Schematic Design
Schematic Design (SD) is the phase where the CSW Procurement Options discussed in this guide come into sharper focus. As the approximate quantity and type of wood products begin to be identified, this is an opportunity to move from sourcing concepts to commitments. Potential wood criteria/metrics could include any number of elements from the CSF definition that align with the project’s goals, for example:
- Reclaimed or urban-salvaged wood
- Certified wood
- Locally or tribally produced wood
- Forestry practices that are above business-as-usual and regulatory baselines
- Ecologically restorative forestry
- Wood with a transparent, traceable embodied carbon benefit
Preliminary conversations with trade partners should begin and evolve through SD to ensure that project goals can be evaluated in an informed manner.
- Revisit and validate sustainability goals developed during the Conceptual Design process.
- Is virgin or recycled/reclaimed/salvaged wood preferable? Is there an available source of reclaimed wood that meets the structural and architectural design criteria?
- If virgin wood will be used, which pathway is right for the project? Identify suppliers and vendors to target any previously established goals of engagement of local businesses, woman- or minority-owned businesses, tribal operations, etc.
- Begin outline specification or preliminary project description of wood scope and procurement options.
- If a General Contractor (GC) has come aboard, begin to map potential sourcing pathways and develop opportunities and constraints around these options. This can include potential manufacturers or even specific landowners if project goals are aligned in that manner. Tracking cost, schedule, embodied carbon (and other sustainability metrics), and risk implications of procurement pathways allows the project team to find the best approach to achieve the overall project goals.
Recommendations
Although the SD phase can be the most impactful in terms of making decisions that will set the course for the project, it’s also important to recognize that both Owners and General Contractors will tend to want to manage cost exposure and risk by keeping options open.
Given this reality, project teams should continue to seek clarity around some of these considerations that can influence cost and risk:
- Will this intentional sourcing effort require segregated milling that might come at a premium from the mill(s)or manufacturer?
- If traceability is a priority, how will disclosure be documented? Does the Design Team or Construction Team require additional fees to help administer higher degrees of supply chain engagement?
- Should any budgetary holds, allowances, and/or contingencies be incorporated to hedge against potential premiums associated with procuring CSW?
- Creating a plan for maintaining financial commitment to CSW procurement as the project progresses.
- As the project proceeds into later stages of design and the CSW pathways for the project are selected, develop agreement on how any unused allowances will be distributed back into the project or realized as savings for the Owner.
- Establishing a contractual provision between the General Contractor and Owner that expresses a mutual expectation of at least exploring CSW sourcing options and considering these factors in material selection and procurement.
- Is the Owner interested in leveraging its investment in CSW for project storytelling and marketing, which may also require paying for additional services or hiring additional consultants?
While some studies will continue to be vetted into Design Development (DD), the end of SD typically coincides with clarity on large scope items such as the preferred framing schemes, species of wood, and often some initial thoughts on procurement pathway(s).
