When: Tuesday, April 07, 2026, 12:00 PM to 01:30 PM CT
Where: HOK Office, 130 E Randolph St 14th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601 & Virtual
Details:
As building systems become more complex and specialized, fabricators and product manufacturers play increasingly important roles in the design of building elements. This evolution has promoted project delivery strategies that link design professionals with specialty contractors and allow product manufacturers to leverage their respective expertise. In particular, delegated design transfers the design responsibilities of manufacturer-specific systems or complex building elements from the Project Designer (Architect/Engineer of Record, or A/E) to a third-party Contractor (Contractor, Fabricator, or Manufacturer). Architects may use this approach to give the Contractor some latitude in how a proprietary or specialized element is built, or to delegate the design of a building element to a subcontractor who has greater expertise with their specialty.
This roundtable will be an opportunity to discuss the opportunities and challenges with a delegated design approach. Leading the discussion will be our expert panelists on both the design and contracting side. We plan on having an open discussion and would like to hear your experiences and questions.
Learning objectives:
- Define delegated design and expand on how responsibility, risk, and documentation requirements shift from the Architect/Engineer of Record to specialty contractors and licensed delegated design professionals.
- Explain the benefits, challenges, and drivers behind the use of delegated design, including how it leverages specialized expertise, affects cost and schedule, and introduces coordination, liability, and communication considerations.
- Identify the historical development and regulatory framework governing delegated design, including its recognition in AIA Contract Documents and the International Building Code’s requirements for performance criteria, licensed design professionals, and review procedures.
- Differentiate between delegated design and design‑assist processes, clarifying how responsibility, scope, timing, and contractual relationships differ and how early expert involvement and well‑defined performance criteria contribute to project success.
Panelists:
Steve Black
Power Construction
Quality Support Director, BD+C
Steve Black is a professional constructor with 30 years of experience in the commercial and industrial construction industries. A LEED-BD&C accredited professional, Black spent most of his career traveling around the Upper Midwest and East Coast, building high-performing buildings in the health-care and data-center markets with McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. For the last 12 years, he has been with Power Construction’s Quality Support Department and currently serves as the Director. While his primary focus is on enclosure, Black shares his years of field experience in mechanical and electrical systems with the project teams to ensure that the building performs as designed.
Gail Ann J. Goldstead, AIA, CSI, CCS, CDT, LEED AP
HOK
Senior Technical Architect / Director of Specifications
Gail Goldstead is an Illinois licensed architect with comprehensive project leadership experience with strong technical background in all project phases in a broad range of project types including high-rise office buildings, corporate headquarters, hotels, banks, retail, parking garages, residential high-rise, mid-rise and mixed-use developments along with urban planning and design as well as healthcare, laboratory, higher education; additional experience with smaller intricate build-outs and alterations.
Moderater:
Kimberly A. Lis
WJE
Senior Associate
RSVP (Bring Your Own Lunch): $0 members & non-members
We will have both an in-person and virtual option available.