Dave Peters' Influence on Design-Build Fundamentals

This article is part of our 75th anniversary celebration. Since our founding on June 17, 1949, we've helped change the landscape of our industry. From collaborating on flagship projects to serving clients in multiple markets, our people, culture, and expertise have been a driving force in creating better built environments where communities and businesses can thrive.   

What is design-build? 

Design-build is a project delivery method where a single contractor is responsible for both the design and construction phases of a project. This integrated approach maximizes value and cost-efficiency by reducing risk through single-source accountability, delivering projects more quickly, and enhancing overall project value. 

Implementing design-build delivery ensures practical benefits, such as early identification of cost changes, proactive challenge resolution, and effective collaboration with other trades — contributing to successful project outcomes.

Creating a design-build legacy 

Design-build has been integral to Southland's foundation and core offerings, with our engineers leading the way in its development. The late Dave Peters played a pivotal role in shaping both Southland's and the AEC industry's approach to design-build. 

During his tenure, Dave leveraged his experience to advance the business, capitalizing on the advantages of being a self-performing contractor. His design-build philosophy document — crafted from over 50 years in the HVAC industry — continues to resonate within Southland today, capturing his personal reflections and insights. 

Collaboration and innovation across business units 

Whether through a design-build approach or by leveraging diverse engineering backgrounds, each project can ignite a wave of innovation within the organization. 

An example of this collaboration occurs during the preconstruction phase, where estimating, engineering, and business development teams work closely to tailor MEP solutions that meet each client's unique needs. In this stage, a contractor with in-house engineering experts can gain a significant competitive advantage. 

"Having fundamental design knowledge and conceptual budgeting experience enables me to think outside the box. Once I understand what's important to the client (and their constraints), I can suggest different approaches to help move projects forward," Jake Popkin, Preconstruction Director, said.  

By collaborating with other teams, they can implement strategies like designing with fabrication in mind, harnessing lessons learned from across the country, and evaluating alternative system types and layouts to enhance design efficiency. This integrative approach not only streamlines processes, but also drives innovation that sets Southland apart in the industry. 

Engineering support within service and special projects 

According to Dave, engineering support and fundamentals can be incorporated across the project lifecycle, enhancing a company's reputation as a trusted contractor among trade partners and clients. Engineering plays a crucial role in our service teams, providing invaluable insights, especially on larger projects. This collaboration ensures we consistently deliver high-quality solutions, enhancing client experience and satisfaction. 

"Dave would often refer to engineering as our unfair advantage because it separated us from all of our competition," Ryan Nagle, Vice President of Service and Special Projects in Mid-Atlantic, said.  

For our service and special project teams, engineering gives us a competitive advantage over other contractors who might not have a full lifecycle solution under one roof. 

Trey Calvery, Service Director, expressed, "We often bring engineering on initial site walks and offer them opportunities to assess the site and ask the client questions. Rarely are any other MEP contractors doing the same — it sets us apart and establishes client confidence." 

Incorporating craft knowledge 

Dave Peters understood that trust is built on delivering commitments and demonstrating integrity. While establishing trust with customers is essential, fostering internal trust among team members is equally important. 

Skilled trade workers employ knowledge gained from years of experience on jobsites, which can be invaluable when it comes to design decisions. Their hands-on expertise often reveals practical solutions that theoretical knowledge alone cannot provide.  

"Dave's respect for the field perspective comes from decades of listening. He would speak about the natural and useful tension between the design and construction perspectives, and it is through this tension that innovation happens," Ryan said. 

The future of design-build engineering 

Dave Peters' design-build philosophy encompasses essential ideologies like integrity, respecting craft knowledge, ensuring accurate calculations, research, fostering effective communication with all trades, and prioritizing time and value alongside engineering quality. 

By drawing from the legacies of industry leaders like Dave, embracing an in-house design-build approach fosters ongoing collaboration and innovation within organizations. This empowers teams to tackle diverse, complex projects nationwide, enriching vertical market portfolios with various project types and scales.

Join us in celebrating Southland's 75th anniversary.