Understanding the Importance of the Owner’s Project Requirements Document
Understanding the Importance of the Owner’s Project Requirements Document
Quince Taylor
Sindoni Consulting and Management Services
The Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR) document is a crucial element in well-developed design, smooth construction phase, and effective turnover. Think of the OPR as a recipe or a well-executed playbook: it helps all project stakeholders understand the owner’s vision and expectations. It defines what makes a successful project from the owner’s standpoint.
What Does It Look Like?
To provide maximum value, the OPR needs to be detailed enough to provide clear boundaries, yet principled in nature to account for procurement, logistic, schedule, and inflation pinch points.
The following are typical OPR contents (see page 14 for complete list):
- Project Information
- Systems/Energy/Sustainability
- Equipment
- Spaces
- Maintenance and Operations
Importance to the Owner
The OPR clearly outlines the owner’s vision and requirements. Memorializing goals—like sustainability targets, budget constraints, and functional needs—helps minimize misunderstandings and scope creep.
To maximize the effectiveness of the OPR, a successful owner actively participates in its development.
- Step 1: The owner’s development team will provide an initial draft version of the document. A workshop is scheduled to transmit high-level goals: Target completion dates, building and site purpose, and overall budget.
- Step 2: The owner’s representative might coordinate the detailed OPR completion with major stakeholders.
- Step 3: After a revised draft is prepared, the owner will review the OPR before design begins.
The OPR is a living document and can be revised with the owner’s approval at any time and during any project phase. However, it is important to note that modifications to the OPR can have impacts on budget and schedule. Therefore, eliminating gaps and ensuring that an OPR is as complete as possible up front decreases risk to the project later.
Importance to the Design Phase
The design team relies heavily on the OPR as their lighthouse to guide creative and technical processes. The OPR is a reference library for solutions that align with the owner’s goals. Ideally, the OPR is prepared before the Basis of Design (BoD). The OPR will identify which codes and standards must be adhered to. During design reviews, the OPR acts as a checklist for the commissioning team and others to assess whether proposals meet the owner’s vision.
A successful design team regularly reviews its work against the OPR. This keeps everyone aligned and focused to avoid scope creep and keep the focus on sustainability + efficiency + operability. For the Engineer of Record, the OPR is an insurance policy for design decisions and quality control checks.
Perhaps most importantly, design team members should ensure that they have adequate clarity on the OPR to avoid unnecessary design rework. This can be especially effective if the design team is a key part of the OPR’s development team. Incorporating flexibility for future renovations can save time and resources down the line. By anticipating potential changes in use or technology, the design team can create adaptable spaces.
Importance to the Procurement Phase
The OPR will provide clarity on the owner’s requirements, which helps in selecting materials and equipment. When faced with multiple options, the OPR allows procurement professionals to evaluate choices based on specific goals—such as budget, quality, or sustainability.
A practical approach for procurement teams is to maintain a comparison matrix for equipment options based on OPR criteria. Allowing the procurement professionals a seat at the table in OPR discussions will ensure that strategies match project goals, like prioritizing sustainable materials when specified.
Importance to the Construction Phase
For the construction phase, the OPR acts as a guiding document that outlines performance criteria and quality expectations. For example, if the OPR specifies occupancy timelines, the construction phase can create schedules that prioritize these deadlines.
During the Construction Phase, it is helpful to review the OPR as part of the proposal and contract documents. This way, the OPR can be integrated into the project schedule. It also helps to set up regular OPR reviews throughout the construction phase, especially during key milestones or as changes occur.
Importance to the Acceptance Phase
For the acceptance phase, the OPR provides thresholds for energy performance, occupant comfort, and equipment functionality that the commissioning team will assess through functional performance testing.
By developing clear expectations for the results of a project, an owner can enhance the value of the commissioning team and empower them to advocate more effectively on the owner’s behalf.
Creating specific targets for energy usage and occupant comfort, especially in critical applications like healthcare, manufacturing, and laboratories, allows the commissioning team to leverage the OPR to better assess the success of a project and ensure the owner gets the best possible turnover.
Even in residential and commercial projects, setting clear performance targets can result in better occupant comfort and reduced operating costs over the lifetime of a project.
Importance of Operational, Facilities, and Maintenance Teams
It’s also crucial to consult operational, facilities, and maintenance teams when preparing for the OPR. Insight into long-term operational needs can ensure that the project remains functional and sustainable after completion.
Does the OPR include comments on maintenance staff location, capabilities, and the desired level of training? What about the warranty requirements? Will the commissioning agent return for a 10-month warranty site visit?
Each stakeholder group plays a vital role in shaping the OPR, and organizing regular OPR workshop meetings allows for collaboration. This collaboration fosters positive relationships among stakeholders.
In Summary
- Keep the owner in the “Owner’s” Project Requirements Document.
- Allow the OPR to align the objectives, perspectives and expectations of all stakeholders.
- Use the OPR to enable effective collaboration throughout the project lifecycle.
In the end, the OPR is a living document used throughout all project phases. Stakeholders will create a cohesive and efficient approach, ultimately leading to a successful project.
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2025 edition of AABC’s TAB Journal.
