Lisa Washington, CAE  |  January 3, 2016

Sometimes it’s hard in the hustle-and-bustle of the holidays to take time to look back at the year; however, here at DBIA we have so much to celebrate I just couldn’t let 2016 end without taking a moment to reflect with you, our members.

I know that design-build plays an important role in your professional life and you have a vested interest in ensuring its continued growth and success. The good news is 2016 was a banner year for our industry.  Even better news is that 2017 has the potential for even greater things.

Did You Know?

22 states passed design-build legislation this year. In fact, with 124 bills introduced and 60% successfully resolved, 2016 marks the highest legislative success rate for design-build since 2009.  Half of the nation now has full design-build authorization, with a continually shrinking number of states with limitations. At the same time, Americans from coast to coast are making infrastructure investment a top priority. This fall, voters in nearly half the states approved 55 different ballot measures in the transportation sector alone.  Even on Capitol Hill, talk of infrastructure investment can be heard on both sides of the political aisle.

It’s no wonder DBIA has trained so many professionals, including owners, this year while also issuing a record number of DBIA™ and Assoc. DBIA™ certifications.  You can see why I say 2017 could be a break-out year for design-builders and why, we here at DBIA, are committed to be your partner as your go-to source for education, information, training, networking and advocacy in the coming year.

But Numbers Don’t Tell the Whole Story

While I like number-crunching as much as anyone, the truth is, the role design-build will play in our nation next year and beyond is much larger than that.  Our communities are desperate for improvements in our traditional and social infrastructure.  At the same time, funding is still tight.  Owners, design-builders and taxpayers alike are looking for innovative ways to deliver projects on-time, on-budget and of the highest value.  Over the years design-build has answered that call time and time again. Let’s never forget that after the 9-11 attacks the Pentagon’s program manager promised this symbol of American strength could be rebuilt in a year. And it was – thanks to design-build. After the tragic collapse of the I-35 Bridge in Minneapolis, design-build delivered a new bridge 3 months ahead of an already accelerated schedule.  These are two of the most high-profile examples of the countless design-build successes happening each and every day.  Design-build not only saves time and money, it has rebuilt our nation physically, emotionally and symbolically and will continue to do so in 2017, with your help.

As we enter a potentially new era of infrastructure investment, design-build is poised to answer the call to collaborate, innovate and rebuild our communities, once again.  From conferences and seminars to education and certification, we look forward to providing owners and design-build pros the tools you’ll need on this journey.

Happy Holidays and Welcome to 2017!