The Design Team shall explore all design options/proposals that could meet the requirements of the design brief and develop them into Concept Design including outline proposals for structural design, services systems, outline specifications, and preliminary cost plan along with environmental, energy, ecology, access or other Project Strategies.

The Concept Design should address environmental and sustainability issues to ensure minimum environmental impact, establishing energy efficiency standards and compliance with Imperial and Estates Projects and Development Technical Policy Statements and design deliverables relating to building services and energy.

Design Operational Standards and Code of Practice to be considered are:

• Architecture Standards
• CAD Strategy
• Components - Building Fabric
• Components - Mechanical and Electrical
• Safety Department Policy Statements 
• ICT Network standards
• Estate Facilities Requirements 
• Building Engineering Services Particularly Requirements 
• BIM

The Project Manager and Design Team shall prepare the Concept Design in consultation with the Project Director and User Coordinator to understand the key project drivers and to ensure the design meets the requirements of the cost certainty, statutory and regulatory compliance and meets the specifications set by Imperial.

The Design Team will conduct working sessions/workshops with the project client to:

• Review and amend the design brief
• Discuss design options/proposals
• Identify gaps or omissions in the brief
• Agree plan of work required before proposals can be accepted

The agreeing and fixing of the design elements progressively is critical to the success of the design process. 3.10 Appendix B - Agreeing / Fixing the design (pdf) provides a list of the key design related issues that will require progressive agreement during the design process at each Stage.

The design team will undertake an initial risk analysis of the design in terms of health and safety. This can be completed as part of the overall project risk assessment procedures.

The Design Team shall explore all design options/proposals that could meet the requirements of the design brief and understand what assumptions were made in the development of the cost plan.

Refer:

• Cost Management

Project design reviews shall be held during the Concept Design Stage preparation.

Refer:

• Design Stage reviews

The Project Manager is to arrange Engineering Review Meeting (ERM) and a presentation of the Stage 2 Concept Design to the Technical Adviser Group (TAG) meeting. A draft Stage 2 report is to be issued prior to the ERM and TAG review meetings to the group members. The final report is to be issued at the completion on the Stage. 

• TAG/ERM (Stages 1 to 4)
• 3.10 Appendix A - Design brief standard format and contents (pdf)