Insights on ABT18

About the Course

This intensive one-day course gives you a practical, structured introduction to working with ABT18 in design–build (totalentreprise) contracts. Throughout the day, you will explore the most commonly used contract models and hybrids, gain insight into how risk can be allocated to create strong incentives for collaboration, and learn how to steer both quality and time in complex building projects.
The course is delivered in collaboration with Bygherreforeningen, and registration takes place directly via their website.

Who Is It For?

The course is designed for clients/building owners and their advisers who work with, or are about to work with, totalentreprise under ABT18. It is particularly relevant if you want a clearer overview of your obligations as a client, how to manage cooperation with the design–build contractor, and how to handle changes, extra works and delays in a structured way.

What You Will Learn

During the day you will, among other things, work with:

• The most frequently used ABT18-based models and intermediate forms in design–build contracts – and what they mean for your risk profile as a client.
• How to choose the right contract form and understand the key challenges of totalentreprise, including which risks can advantageously be transferred to the design–build contractor.
• How to steer quality and choice of materials in a design–build contract, even when procurement rules restrict your ability to specify products, and when the design is not fully developed at contract signing.
• How ABT18 regulates coordination and cooperation between client and design–build contractor, including management tools and duties to react.
• How to handle changes and extra works so you know when the contractor is entitled to additional payment.
• How to work systematically with time management in totalentreprise: delays, time extensions and options for acceleration (forcering).
• Which 10 key provisions you should always consider including in your design–build contract to support a smooth and predictable collaboration.

Course Format and Agenda Highlights

The day combines presentations, legal and practical perspectives, and dialogue with participants. Below is an outline of the programme:

• Arrival and breakfast – informal start to the day with coffee and morning rolls. [0]
• Welcome and introduction by Bygherreforeningen – framing of the day and participants’ expectations. [0]
• ABT18 and design–build – introduction to the relevant models
  Review of the most commonly used models and intermediate forms, and what you as a client must pay particular attention to in relation to your partners – including allocation of risk to create good incentives for cooperation, choice of contract form, typical challenges in totalentreprise, and which risks can advantageously be placed with the design–build contractor. [0]
• How can you control quality and choice of materials in a design–build contract?
  Discussion of how to manage quality when procurement rules prevent you from prescribing specific products, and when the building is not fully designed at contract signing – and how these challenges can be addressed in practice. [0]
• Coordination and cooperation in your design–build contract (extra works)
  How client and contractor must cooperate loyally to avoid errors, delays and cost overruns, and how ABT18’s rules on cooperation, management tools and duties to react provide a framework for meetings, schedules, handling of changes and entitlement to payment for extra works. [0]
• Coordination and cooperation in your design–build contract (time management)
  Focus on how to deal with unavoidable delays, what you as a client can do if the contractor is late, requirements for documenting time extensions, and how you can recover lost time through acceleration – and how acceleration differs from the general duty to cooperate and coordinate. [0]
• You set the agenda
  A participant-driven session where you can ask about topics such as the value of using the project development appendix or how to handle bid and project reviews in practice. The participants’ questions shape the discussion. [0]
• 10 provisions you should always consider including in your design–build contract
  Discussion of how a well-balanced description of the project – neither too detailed nor too open – and carefully chosen contractual provisions can help the parties foresee, identify and handle both opportunities and challenges in the basis for the design–build contract. [0]
• Wrap-up and evaluation – key takeaways and reflection before closing. [0]

Instructor

The main instructor throughout the day is Betina Kristiansson, lawyer and Head of Legal Team at Molt Wengel, who will guide you safely through the legal and practical aspects of ABT18 in design–build contracts. [0]

Practical Information & Registration

The course runs over a full day with built-in breaks for networking, refreshments and lunch. For dates, venue and registration, please visit Bygherreforeningen’s website and sign up directly via the course page: Klog på ABT18 – Bygherreforeningen. [0]