Design-Build Continues to Gain Ground Across Industrial Landscape

Gray, a nationally recognized construction and design firm, has released a new whitepaper examining the growing adoption of design-build delivery and the factors driving its success across industrial projects.

The paper summarizes findings from leading industry, academic, and economic experts to evaluate how project delivery methods influence all aspects of a project, from cost and schedule to risk management and overall performance.

Drawing on studies from organizations like Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), Construction Industry Institute (CII), Associated General Contractors (AGC), and academic researchers, the paper highlights growing evidence showing that design-build delivery can improve critical phases of a project, beginning at the onset and lasting through project turnover.

The research demonstrates that design-build’s greatest advantage lies in its ability to align design, procurement, construction, and operations decisions earlier in the project lifecycle, when owners have the greatest opportunity to influence outcomes.

“Industrial projects today face a level of complexity that requires more than simply managing individual scopes of work,” says Stephen Gray, President & CEO of Gray, Inc. “Whatever challenges owners are navigating, success increasingly depends on how effectively teams can make informed decisions early. Integrated project delivery models are proving more than capable and why so many owners are turning to design-build as a strategic approach.”

The whitepaper also examines how design-build has evolved from an alternative project delivery method into a mainstream approach. According to recent industry forecasts, design-build is expected to account for nearly half of all construction spending in the next five years. The latest report cycles indicate that these forecasts are on target.

For industrial owners, the findings underscore the importance of choosing a delivery method that supports early alignment and increased collaboration across key scopes and project-critical tasks.

“One of the greatest advantages of design-build delivery is greater alignment,” says Rebekah Gray, President & CEO of Gray Construction. “The most successful projects bring together technical, operational, and construction perspectives early in the process to influence outcomes. Design-build creates a framework for that collaboration.”

“Design-build thrives when all teams across the project are working from the same set of goals from day one,” says Dowell Hoskins, CEO of Gray AES. “That integration is exactly what Gray brings to every project, and it’s why the model consistently delivers better outcomes for industrial owners.”

The paper also explores the role of design-build in addressing modern project challenges, including permitting complexity, long-lead procurement, workforce shortages, tariff uncertainty, and increasing demand for speed-to-market.

Amid a growing volume of evidence for design-build’s advantages, stakeholders across industry sectors are increasingly relying on its ability to deliver complex projects with greater team alignment, lower costs, and shorter schedules. With supporting tools and best-practice frameworks from leading industry associations, clear and compelling data from independent research, and a large body of work offering testament to its quality and longstanding success, the future of design-build is bright and built upon a strong foundation.

For more information and access to the full whitepaper, visit here.