With six buildings completed, the first construction phase of the large-scale project of PATRIZIA and KAURI CAB Development was finished on schedule in mid-July. A total of 234 rental apartments were completed in the first subproject. The particularity: this building phase is the first construction project in Germany to be successfully completed using the integrated project delivery (IPD) method. The innovative procedure focuses on cooperation between all project members in a spirit of partnership. By using a multi-party contract, it offers enormous advantages, especially for large-scale projects. Drees & Sommer SE, which specializes in construction and real estate consulting, supports the development of the new neighborhood with project steering, IPD management and other services.
19 buildings, 1,700 apartments and many project participants: the Havelufer quarter in Berlin’s Spandau district is one of the largest construction projects in Germany. Despite factors such as the scale of the project, the start of construction in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the supply bottlenecks, the topping-out ceremony was held in 2022 and the first construction phase has now been completed, on budget and on schedule. “Due to integrated project delivery, we were able to secure contracts, capacities and raw materials at an early stage and, above all, for the long term. This would not have been possible without a multi-party contract. We are therefore particularly pleased that our first construction phase can serve as a blueprint for further IPD projects in Germany,“ explains Luca Bauernfeind, Managing Partner at KAURI CAB Development Berlin GmbH.
Integrated Project Delivery Is Still Uncharted Territory for Many
“When managing construction projects, many owners in Germany still follow brick-by-brick logic. This often has severe economic consequences, especially in large-scale projects. Integrated project delivery is different: because of the multi-party contract, the realization partner is involved with its expertise at an early stage, and all contracting partners are committed to the success of the overall project. This ensures that everyone pulls together, collaborates more efficiently, and meets cost and deadline agreements more closely,“ explains Moritz Schöbel, who heads the Havelufer quarter project at Drees &°Sommer.
With its origins in the Anglo-American sphere, the integrated project delivery model is still not very widespread in Germany. Yet the trend is upwards. In addition to several construction and infrastructure projects that started as pilot projects, the first building phase of the Havelufer quarter is the first completed IPD construction project in Germany. For Jörn Köster, Drees & Sommer’s expert in alternative handling approaches, who has supported several clients and projects using the IPD procedure, the motivation is obvious: “Many see risk sharing as a warning signal and do not even bother with the benefits of the IPD model. The Havelufer quarter now provides the best proof that in times of increasing project complexity and growing challenges due to digitization, lack of raw materials, and climate targets, it can definitely be an advantage.“
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