Innovative solutions in Dutch DBFMO Projects

Abstract

Integrated building contracts are assumed to result in lower costs, better performance and more innovative solutions as a result of a collaborative environment, output specifications and long-time commitment. Life cycle costs can be reduced when investment and exploitation costs are brought in line with one another. The Dutch government gave some years ago the green light for the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model to be applied in the construction and renovation of government real estate. This means that market parties can become involved in renovation and new-build projects, but also in maintenance, facility services, operation and financing. DBFMO (Design, Build, Finance, Maintain & Operate) is the core of public-private partnerships. The DBFMO model covers the entire process, from the production of a design to a fully operational building with all the associated services. A study was focused on finding empirical evidence for product innovations effecting maintenance costs and energy-use in DBFMO office projects compared to traditional delivered office projects. It is assumed that in DBFMO contracts innovations effecting maintenance and energy-use are of direct benefit for the contractor and thus the most easy to find. Two DBFMO office projects were compared with five traditionally delivered office projects. Applied research methods were explorative interviews with clients and contractors about DBFMO contracting, case-studies focusing on maintenance costs and energy-use calculations and expert interviews with contracting parties. Within the DBFMO projects four products and design choices can be considered to be innovations effecting maintenance costs and energy-use. Besides some incremental maintenance process innovations were found. The innovations found can be considered as the successful transfer of knowledge between consortium members that would have worked separately in case of a traditional build project.