This paper presents a first conceptualization for decentralized project delivery through the combination of blockchain technology and common pool resource governance theory, also known as the ”crypto commons”. While previous literature on project delivery models identifies the use of decentralized governance, there is not yet a holistic conceptualization nor a specific overview of governance applications that can be applied. To develop the concept, we use a literature review to synthesize fourteen blockchain governance mechanisms useful for managing the crypto-commons. Subsequently, we use systematic combining to identify twenty-two specific applications for decentralized project delivery in the construction industry, one of the largest project-based industries. Each application is briefly reviewed, and examples of their relevance to realize decentralized project delivery models are provided. We discuss the potential for novel forms of project delivery, but also the need for future research on the applications, as well as on the system level implications, the system design challenges, and the implementation barriers in the specific context of the construction industry. Overall, the concepts and mechanisms presented provide a theoretical foundation upon which future researchers can use to design novel decentralized project delivery models.

There are differences in implementing a design-build approach across the building construction, highway, and industrial sectors. These differences affect many aspects of a project, including the role of the design-integration manager. A design-integration manager is an employee of the designer-builder who serves as a bridge between design lead and construction manager. The role of a design-integration manager was explored through virtual research charrettes, surveys, and one-on-one interviews. Participants in these activities included academics and subject matter experts (SMEs) from industry with sector-specific knowledge on design-build. From the qualitative data collected, unique characteristics of the industrial and highway sectors were identified that differentiate their projects from projects in the building construction sector. The results show that the complexity of highway and industrial projects differs from building construction due to different factors such as project scope and size, construction phasing, and public involvement for highway projects. For industrial projects, facility design is dependent on process design, uncertainty in design persists longer, and time to market is extremely important. The results of this study show how the practice of design management in design-build will need to change to accommodate the differences between market sectors.

Digital Fabrication is an emerging systemic innovation in the architecture, engineering and construction sector. However, the design process for digital fabrication lacks an integrated management process or digital collaboration platform. One reason may be a lack of industry stakeholder needs for such processes and platforms. To explore and facilitate such solution in the current practice, more information about the socio-technical industry requirements on such solution and its implementation to support and manage the BIM-based design process of digital fabrication is needed. To fill this gap, this work conducts an industry-needs analysis through content analysis and an online survey of 144 project stakeholders. Based on the results, this work identifies the most needed fabrication-related information, tools and roles at different design stages and the requirements of platform-based management, which include a common virtual environment for collaboration and a common data environment for data management. Moreover, this work shows that fabrication-related information and new roles are required by project stakeholders since the early design stage. The paper concludes by proposing a conceptual management framework for BIM-platform-based integration for design for digital fabrication in construction projects and identifying potential future research directions on the topic.