Client Direct Services Delivers More Beds for Less Cost at ISU

When Iowa State University (ISU) needed to build a new residence hall on its growing Ames campus, they had multiple contractors to choose from, but they chose the expertise of our design-build team for a very good reason. Not only aesthetically pleasing, our design added more beds for less cost.

Making room for 784 more students to live on campus in the 2016 to 2017 school year, the Iowa State University Residence Hall showcases how our Client Direct Services offering can deliver more value for less money by applying our unique design-build approach..

We take design-build to the next level, effectively integrating all stakeholders—client, architect and builder—for meaningful collaboration that elevates the whole project delivery experience.

ISU selected us for the project because of the overall value of the design concept. The aesthetically pleasing design that exceeded all of ISU’s requirements—at a guaranteed maximum price $1.1 million below the other bidders and under ISU’s maximum budget.

The primary improvement the university sought was optimizing bed count. “Our design accommodates 784 beds—a 12% increase over ISU's required minimum—at a cost per bed up to 47% less than other similar public residence hall projects,” said Craig Larson, regional vice president for Opus Design Build, L.L.C.

“ISU welcomed our expertise, ideas and commitment to accommodate all project requirements without compromise,” Craig continued. “It’s been a great collaboration.”

By integrating all stakeholders, design-build drives maximum value for the client.

• More about ISU Geoffroy Residence Hall