What role does the owner representative play in design-build projects?

The owner representative in design-build projects plays a crucial role as the liaison between the owner and the design-build team. This position requires effective communication and coordination to ensure that the owner's needs and expectations are clearly conveyed to the design and construction teams, fostering collaboration and minimizing misunderstandings throughout the project's lifecycle.

The owner representative is responsible for facilitating the flow of information and decisions, advocating for the owner's interests while also supporting the design-build team's efforts to deliver a successful project. This role includes negotiating project details, managing expectations, and helping to resolve any issues that may arise, which is essential when the design and construction processes occur concurrently in the design-build delivery method.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately describe the primary function of the owner representative. Mediation between contractors, securing funding sources, and independently managing the project timeline are typically outside the scope of the owner representative’s responsibilities and can involve other roles or aspects of project management.