Over the last 25 years, engineers and architects have strayed from the core values of their professions and pursued policies that reduced their involvement in projects for the sake of maximizing profits. This shortsighted policy of withdrawing from the central role in projects has had a devastating effect, reducing the design professional ’s influence and creating the need for other entities such as construction managers (CMs) and owner’s representatives to emerge and fill the vacuum created by the retreating professionals. Due to the absence of the design professionals from the construction site, CM’s and owner’s reps have had to rely heavily on the input of contractors, who may not always understand the nuances of the design and who, at any rate, have a different objective; consequently, too often negating the value and benefits of the design.
