State of Integration: Investigation of Integration in the A/E/C Community

Abstract

Integrated buildings are one goal of the architectural/engineering/construction (A/E/C) community. Integration implies quality work and it is perceived to add value to a project; but, how is integration defined and how is it applied? This paper reflects on the current status of integration and assesses where the industry stands. To do this, integration was evaluated through publicly available documents of the major professional organizations that represent the field. The American Institute of Architects; ASCE; two ASCE institutes (Structural Engineering Institute and Architectural Engineering Institute); the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers; and the Associated General Contractors of America were examined for their commitment to and implementation of integration and integrated design. This survey of the resources has found that integration is important to the industry on the whole, but that the effort to include integration into the A/E/C industry varies in commitment by discipline. However, while there is unevenness in the industry toward integration, there is movement to address the complex idea of integration and changes are ongoing.