Program

With nearly $5 trillion in data center projects anticipated by 2035, the pressure to deliver faster has never been greater. As demand accelerates, the industry is rapidly shifting from the traditional Design-Bid-Build model to Design-Build and other collaborative delivery approaches. This panel explores how speed-to-build requirements are reshaping project roles, workflows, and partnerships.

Experts will discuss:

· The growing influence of installers through design assist

· The trend of general contractors hiring architects directly

· The resulting implications for traditional design practices

· The discussion will also consider how sustainability goals, evolving codes, and economic pressures are shaping current decisions and future directions in data center construction.

The Federal Way Link Extension (FWLE) is a complex, multi- jurisdictional light rail project delivered using Design Build (DB). This session shares practical, transferable lessons learned from Sound Transit's FWLE team on how procurement, early collaboration, workforce development, and disciplined risk management helped navigate evolving scope, stakeholder coordination, and site uncertainty.

Rather than focusing on project outcomes alone, this presentation walks attendees through the “how” of design build decision making. We will reinforce the Design Build Done Right framework and highlight the practices the project team found most effective, including early integration of the owner, designer, contractor, and trade partners, and establishing a collaborative environment that supports transparency and informed cost and schedule decisions. The session highlights challenges encountered on FWLE including managing risk during early design and construction, balancing innovation with cost confidence, and maintaining alignment across a large public owner organization.

Attendees will leave with clear, actionable strategies they can apply to future infrastructure projects, particularly large public transit programs considering or implementing Design Build.

How do I accelerate my career?
How do I lead regardless of my title?
How do I prepare for an industry that's changing faster than ever?
How can the industry better prepare and support the next generation of leaders?
How do I help initiate and facilitate innovation and change in the industry?

If you've asked yourself any of these questions, you're not alone. As collaborative delivery continues to reshape the AEC industry, the expectations placed on emerging professionals are evolving just as quickly. Technical expertise alone is no longer enough. Tomorrow's leaders will need to think strategically, build strong relationships, embrace new technologies and lead across disciplines in an increasingly collaborative environment.

This interactive forum brings together NextGen professionals to explore what career success looks like today, and what it will require tomorrow. Through facilitated discussions and collaborative exercises, participants will identify the skills, experiences, opportunities, and support systems that will help the next generation thrive while generating ideas for how the industry can better prepare and support emerging leaders in the years ahead.

The insights generated during this session will help inform DBIA's ongoing efforts to ensure the next generation of professionals has the resources, connections and opportunities needed to succeed in an evolving profession.

Just starting your job search or looking to make your next  career move? A professional photo can make a strong first  impression. Stop by DBIA’s designated Booth #615 in the  Exhibit Hall to get your free headshot! No appointment  needed, first-come, firstserved (priority given to students and Next Gen).
 

PRE-CONFERENCE ACTIVITY.  Additional fee required.
November 3rd - 1:00 PM - 6:00PM 

PROGRAM SCHEDULE - CLICK HERE

The Virtual Design & Construction Leadership Exchange (VDCLEx) is returning as a half-day pre-conference event, Tuesday, Nov. 3, at the Design-Build Conference & Expo in Cleveland, OH. The VDCLEx will continue to explore how VDC is impacting designers, builders and Owners by enhancing design excellence, increasing quality and productivity, as well as improving lifecycle costs.

This half-day pre-conference event includes opening and closing general sessions and two specialized tracks: one for experienced VDC professionals and the other for non-VDC professionals. So no matter what your level of VDC experience, the VDCLEx offers opportunities to better understand how design and construction technology and emerging processes are integral to driving greater efficiencies on design-build projects.

Track 1 - VDC Deep Dive: For audiences more versed in VDC, this track will provide case studies for the integration of technology in design-build and that explore current trends in VDC, such as, but not limited to:

• Describing the future of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented/virtual reality, automation and robotics
• Defining collaborative processes to connect people with technology to increase project efficiency
• Exploring BIM workflows beyond just model authoring and clash detection, such as prefabrication, industrialized construction, sustainability, safety, estimating, scheduling, reality capture and digital twins
• Identifying KPIs in leveraging VDC
• Review needed contract language updates to influence better collaboration

Track 2 - VDC for Non-VDC Professionals: For audiences newer to VDC, this track will provide insight and lessons learned on how leveraging VDC can evolve the traditional business-as-usual approach to the design and construction process:

• Defining the value and ROI of VDC in design-build
• Understanding the importance of including the appropriate BIM/VDC language in your contracts and what the inclusion of topics like a BIM Execution Plan and Level of Development (LOD) mean to the project team
• Illustrating the value of identifying a VDC Leader as an integral part of the design-build team from the outset of projects
• Demonstrating how well-defined model-based and data deliverables can enable Owners to better operate and maintain their projects throughout their lifecycle
• Outlining how VDC is enabling design-build professionals to better socialize with project teams to drive transparency throughout the design, construction and turnover process

What better way to celebrate our industry’s success than by honoring the nation’s best design-build projects, teams, this year's class of DBIA Fellows and the Brunelleschi Lifetime Achievement Award winner? Design-build’s contributions to the national and international landscape continue to impress and inspire and this year’s awards dinner promises to be an elegant evening and truly memorable event you won’t want to miss. Tickets are required. Black tie optional.
 

Take a break, enjoy a delicious lunch, and make the most of your time in the Exhibit Hall! Recharge while connecting with industry peers and exploring the latest products, technologies, and services from our exhibitors. Continue conversations sparked during the conference, build new relationships, and discover innovative solutions that can help elevate your next project.

While you're there, be sure to:

• Visit our exhibitors to explore the newest products, services, and technologies shaping the future of design-build.
• Explore the Technology Pavilion to experience cutting-edge innovations and emerging solutions transforming project delivery.
• Stop by the DBIA Booth to connect with our team, learn about DBIA membership, education, certification, events, and the many products and services available to support your professional growth.
• Share your conference experience! We'd love to hear what's inspiring you, the connections you've made, and how DBIA can continue to support your success.

Enjoy great food, meaningful conversations, and valuable connections—all while experiencing the best the Design-Build Conference & Expo has to offer.

Many say that the construction industry needs more technology, that is actually not the case. We though BIM and VDC was going to solve many woes, but they didn't. It wasn’t an interoperability problem, it was a collaboration problem. The tool was in the hands of too few and too complicated to be the default tool for all contributors on a project. AI is breaking through with simple usability and interfaces, but won’t solve the issue of collaboration and liability unless it is approached correctly. While on many projects, collaboration is great. However, there is a lack of accountability in the gaps. The baton gets dropped, but each party blames the other.

Construction is a project-based industry, and AI governance must be treated the same way. Unlike enterprise software deployed across an organization, AI on design-build projects touches multiple firms, contracts, and jurisdictions simultaneously — each with its own liability exposure. That demands a project-first approach to governance, not a platform-first one.

Every project operates under an Owner's rules. That means project data must be private, secured, and governed according to the Owner's AI policy — not the policy of whichever software vendor happens to be on the platform that week. Data sovereignty isn't a technical preference; it's a contractual obligation.

Participation in any AI system must be opt-in. Human-in-the-loop isn't simply a safeguard against hallucinations — it's a governance mechanism. When AI processes project communications, decisions, or documents, every design-build team member needs to understand what they are consenting to share, and who bears responsibility when something goes wrong.

Finally, AI cannot be a black box on a project. Every firm and every practitioner brings a distinct methodology to their work. Those methods carry professional value — and legal weight. AI platforms deployed on construction projects must make individual contributions visible, traceable, and persistent throughout the project lifecycle. This gives us the technological backbone to address project-level complexity, surfacing risks before they become change orders, and bringing greater predictability across the building process.

Attendees will now proceed to their preferred sessions.

Mike Walsh
CEO of Tomorrow, a global innovation consultancy

Artificial intelligence is not just changing industries. It is redefining how professionals create value. Across every sector, algorithms are beginning to perform tasks that once defined expertise, from analysis and forecasting to research and advice. The leaders and professionals who thrive in this new environment will not be those who simply adopt new tools. They will be the ones willing to rethink how work gets done, how decisions are made, and where human judgment truly matters.

In this thought-provoking keynote, futurist Mike Walsh explores how leaders, consultants, agents and advisors can reinvent themselves in the age of AI. Drawing on examples from organizations and professions already embracing digital labor, he shows how the most successful individuals are moving beyond traditional workflows to more leveraged ways of working. By combining human judgment with machine intelligence, they are redesigning their roles, amplifying their impact, and discovering entirely new ways to create value. In the decade ahead, the future will favor those bold enough to rethink not just their tools, but their role.

Progressive Design-Build (PDB) is designed to create alignment on scope, budget, schedule and risk before major commitments are made. But what happens when that process reveals a project should not proceed as originally envisioned? Is that a failure, or evidence that the process worked exactly as intended?

Drawing on groundbreaking research conducted by the ACEC Research Institute in partnership with DBIA and the Charles Pankow Foundation, this session will move beyond the research to examine real-world experiences from both successful projects and a high-profile project that ultimately off ramped before reaching a Final Contract Price. The discussion will provide a deeper understanding of how the validation process creates alignment, why transparency matters, and how informed decision-making can deliver value, even when the outcome is not what was originally anticipated.

Ginger Kerrick, Chief Strategy Officer, Barrios Technology
                    
The first Latina Director of NASA Mission Control, Ginger Kerrick’s steady voice led teams through waves of challenge and change during NASA’s most innovative decades since the Apollo missions. From the devastating loss of the Columbia to the celebrated success of the International Space Station and the first partnership with SpaceX, Kerrick uses real-world stories to show business leaders and teams how to build the skills, culture and resilience needed for organizations to thrive amid constant change.

Touted by Owners as a highly valuable education and networking experience, the Owners Only Forum allows open, honest discussion and provides Owner professionals the opportunity to share views, pose questions, find solutions to project delivery challenges and network with colleagues.

"Owner Advisors are not allowed in the Owners Forum unless DBIA has obtained written confirmation from the Owner that the Advisor is at the conference specifically serving as an extension of the Owner.'

Industry professionals, including consultants, are not permitted in this session.

Welcome to the Design-Build Conference & Expo! The DBIA Registration & Customer Service Desk, staffed by our knowledgeable and friendly DBIA team, is your first stop for everything conference-related.

Visit us to:

• Pick up your conference badge and materials
• Get answers to your conference questions
• Receive assistance with your registration
• Learn about educational sessions, special events, and networking opportunities
• Obtain information on continuing education credits and certificates
• Get directions to meeting rooms and event locations
• Learn more about DBIA programs, membership, certification, and upcoming events

Whether you need assistance, information, or simply a warm welcome, our DBIA staff is here to ensure your conference experience is enjoyable, seamless, and successful.

Kick off the Design-Build Conference & Expo by joining colleagues, industry leaders, owners, exhibitors, and first-time attendees for an evening of networking, collaboration, and discovery. Be among the first to explore the Exhibit Hall, where you'll experience the latest products, technologies, and services shaping the future of design-build.

While you're there, be sure to:

• Meet our exhibitors and discover the products, services, and expertise that can help elevate your projects and organization.
• Visit the Technology Pavilion to experience cutting-edge innovations and emerging solutions transforming project delivery.
• Stop by the DBIA Booth to connect with our team, discover member benefits, explore DBIA resources, and learn how we're advancing the design-build industry.

Enjoy complimentary hors d'oeuvres and beverages as you build new relationships, reconnect with colleagues, and experience the energy and innovation that make the Design-Build Conference & Expo the industry's premier event.

Just starting your job search or looking to make your next  career move? A professional photo can make a strong first  impression. Stop by DBIA’s designated Booth #615 in the Exhibit Hall to get your free headshot! No appointment needed, first-come, firstserved (priority given to students and Next Gen).
 

Take a break, enjoy a delicious lunch, and make the most of your time in the Exhibit Hall! Recharge while connecting with industry peers and exploring the latest products, technologies, and services from our exhibitors. Continue conversations sparked during the conference, build new relationships, and discover innovative solutions that can help elevate your next project.

While you're there, be sure to:

• Visit our exhibitors to explore the newest products, services, and technologies shaping the future of design-build.
• Explore the Technology Pavilion to experience cutting-edge innovations and emerging solutions transforming project delivery.
• Stop by the DBIA Booth to connect with our team, learn about DBIA membership, education, certification, events, and the many products and services available to support your professional growth.
• Share your conference experience! We'd love to hear what's inspiring you, the connections you've made, and how DBIA can continue to support your success.

Enjoy great food, meaningful conversations, and valuable connections—all while experiencing the best the Design-Build Conference & Expo has to offer.

Welcome to the Design-Build Conference & Expo! The DBIA Registration & Customer Service Desk, staffed by our knowledgeable and friendly DBIA team, is your first stop for everything conference-related.

Visit us to:

• Pick up your conference badge and materials
• Get answers to your conference questions
• Receive assistance with your registration
• Learn about educational sessions, special events, and networking opportunities
• Obtain information on continuing education credits and certificates
• Get directions to meeting rooms and event locations
• Learn more about DBIA programs, membership, certification, and upcoming events

Whether you need assistance, information, or simply a warm welcome, our DBIA staff is here to ensure your conference experience is enjoyable, seamless, and successful.

This session offers university faculty a first look at the DBIA University Program and outreach presentation, currently under development by the DBIA Student/Academia Outreach and Engagement Committee. Faculty are invited to attend a forum to review the materials and provide feedback ahead of the program's broader rollout to universities. This session is designed for faculty already attending the conference and is a valuable opportunity to help shape the program's direction and messaging.

The presentation will highlight a case study demonstrating how VDC and Progressive Design-Build were applied in the adaptive reuse of a 12-story, 400,000 SF 1980s office building into a modern educational facility for Georgetown University in Washington, DC. BIM and VDC were critical to successful Design-Build delivery, enabling real-time collaboration and clear visualization of renovation constraints throughout the project.

Known locally as the “Darth Vader Building,” 111 Massachusetts Avenue features non-orthogonal geometry and complex structural conditions requiring extensive modernization. Laser scanning and GPR validated existing conditions, leading to the development of detailed Revit models for all 12 floors shared across the project team. Significant discrepancies from as-built drawings—particularly in waffle slab layouts and beam depths—were identified during design, reducing schedule impacts associated with layout, penetration coordination, and limited plenum space.

Phased permitting and packaged drawing releases allowed the team to compress the construction schedule and early engagement of design-assist trade partners in BIM coordination empowered real-time collaboration with the design team in a shared model environment.

Presenters will share examples of how prefabrication contributed to significant schedule savings, including a multi-trade shaft assembly fabricated and assembled offsite. Overall, VDC improved collaboration and decision-making, leading to measurable project outcomes.

Awards Dinner Pre-Dinner Wine Reception

Welcome to the Design-Build Conference & Expo! The DBIA Registration & Customer Service Desk, staffed by our knowledgeable and friendly DBIA team, is your first stop for everything conference-related.

Visit us to:

• Pick up your conference badge and materials
• Get answers to your conference questions
• Receive assistance with your registration
• Learn about educational sessions, special events, and networking opportunities
• Obtain information on continuing education credits and certificates
• Get directions to meeting rooms and event locations
• Learn more about DBIA programs, membership, certification, and upcoming events

Whether you need assistance, information, or simply a warm welcome, our DBIA staff is here to ensure your conference experience is enjoyable, seamless, and successful.

Welcome to the Design-Build Conference & Expo! The DBIA Registration & Customer Service Desk, staffed by our knowledgeable and friendly DBIA team, is your first stop for everything conference-related.

Visit us to:

• Pick up your conference badge and materials
• Get answers to your conference questions
• Receive assistance with your registration
• Learn about educational sessions, special events, and networking opportunities
• Obtain information on continuing education credits and certificates
• Get directions to meeting rooms and event locations
• Learn more about DBIA programs, membership, certification, and upcoming events

Whether you need assistance, information, or simply a warm welcome, our DBIA staff is here to ensure your conference experience is enjoyable, seamless, and successful.

This year's Practitioner's Forum moves away from a lecture-style format. Instead of listening to a series of presentations, attendees will spend the majority of the session in facilitated, small-group roundtable discussions, working through a curated set of industry topics alongside peers from across the country. Each table will surface its own key takeaway, and a selection of tables will report those takeaways back to the full room, so the conversations in the room directly shape the discussion the whole forum hears. The goal is for every attendee to leave having contributed to — not just observed — the industry conversation. The final 30 minutes of the session are reserved for an update from the Owner Advisor Committee (OAC) Chair.

Turn up the volume and join your fellow conference attendees for an unforgettable evening at Cleveland’s iconic Rock & Roll Hall of Fame! This one-of-a-kind networking event combines popular music, great company and one of the world’s most celebrated museums in a truly legendary setting.

Enjoy private access to explore multiple floors of interactive exhibits featuring the artists, songs and moments that shaped generations. See stage costumes, instruments, handwritten lyrics, rare memorabilia and immersive displays celebrating the history and evolution of rock & roll. Whether you’re a lifelong music fan or simply looking for a memorable evening, there’s something to inspire everyone.

Your ticket includes:

• Exclusive evening access to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

• Networking with colleagues from across the design-build industry

• Food and beverages

• World-class exhibits and interactive experiences

• An unforgettable Cleveland experience you won’t want to miss

This is one of the conference’s most popular social events. A separate ticket is required and can be purchased during conference registration. Space is limited so don’t miss a night of music, networking and memories at one of America’s most legendary destinations! Transportation will be provided.

Collaborative Delivery Leadership Academy: Elevating Leaders — Optimizing Outcomes
For full details on DBIA's leadership Academy CLICK HERE

Pre-Conference Course (Additional Fee)
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2026
8:00AM - 5:00PM

Building Block:  Leadership: Building a Strong Foundation-Pre-Requisite, In-Person,
THIS COURSE IS A PRE-REQUISITE. IT MUST BE TAKEN PRIOR TO THE REMAINING 5 COURSES IN THE COLLABORATIVE DELIVERY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

Leadership matters. Distinguishing different ways to lead is at the crux of Design-Build Done Right®. This session will focus on introducing the distinctions of Design-Build Leadership Done Right. 
This course will introduce the 18 competencies associated with the universal model of effective leadership and share why only 20% of all leaders demonstrate these characteristics. These 18 competencies are well researched and shown to be positively correlated to leadership effectiveness and business performance and are highly aligned with Design-Build Done Right®.

Additional fee pricing:
DBIA Members
  (Practitioner, Owner and Academia):  $595.00
Non-Members
   (Practitioner, Owner and Academia): $695.00