Delegated Design and the Role of the

Designer of Record
JULY 20, 2022

Copyright © 2022 Steel Joist Institute. All Rights Reserved.

Presented by:
Bruce F Brothersen, P.E., S.E., P.Eng.
Nucor-Vulcraft
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Disclaimer
The information presented herein is designed to be used by
licensed professional engineers and architects who are
competent to make a professional assessment of its accuracy,
suitability and applicability. The information presented herein
has been developed by the Steel Joist Institute and is produced
in accordance with recognized engineering principles. The SJI
and its committees have made a concerted effort to present
accurate, reliable, and useful information on the design of steel
joists and Joist Girders. The presentation of the material
contained herein is not intended as a representation or warranty
on the part of the Steel Joist Institute. Any person making use of
this information does so at one’s own risk and assumes all
liability arising from such use.
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Webinar Description
It is common for the engineer of record (EOR) to delegate
design responsibility for aspects of the project to a specialty
engineer or for specific products to the product
manufacturer’s engineer. This presentation will discuss the
roles and responsibilities between the EOR and specialty
engineer or a specific product engineer. This session will
discuss the overlapping areas of responsibilities and the
areas where gaps often occur. The IBC gives general
direction and key aspects to follow. This presentation will
discuss ways to clearly establish roles and responsibilities of
each and how to denote these roles and responsibilities.
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Learning Objectives

• The EOR’s responsibility

• Reasons and materials that could be delegated
• Methods to communicate roles, including direct
communication, clarifying gray areas, and resolving
concerns and conflicts
• Examples
• What works and learning from each other; capturing,
validating and implementing methods that work

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Who is attending this webinar
What is the primary role that you normally fill in the
construction process:
A. Structural Engineer
B. Delegated Design Engineer
C. General Contractor
D. Steel Erector
E. Steel Fabricator

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Delegated Design and the role of the
Designer of Record
• 1967 all day lift ticket
price at Park City, Utah -
$5.00
• Other resorts in the
area were about 50% of
Park City.
• 2022 all day lift ticket
price at Park City, Utah
- $213.00

7
Delegated Design and the role of the
Designer of Record
• Park City ski resort
opened in 1963 for
skiing
• Longest Gondola in
North America
• This Gondola was a
delegated design.

8
Delegated Design and the role of the
Designer of Record
This presentation will be different than most
No absolutes
Negotiated solutions
No one expert
Learn from each other
Solicit information from audience by answering questions
and showing the results
Ask for comments in the chat box – reference slide
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Delegated Design and the role of the
Designer of Record
Learning Objectives:
• Discuss EOR’s responsibility
• Discuss reasons and materials that could be delegated
• Discuss methods to communicate roles
– Direct communication
– Clarify gray areas
– Resolve concerns and conflicts
• Examples
• Discuss what works – Learn from each other
– How to capture, validate and implement new ideas?
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Avoid the surprise
• Whereas a “surprise”, bearing good
fortune is greatly appreciated,
surprises in the process of construction
almost never bear good fortune and
are not appreciated.

• One way to eliminate surprises is to

pay close attention to items where the
Design Professional of Record
delegates the design of both structural
and non-structural products or
services.

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EOR has full responsibility for the structure
Always required:
• Building Use Building Permit • Foundation Requirements
• Defining the structural system • Drawings, Notes and Specs
• Materials Used – Wood, Steel,
Concrete • Submittals and Approvals

• Define the loads based on • Manufacturing Certifications

building code requirements
– Environmental - Snow and Rain
– Specific for materials - Dead
loads
– System – Seismic & Wind
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Advantages to delegate aspects of the design

• EOR can expand the Knowledge Base for the project, for
knowledge the EOR may not have.
• Efficiencies and costs from component suppliers
• Expertise of component engineers
• Value engineering
• Proprietary Software

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EOR conducts the band
Specialty Structural Products where
delegated design is common:
• Precast concrete
• Open web steel joist and deck
• Metal-plate-connected wood
trusses
• BRB braces and connections
• Connections
• Some piers and Caissons
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EOR conducts the band
Specialty Non-Structural Products
where delegated design is common:
• Structural Steel Stairs
• Metal studs
• Insulated metal panels
• Fire Suppression
• Seismic Braces
– Arch, Mech, Plumbing and Electrical
items
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Building codes - IBC

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Building codes – IBC Joist requirements

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The structure can be the easy part
• HVAC
• Fire suppression
• Fire codes
• Fueling station
requirements
• Mechanical systems

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Structural Engineers – Drawing Notes

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Question for Structural Deferred Submittals

Which products typically seem to be the most difficult to

manage:
A. Steel joists
B. Wood trusses
C. Tilt up concrete
D. Precast concrete
E. BRB and associated connections

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Structural Engineers – Drawing Notes

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Question for Non-Structural Deferred
Submittals
Which products typically seem to be the most difficult to
manage:
A. Cold form steel products
B. Seismic bracing for the trades
C. Structural steel stairs
D. Insulated metal panels
E. All of the above

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What are the biggest problems?
What seems to be the biggest problems with delegated
design?
A. Complete submittal documents
B. Delegated design products meeting your requirements
C. Completing the review on time
D. Changing scope of product
E. All of the above

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Sub-Contractor surprise
• What is allowed?
• Where are the
boundaries?

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Defining the gray
Drawings, notes and specifications to
define scope and requirements.
• Reference Industry Specs
• Reference Manufacture
Requirements.
• Submittal requirements.
• Oversight requirements.
• Building code requirements.
– Deferred submittal
• Schedule
• Codes of Standard Practice
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Following rules versus breaking the rules

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Define the gray areas
• Contract drawings – notes
• Specifications
• Approval documents
• Final documents
• Communication protocols
• Common breakdowns

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What are your best practices
What practices have you found to be effective for
communication:
A. Tailoring notes to individual projects
B. Preconstruction meetings

C. Developing relationships with deferred submittal engineers

D. Ask about the concerns of the delegated design engineer
E. Call the DD Engineer about approval drawings questions

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Effective communication
• Consider making improvements
• Drawings
• Specifications
• Drawings notes
• Protocols

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Schedule – ally versus enemy or both
• Communication
– Meetings
– RFI’s
– Emails
– Phone calls
– Before or at approval

• Approval
– Return times
– Response to information requests

• Intertrade Communication
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Perspective of the component supplier
• Define the general and
specialty loads
• Define deflection
• Define any special load cases
• Use Code of Standard
Practices
• Define the geometry (depth,
span etc.)
• Define how trades are to
communicate
• Clearly define where supplier
is free to operate
• Connections 31
Perspective of the component supplier
• Use Code of
Standard Practices

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Perspective of the component supplier
• Clearly define
where supplier is
free to operate

Example is Bridging:
Provide bridging in
accordance with
the latest SJI
specification.

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Joist example - non typical joist
connection
Advantages for floor design:
• Top of beam and top of
joist at same elevation
• Deck attached directly to
joist and WF girder
• Reduced vibration
characteristics from
standard joist seat
connection

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Joist example - non typical joist
connection
• What are the forces on
the WF girder that the
EOR designs?
– vertical?
– eccentricities?
• What are the forces that
the Joist manufacturer
designs for?
– vertical?
– eccentricities?
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Joist example - non typical joist
connection
Who and How are material
sizes specified?

• EOR or Joist manufacturer?

• Preferred Bolt Diameter? 1”

• Preferred Plate Size? 1”

• Preferred Bolt Type – EOR
and Erector.

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Joist example - non typical joist
connection
• When do eccentricities
need to be considered?
• How is this
communicated?

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 Let’s learn from each other. What
works?
How can design teams
communicate?
Through chain of command?
Directly?

38
 Let’s learn from each other. What
works?

How do we clarify the gray

areas?

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Let’s learn from each other. What
works?

How to resolve concerns

and conflicts?

40
Let’s learn from each other. What
works?
What is Value?
• Money
• Time
• Sustainability
• Relationships

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Which of these are of the most value to you?

Which of these are of the most value to you?

A. Money
B. Time
C. Relationship
D. Sustainability

E. All of the above

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Improving on what works

• Capture
• Validate
• Implement

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Let’s learn from each other. What
works?

How do you capture

improvement ideas?

44
Capture improvement ideas
How to you capture improvement ideas?
A. Conversations with direct customers
B. Keep notes
C. Conversations with indirect customers
D. Conversations with office or peers
E. Project completion review

45
Let’s learn from each other. What
works?

How do you validate

improvement ideas?

46
Validate Improvement
How to you capture improvement ideas?
A. Vet ideas with direct customers
B. Vet ideas with indirect customers
C. Discuss with peers
D. Project completion review
E. Collaborate with others

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Let’s learn from each other. What
works?

How do you implement

improvement ideas?

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Implement Improvement
How do you implement improvement ideas?
A. Revise notes
B. Discuss with peers and change office practices
C. Preconstruction meeting to explain changes to project
team
D. Offer different cost structure
E. Collaborate with others

49
Avoid the surprise
• Whereas a “surprise”, bearing good
fortune is greatly appreciated,
surprises in the process of construction
almost never bear good fortune and
are not appreciated.

• One way to eliminate surprises is to

pay close attention to items where the
Design Professional of Record
delegates the design of structural and
non-structural products or services.

50
Assessment Question
The following are advantages to delegated design:
A. Utilize proprietary software
B. Value engineering
C. Expertise of a specified product
D. Speed up building design
E. All of the above

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Q&A SESSION
 THANK YOU

Copyright © 2022 Steel Joist Institute. All Rights Reserved.

Presented by: