Integrated Design Process

Integrated design is a collaborative method for designing buildings which emphasizes the development of a holistic design. No other process is as effective in creating high-performance buildings that are durable and eco-friendly.

Conventional building design usually involves a series of hand-offs from owner to architect to builder to occupant. This path does not invite all affected parties into the planning process, and therefore dose not take into account their needs, areas of expertise or insights. In some cases, using the conventional method, incompatible elements of the design are not discovered until late in the process when it is expensive to make changes.

In contrast, the integrated design process requires multidisciplinary collaboration, including key stakeholders and design professionals, from conception to completion. Decision-making protocols and complementary design principles must be established early in the process in order to satisfy the goals of multiple stakeholders while achieving the overall project objectives.

In addition to extensive collaboration, integrated design involves a "whole building design" approach. A building is viewed as an interdependent system, as opposed to an accumulation of its separate components (site, structure, systems and use). The goal of looking at all the systems together to is make sure they work in harmony rather than against each other.

Integrated design has evolved in conjunction with the rise of multidisciplinary design firms and sustainable design. It frequently begins with a charrette or eco-charrette, an intensive design workshop, in which many stakeholders gather to set goals and identify strategies for achieving the desired outcomes.