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We’re looking for a LEED Silver project designed and built using BIM. CDs come out 1/9 for a GMP bid due 1/30.

If you’re not familiar with construction jargon, this sentence might leave you scratching your head. We use a lot of acronyms in the Construction industry. Here are 14 every owner should know.

1. IPD (Integrated Project Delivery)

IPD is a delivery method that fully integrates project teams in order to take advantage of the knowledge of all team members to maximize the project outcome. Integrated Project Delivery is the highest form of collaboration because all three parties (Owner, Architect, Constructor) are aligned by a single contract.

IPD also occurs when integrated practices or philosophies are applied to more traditional delivery approaches such as CM at-Risk, Design-Build or Design-Bid-Build.

http://www.agc.org/cs/industry_topics/project_delivery/integrated_project_delivery

2. D-B (Design-Build)

Design-Build is a project delivery method in which the design and construction services are contracted by a single entity known as the Design-Builder (in most cases a Contractor). http://www.dbia.org/about/Pages/What-is-Design-Build.aspx

3. PSCM (Preconstruction services and construction management)

PSCM is when a contractor delivers both preconstruction and construction services. Preconstruction services are used in planning a construction project before the actual construction begins. The contractor works with the project’s owner to help deliver a satisfactory project that meets the owner’s objectives. In addition to estimating, the preconstruction team participates in design decisions, evaluations, studies, value engineering, value analysis, scheduling, constructability reviews, and more. After preconstruction, the contractor remains on the team to build the project.

4. CDs (Construction Documents)

A term used to represent all final drawings, specifications, addenda and other relevant construction information associated with the construction of a specific project. The CDs are typically used as the basis for the construction contract.

5. GMP (Guaranteed Maximum Price)

A GMP contract is where the contractor is compensated for the actual costs incurred plus a fee subject to a maximum price. The contractor is responsible for cost overruns, unless the GMP has been increased via a formal change order for additional scope added by the client. Savings at the end of the project are fully returned to the owner or shared between the owner and the contractor as agreed to in the contract.

6. RFI (Request for information)

An RFI is a written request from a contractor to the owner or architect for clarification or information about the contract documents during the bidding/estimating phase or following contract award.

7. VE (Value engineering)

VE is an evaluation of a building and its systems and components relative to cost. True value engineering does not necessarily decrease costs; rather it finds the best product or process for the cost. This term is often mis-used to describe cutting scope to lower cost. Read our recent blog post: Value Engineering: A Process that Benefits Your Construction Project

8. BIM (Building Information Modeling)

BIM is a collaborative process by which a structure is designed and coordinated. The digital model allows for estimation, scheduling and energy simulations. Benefits to using BIM include lowering the cost of construction by creating an environment where more work can be prefabricated and substantially reducing the number of RFIs. BIM creates a collaborative environment where all contractors and designers are working together before construction begins to make sure the structure is as quick, inexpensive and easy to build as possible. Some people may refer to this as VDC (Virtual Design and Construction).

9. VDC (Virtual Design and Construction)

See #8 BIM.

10. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)

LEED is a green building certification program. To receive LEED Certification, building projects satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of certification such as silver, gold or platinum. http://www.usgbc.org/leed

11. IAQ (Indoor air quality)

The quality of indoor air inside buildings is important not only for occupants’ comfort but also for their health. Poor IAQ has been tied to symptoms like headaches, fatigue, trouble concentrating, and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs. Some more serious illnesses and cancers have been linked to poor IAQ as well. Some factors that affect IAQ are poor ventilation, temperature control problems, high or low humidity and recent remodeling. Read more about IAQ on OSHA’s website. https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/indoorairquality/

12. VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)

VOCs are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors than outdoors. VOCs are emitted by thousands of products including paints and lacquers, paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, office equipment such as copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, graphics and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and photographic solutions. Read more about VOCs on the US EPA website.http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html

13. FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)

The FSC is dedicated to the practice of sustainable forestry worldwide. The Forest Stewardship Council’s vision is that we can meet our current needs for forest products without compromising the health of the world’s forests for future generations. https://us.fsc.org

14. EMR (Experience Modification Rate)

EMR is used to measure a company’s safety performance. It compares a company's annual losses in workers compensation insurance claims against its policy premiums over a three-year period, excluding the most current year. The lower the EMR, the lower the worker compensation insurance premiums. An EMR of 1.0 is considered the industry average. 

At C.E. Floyd Company, we know project owners need a construction manager who will help them navigate the complexities of delivering a construction project. Contact us to discuss the best way to see your project through to construction.