Design-Build Delivers

Have thoughts? Text us! State legislative sessions are wrapping up across the country, and design-build continues to gain momentum. In this episode of Design-Build Delivers , DBIA’s Richard Thomas joins Erin Looney to break down the biggest state legislative developments affecting design-build, including expanded authority, progressive design-build activity, sunset extensions and removals and the...

Have thoughts? Text us! This Bonus Content Episode extends our conversation from “Beyond the Buzz: Implementing Progressive Design-Build in the Federal Market,” featuring David Triplett and Laura Stagner. In the full episode, we discussed what federal agencies should know before pursuing progressive design-build, including DBIA’s new Qualifications-Based Selection Deeper Dive for PDB and an accomp...

Have thoughts? Text us! In the latest episode of the Design-Build Delivers Podcast, host Erin Looney chats with David Triplett of the FBI and Laura Stagner of GSA to discuss what federal agencies should know before pursuing a progressive design-build project. The episode also highlights DBIA's new Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) Deeper Dive for progressive design-build and an accompanyin...

Have thoughts? Text us! April's Design-Build Delivers Podcast looked at the uncertainty and changes with DBE certification at the federal level. Guests Rachael Pease and Freddie Streeter return in this Bonus Content Episode to ground that discussion in some real-world stories. If you missed it, make sure to listen to the full episode companion to this brief chat for more. When the Rules Chang...

Have thoughts? Text us! Changes to the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program are already shaping how teams approach projects and raising questions about what comes next. In the latest episode of The Design-Build Delivers Podcast , brought to you by ARKANCE, an Autodesk Platinum Partner, host Erin Looney speaks with two industry professionals working through those changes in real time. Th...

Have thoughts? Text us! In this bonus episode of the Design-Build Delivers Podcast, Erin Looney highlights a key moment from the recent legislative update conversation to take a closer look at project labor agreements (PLAs) and why they remain one of the most complex and nuanced aspects of project delivery today. As design-build authority continues to expand across the country, teams are navigati...

Have thoughts? Text us! Every year, the DBIA Project/Team Awards recognize the teams that demonstrate Design-Build Done Right®, but how does the jury actually evaluate submissions? In this episode, your host Erin Looney chats with four members of the DBIA Awards jury to explain what they look for when reviewing projects and what makes a submission stand out. The discussion covers: How collaboratio...

Have thoughts? Text us! State legislatures across the country are in session, and like every year, the decisions made now could directly affect how projects are delivered for years to come. In the latest episode of Design-Build Delivers , we hung out with DBIA’s Director of State and Local Legislative Affairs, Richard Thomas, and Legislative Committee Chair Vince Campanella to unpack what’s happen...

Have thoughts? Text us! Each year, the Design-Build Delivers Podcast chats with ED/CEO Lisa Washington, CAE, and DBIA’s new National Board Chair about what’s ahead for the industry. In this episode, Washington and host Erin Looney are joined by 2026 National Board Chair Virginia McAllister for a forward-looking conversation on collaboration, risk and the priorities shaping design-build in the comi...

Have thoughts? Text us! In Part 2, we catch up with DBIA’s 2025 Distinguished Leadership Award recipients and the Brunelleschi Lifetime Achievement Award winner DBIA’s 2025 Design-Build Conference & Expo in Las Vegas celebrated more than award-winning projects and standout teams. It also recognized the leaders whose careers, influence and commitment continue to shape the design-build industry....

Have thoughts? Text us! We’re back from Las Vegas and reliving the 2025 Design-Build Conference & Expo in Part 1 of this two-part recap. This episode focuses on the teams that won big in Vegas: the Project of the Year, the Chair’s Award and the top three finishers in DBIA’s National Design-Build Student Competition. Host Erin Looney brings you conversations from the competition and the awards...

Have thoughts? Text us! Artificial intelligence is no longer an abstract idea for design-build teams. It’s already changing how projects are delivered, managed and maintained. In this episode of the Design-Build Delivers Podcast , DBIA’s Director of Virtual Design and Construction Brian Skripac is joined by three leaders from ARKANCE — Jason Kunkel , Senior Practice Manager ; Nick Miller, Director...

Have thoughts? Text us! This bonus segment from the  Design-Build Delivers Podcast , brought to you by ARKANCE , goes a little deeper into the human side of design. DBIA National Board Members Deb Sheehan of DPR Construction and Susan O’Connell of AC Martin explore design justice, community context and why “offensive” isn’t always straightforward. From satisfaction surveys to public art, they unpa...

Have thoughts? Text us! How do you bring empathy, listening and iteration into projects built for real people? In this episode of the Design-Build Delivers Podcast , Erin Looney talks with Deb Sheehan and Susan O’Connell about the realities, challenges, and opportunities of applying Human-Centered Design within design-build delivery. Expect stories from healthcare, higher ed, and civic projects wh...

Have thoughts? Text us! People usually fall into one of two camps on AI: it’s either the most exciting tool since BIM or it’s a technology to fear. In this episode of the  Design-Build Delivers Podcast , we look past the hype and into the jobsite, where AI agents are already reshaping how design-build teams work. Brought to you by ARKANCE ( Learn more at arkance.us/dbia ), this conversation featur...

Have thoughts? Text us! What does it take to deliver a mission-critical federal facility atop one of the most extreme environments in the U.S.? In this episode, we head to Colorado’s Pikes Peak to explore the award-winning High Altitude Research Lab, a 4,000-square-foot facility rebuilt under intense weather, logistical and design constraints. Joe Opyd shares how his team used design-build to meet...

Have thoughts? Text us! What do you get when you sit down with two DBIA Fellows who’ve seen it all and still want to make things better? A conversation that’s honest, insightful and just the right amount of blunt.  Join host Erin Looney as she chats with Darlene Septelka, FDBIA, and Bill Reifsteck, CRIS, FDBIA, about building strong teams, smarter projects and a more connected design-build future....

Have thoughts? Text us! There’s no official job description for a mentor and no script for how a single introduction can change a student’s life. But when Kent State senior Lola Preseren met DBIA Fellow and 2023 Brunelleschi Award winner Bill Hasbrook at a DBIA conference, everything changed. In this episode of the Design-Build Delivers Podcast, brought to you by U.S. CAD, An ARKANCE Company , we...

Have thoughts? Text us! In this bonus episode of Design-Build Delivers , we continue the conversation from April’s feature, Living Labs and Inclusive Housing: How Design-Build Serves Higher Education . Jason Dunster, Senior Integrated Design Director at McCarthy Building Companies, returns to share additional insights on what made UC Riverside’s North District Phase Two project a model for inclusi...

Have thoughts? Text us! In this episode of the Design-Build Delivers Podcast , we spotlight one of the fastest-growing sectors for design-build: higher education . From inclusive student housing to sustainable infrastructure, campuses across the country are embracing collaboration, speed and innovation. You’ll hear from two design-build pros—both named Jason—who bring award-winning expertise to th...

Have thoughts? Text us! In this bonus episode of Design-Build Delivers, we’re zooming out from state-level policy to explore the federal developments shaking up the AEC industry. From Project Labor Agreement (PLA) rulings to sweeping new tariffs and shifting immigration policies, recent federal activity is already influencing how projects are planned, priced and staffed. Back to help us break it a...

Have thoughts? Text us! Design-build is on the rise, but keeping up with legislative changes is no small task. In this episode, we explore the latest policy updates, new bills shaping the industry and the challenges design-build faces across the country. DBIA’s Director, State/Local Legislative Affairs Richard Thomas , our go-to state and local legislative expert, and Lydig Construction's Vic...

Have thoughts? Text us! In this episode of the Design-Build Delivers Podcast , we chat with Emily Beardall from FMI Corporation to explore what she and her team found in the 2024 Design-Build Utilization Study. The latest data highlights design-build’s continued momentum, with projected growth reaching $1.1 trillion in spending by 2028. Episode highlights include: The industries driving design-bui...

Have thoughts? Text us! Get excited for the 2025 DBIA Project/Team Awards by revisiting some of 2024’s biggest winners. In this Design-Build Delivers Podcast Bonus Content Episode, we shift the focus from process to the projects themselves — what makes them stand out, the unexpected challenges they overcame and the surprising ways they came together. From cutting-edge space research to building in...

Have thoughts? Text us! DBIA is keeping the conversation going with a Bonus Content Episode of the Design-Build Delivers Podcast, expanding on the insights shared in our January episode, "Looking Back, Building Forward: Kicking Off 2025 with Lisa Washington and Tom Foley." In this bonus content, DBIA Executive Director/CEO Lisa Washington and DBIA National Board Chair Tom Foley (Commissi...