Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is a collaborative project delivery approach designed to align the interests of owners, designers, and constructors.
According to the American Institute of Architects (AIA), IPD integrates people, systems, business structures, and practices into a process that collaboratively harnesses the talents and insights of all participants to optimize project results and increase value to the owner.
Core elements typically include:
Modern IPD practices gained prominence in 2005 when Sutter Health, a healthcare provider in California, began implementing integrated project delivery on hospital construction projects valued at approximately $1.2 billion.
The organization sought improved cost certainty, schedule reliability, and better overall project outcomes compared to traditional delivery methods.
Integrated Project Delivery continues to gain traction across Canada.
A 2022 University of British Columbia research study titled Investigating Factors Leading to IPD Project Success in Canada identified more than 60 completed IPD projects nationwide.
Notable projects include the $500‑million Canadian Nuclear Laboratories modernization project and the $180‑million Waaban Crossing bridge in Kingston, Ontario, completed six months ahead of schedule and under budget.
Traditional delivery systems such as Design-Bid-Build, Construction Management, Construction Management at Risk, Design-Build, and Progressive Design-Build are typically structured around two-party
agreements.
IPD places the owner at the center of the delivery system and aligns incentives across the project team.
This alignment encourages collaboration, accountability, and reduced waste, often resulting in improved cost certainty, accelerated schedules, and higher quality outcomes.
URLean believes the future of capital project delivery lies in collaboration, transparency, and performance-driven project governance.
By combining lean production management, advanced procurement strategies, and integrated team structures, URLean helps owners deliver projects with greater certainty, efficiency, and value.
We begin with a 30-minute project diagnostic to understand: