Elevating design-build outcomes through virtual design and construction

Strategic digital workflows can improve coordination, reduce risk and streamline complex delivery

By Mike Smith | HNTB

Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) is transforming the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry by integrating advanced digital tools and strategic workflows to enhance project coordination, reduce risks and streamline complex project delivery. As the size and complexity of projects continue to grow, contractors are increasingly adopting VDC method to manage these challenges effectively and ensure successful project delivery.

By leveraging centralized digital models and real-time data sharing in design-build projects, VDC can foster improved communication, early conflict resolution and greater efficiency throughout the project lifecycle and facilitates contractor’s VDC activities both before and during construction. As the demand for speed, coordination and integration in design-build delivery grows, VDC offers a strategic, technology-enabled approach to elevate design quality and ensure long-term project success.

Stronger design integration:

Virtual design workflows enable each member of the project team to understand how its work influences others, improving communication and surfacing design conflicts early. Integrated, model-based coordination reveals how designs are coming together and helps reduce inconsistencies across structural, roadway, drainage, rail systems, utility and other engineering disciplines.

Central to effective VDC implementation is a common data environment (CDE) — a cloud-based, centralized platform through which all engineering project disciplines can coordinate work in real time. Visibility into work occurring across the platform reduces errors and ensures all disciplines are aligned throughout the project lifecycle.

Improved risk management and constructability:

The benefits of early, coordinated design extend beyond communication — they also directly impact project risk. By front-loading modeling efforts, VDC enables teams to conduct model-based clash detection and other virtual reviews early in design. These workflows help identify and resolve issues before the design is advanced, or when construction begins. In many cases, design conflicts are detected and resolved that would have otherwise gone undetected until later phases, causing either design or construction rework.

In addition, most project drawings can be generated directly from the model, minimizing the chance for omissions or annotation errors. Constructability reviews supported by the model help owners and contractors make better-informed decisions, backed by coordinated digital context. The result is higher design quality and fewer surprises during construction. While there’s some increased design time and effort up front, it can often yield an overall savings over the project development lifecycle.

Connecting design and construction:

Design-build delivery compresses timelines and shifts more responsibility onto the design team to deliver integrated coordinated designs earlier than the traditional design-bid-build the process. This structure heightens the need for continuous coordination, especially as many transportation projects are constructed adjacent to active infrastructure and involve complex stakeholder environments. VDC supports these demands by creating a shared digital framework where designs can be iterated, reviewed and advanced quickly and in sync with construction planning.

By developing coordinated models early, designers can help contractors simulate construction activities, sequence work, identify access constraints and plan around existing infrastructure. This level of digital readiness not only improves coordination but helps design-build teams maintain momentum in the face of evolving field conditions. VDC is a critical link between design intent and construction execution — ultimately driving better project outcomes.

Enhanced efficiency and cost control:

As VDC becomes more embedded in delivery workflows, its positive impact on project efficiency grows. Automated design documentation, customized scripts and standardized project data structures improve productivity while supporting consistent, deliverables.

Simple automations, facilitated by VDC, can yield significant long-term gains. For example, a team can develop a script to automatically generate construction note legends across all design drawings. Initial investments in set-up, programming and training are nominal and can eliminate the need for manual updates with each design change — ultimately saving thousands of hours over the course of the project. Combined with automatic distribution of CAD/BIM standards via the common data environment, this approach can ensure consistency and efficiency across the full set of deliverables.

When implemented with intention and supported by training, VDC helps design teams be more effective and unlock long-term cost and schedule benefits.

Greater digital asset management:

For many agencies, the long-term goal is to use design and construction data to improve maintenance, operations and asset management. VDC enables this by delivering coordinated, information-rich design models that become digital records of the project.

These benefits are most effective when owners, designers, and contractors work together early to define future use cases. Aligning very early with the agency end users on data structure, delivery format and long-term goals during design ensures that digital assets are relevant not only for construction — but also for future inspection, maintenance and system operating needs.

Reducing uncertainty and improving collaboration in design-build delivery

Realizing the full benefits of VDC begins with early alignment among project leadership, design teams and contractor partners. Defining the desired use cases, such as constructability reviews, fabrication models, or long-term asset management, helps shape how models, data and workflows are structured from the outset.

As more agencies embrace model-based delivery, a thoughtful, phased approach can balance innovation with day-to-day project demands, laying the groundwork for more coordinated, resilient and digitally enabled infrastructure delivery.

From concept to completion, VDC offers the potential to reduce risk, improve collaboration and enhance consistency. As expectations for speed, quality and lifecycle performance continue to rise, VDC represents a strategic opportunity for agencies to deliver infrastructure that performs reliably — and continues to serve communities well into the future.