INTEG Spring 2013

More with Less: Delivering the Most Important
One insightful reality of the design business is, Design is a Leading Economic Indicator.   That too can be a double-edged sword.

At TEG, we participate in the American Institute of Architects monthly survey of economic indicators, assembled by the AIA’s Chief Economist, Kermit Baker, and Manager of Economic Research, Jennifer Riskus.¹ The growth rate, in the last 6 months, reports ABI levels not seen since early 2008.  From this type of data there appear to be certain indicators of an economic recovery; a very encouraging sign for our country.

During these difficult economic times many companies, subcontractors and vendors have been eliminated from existence, many of whom were previously members of our project delivery teams.  Thus, delivering future projects demands innovation and creative strategies.

Similarly, the economic climate causes project funding and reimbursements to be more challenging and unresolved than ever before.  Thus, TEG clients need our design teams to deliver more with less, while remaining focused on the most important elements of every project.

The theme for our future appears to be More with Less: Delivering the Most Important.

Transitional periods such as we are entering, offer opportunities for creating a “new normal” in the design arena; working with less to deliver more shifts the focus to efficiency and productivity enhancements.   Creating efficient facilities, which maximize the return of the investment, while increasing the productivity of every person working within them, requires innovative and creative minds, on the part of TEG and our clients.  That is where the collaborative engagement really pays off.

Prior to the economic downturn, TEG concentrated on efficiency and productivity.  As we entered 2008, the realities of the challenges were apparent and TEG embarked upon an intensive evidence-based design research program.  The result: the creation of our planning and design strategy for health care – Efficient Design+Productive Care^©.  These same efficiency and productivity strategies are applicable to every building type and offer all our clients a distinct Design Changes Lives advantage.

TEG focuses on thought-leadership for how design improves your business and your objective and is a design firm that will work collaboratively with you to deliver More with Less.

All the best,

R. Wayne Estopinal, AIA, ACHA, LEED AP
President – TEG

_{1  The latest results of the AIA’s “Work On The Boards” Survey can be found at www.aia.org/practicing/aiab098099, which produces the Architectural Billings Index (ABI).  This link is an excellent reference for current design activity and the level of inquiry regarding design services.}