
- A commitment to innovation and creativity to drive quality, value and sustainability.
- Professionalism, fairness and the highest level of ethical behavior.
About Umstot Project and Facilities Solutions, LLC
Umstot Project and Facilities Solutions, LLC is based in La Mesa, California with its core business philosophy of "Helping Deliver Better Projects, Performance and Results". David Umstot, PE, is co-founder and President. He is also an associate faculty member in the San Diego State University JR Filanc Construction Engineering and Management graduate program. Learn more at www.umstotsolutions.com.
