Shadow Design

The architect and designers create the design. We protect the investor’s interests. Our Shadow Design service brings an independent expert perspective while the design is being developed: we challenge technical solutions, flag risks and propose alternatives. This is especially valuable for international clients who need their own standards applied in local conditions.

Our Shadow Design provides an independent expert review of the design and design documentation while they are being developed. The Grinity team continuously consults on proposed solutions, checks that they comply with the investor’s brief and verifies that technical, functional and operational requirements are correctly reflected in the project.

The Shadow Designer acts as the investor’s expert partner in dealings with the architect and designers. They help identify unsuitable or incomplete solutions early, flag potential risks and, where needed, propose alternative technical options. This service is especially valuable on projects where the investor’s complex standards need to be adapted to local technical, regulatory and construction conditions.

Shadow Design is particularly suitable for:

Investors and developers who require an independent expert review of the design documentation
International clients adapting their own technical and operational standards to local conditions
Technically or operationally complex projects with high demands on design quality
Projects where the investor needs an expert partner to challenge the proposed solutions
Renovations, fit-outs and other projects with significant interfaces with an existing building or its systems

Key benefits of Shadow Design:

Independent verification that the design complies with the investor’s brief
Early identification of technical deficiencies and risks
Verification that standards and functional requirements are correctly implemented
Expert peer review and proposals for alternative technical solutions
Reduced risk of changes and complications in later project phases

Independent design review during the design phase

The Shadow Designer is involved in the design process on an ongoing basis, consulting on key technical solutions and reviewing design deliverables. The focus is mainly on whether they comply with the investor’s brief, the required standards, the project’s functional needs and the conditions of the specific location.

Our independent perspective allows us to flag potential deficiencies early and propose alternative solutions before they are incorporated into the final documentation or built. The investor gets greater assurance that the project meets their requirements and that key technical decisions are based on a qualified assessment.

Project Management

Every construction project brings together investors, architects, designers, contractors and specialists, and someone has to keep them all moving in the same direction. Our Project Managers coordinate every participant from preparation to handover, manage the schedule, milestones and risks, and use Grinity’s own standardized methodology to give investors a clear view of where the project stands.

Detail Project Management

Cost Management

How much will the project really cost, and what will each change do to the final figure? Our Cost Managers answer these questions at every stage. We prepare and refine cost estimates, run and evaluate bids, check change orders, invoices and payment applications, and offer design-to-cost and bank monitoring, so the budget stays transparent from the first estimate to the final account.

Detail Cost Management

Technical Supervision

Quality problems are easiest to fix while the building is still under construction. Our Technical Supervisors check that the works follow the approved design documentation, method statements and inspection and test plans, record defects in digital applications and track their rectification. At handover, investors can be confident that what they receive matches what they ordered.

Detail Technical Supervision

MEP Advisory

Our MEP Advisory services brings in-house mechanical and electrical specialists into the project from day one. We help define the concept and technical brief, review the design, optimize solutions for cost, energy performance and maintenance, and support contractor selection. During construction, we supervise the MEP works and organize Testing & Commissioning before the systems go live.

Detail MEP Advisory

Testing & Commissioning

Handover is the moment of truth for every building system. Our Testing & Commissioning team prepares the plan for functional and integrated systems tests, coordinates testing with the contractor and project team, and evaluates the results. Systems are verified both individually and under real operating scenarios, so the building is ready for reliable operation at handover.

Detail Testing & Commissioning

Health & Safety Coordination and Management

When several contractors work on site at the same time, safety depends on coordination. As Health and Safety Coordinators, we prepare and update the health and safety plan, monitor risks arising from overlapping works, carry out regular site inspections and chair safety meetings. Investors get an ongoing picture of site safety and support in meeting their legal obligations.

Detail Health & Safety Coordination and Management

Value Engineering

Value Engineering is not about cutting corners. It is about finding the solution that delivers the best overall value. We review the concept, use of space, materials, standards and construction methods, then develop alternatives and assess their impact on cost, schedule, quality and operation, giving investors a clear comparison of options before key decisions are made.

Detail Value Engineering

Program Management

For investors and corporate clients running several projects at once, the challenge is seeing the whole picture. Our Program Management sets up one framework, one set of processes and one reporting format across the entire portfolio. Consolidated data and clear dashboards show schedules, costs, risks and interdependencies at a glance, so management can set priorities with confidence.

Detail Program Management

Design Management

Good design starts with a clear brief. Our Design Managers help investors define their requirements, prepare documents such as a Design Brief or White Book, and coordinate the architect, designers and specialists throughout the design process. Systematic review and approval of each documentation stage keeps the design on schedule and limits costly changes once construction begins.

Detail Design Management

Design Check

Before documentation goes out to bid, it pays to have it checked by someone who did not draw it. Our independent Design Check reviews each design stage for technical accuracy, completeness and coordination between disciplines. We log comments, discuss them with the responsible designer and verify they are incorporated into the final issue, reducing the risk of surprises on site.

Detail Design Check

Contract Advisory

A contract determines exactly what will be built, at what cost and by when. Our technical Contract Advisory brings the perspective of construction specialists to the work of the client’s legal team. From construction contracts and LoIs to lease agreements and SPAs, we make sure scope, quality, price, schedule, responsibilities and handover conditions are clearly defined.

Detail Contract Advisory