New Energy Works

Bryan Bleier

Building Systems Integrator

From Sequential Delivery to Integrated Design

For decades, the AEC industry has relied on a sequential project delivery model in which design, fabrication and construction occur as largely independent elements. While this process has become the standard, this approach also creates inefficiencies, from redesigns and scheduling conflicts to material waste and increased costs. As projects become more complex, many firms are rethinking how buildings are designed and delivered.

By combining traditional craftsmanship with digital design, engineering and advanced manufacturing, a new approach called Integrated Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (IDfMA), coordinates disciplines from project inception through fabrication and installation and is a foundational reason why the AEC industry needs to move from sequential delivery to integrated delivery.

Traditionally, construction follows an on-site workflow in which each trade depends on the completion of the previous one. IDfMA is a different approach that brings all project principals together early, allowing decisions to be made collaboratively before construction begins.

New Energy Works Building Systems Specialist Steve Hessler explains, “IDfMA integrates the best practices of classic craftsmanship with forward-thinking technological advances. I think there's a lot of magic between them. If you're searching for old-school craftsmanship while constantly finding new processes and cutting-edge tools to support it, that's the space to live in."

The crux of IDfMA philosophy is DfMA (Design for Manufacture and Assembly), an engineering methodology that combines Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA). Through this foundation and standardized, repeatable processes, IDfMA optimizes construction by considering how building components will be manufactured, transported and assembled as a complete system rather than as independent parts.

Coordinating Every Element before Construction

As opposed to treating architecture, engineering, fabrication and construction as isolated disciplines, IDfMA aligns every aspect of a project into one cohesive workflow. The result is buildings that perform better, are delivered more efficiently, and cost less to own over their entire lifecycle. Designers, engineers, fabricators and builders collaborate simultaneously, ensuring that structural systems, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, enclosure performance, energy efficiency, constructability and environmental impacts are all considered together from the earliest stages of design.

“see tremendous opportunity at the intersection of high-performance building and off-site manufacturing, and we’re excited to be part of that ongoing conversation.”

One of the most important components of this process is off-site manufacturing. This is when building components are fabricated as precision-engineered kits of parts in a controlled environment, allowing them to be manufactured more efficiently, transported more quickly and assembled on-site with greater speed and accuracy. By designing components specifically for fabrication and assembly, projects benefit from reduced waste, site disturbances, improved quality control, and shorter construction schedules.

Enclosure Systems director Bryan Bleier says, “Through the IDfMA process, we’re able to fully think through the building and the assembly process before we ever make any sawdust. By coordinating all the details, interfaces, and sequencing in the digital environment and then bringing that thinking into a controlled manufacturing environment, we can improve both the performance of the building and the consistency of how it gets built. We see tremendous opportunity at the intersection of high-performance building and off-site manufacturing, and we’re excited to be part of that ongoing conversation.”

Bringing Digital Innovation Back to DfMA

Supporting this workflow is an ongoing investment in digital and technological innovation.

The evolution of IDfMA is about restoring the original intent behind DfMA rather than reinventing it. Hessler says "When DfMA reached the architecture, engineering, and construction industry, it became pretty siloed, just like a lot of things do in our industry. It was incredibly effective in the aerospace and automotive industries because it brought together multiple perspectives, disciplines, companies, and regions into one integrated model that ultimately produced a better product.”

While the AEC industry continues to change, cohesive delivery methods like IDfMA represent the future of highperformance building. By combining workflows, advanced digital technologies, off-site manufacturing, and time-tested craftsmanship, IDfMA is helping to redefine how buildings are conceived and constructed.

It’s a better way to build because it aligns design, engineering, fabrication, and construction into a seamless process. From designers and tradespeople to building owners and occupants, every step of the collaborative IDfMA process works toward a common goal: creating high-performance buildings that reduce waste, lower costs, improve efficiency, and deliver resilient, sustainable structures built to perform for people and the planet.