Issue 13 2004 December MOVING AHEAD ... DELIVERY AND IMPACT

Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), Arup Australasia, Bovis Lend Lease, Brisbane City Council (BCC), Building Commission (Victoria), Brookwater JV, CSIRO, DEM, John Holland, Qld Dept Main Roads (QDMR), Qld Dept Public Works (QDPW), Qld Dept State Development and Innovation (QDSDI), Qld University of Technology (QUT), Rider Hunt, RMIT, The University of Newcastle (UN), The University of Sydney (US), University of Western Sydney (UWS), Woods Bagot

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2004-2005 MOVING AHEAD ... DELIVERY AND IMPACT

Reflecting on 2004, I'd like to briefly touch on four of the many highlights of the year: our International Conference, the launch of ICALL, ASBEC and the strengthening of our industry linkages.

Our first international conference Clients Driving Innovation was a truly world class event. It was attended by 210 people from 12 countries with evenly balanced representation from industry and research. Refereed papers and case studies were of consistently high quality and captured the diverse themes of the property and construction industry. The conference provided extensive networking and information sharing opportunities and further raised our standing on the international stage. It has created the perfect launchpad to our Second International Conference Clients Driving Innovation - moving ideas into practice to be held 1314 March, 2006 (expect to hear more on that soon). Conference high points include the attendance of and addresses by the Hon Minister for Public Works, Housing and Racing Robert Schwarten MP and Janet Holmes a Court (Chairman of John Holland Group), the international standing of our keynote speakers and the official launch of The International Construction Research Alliance (ICALL).

The formation of the ICALL network brings together the significant strengths of its partners in Centre Scientifique et Technique du Batiment (CSTB), Center for Integrated Facilities Engineering (CIFE) Stanford University, Research Institute for the Built and Human Environment (BUHU) University of Salford, VTT Building and Transport, and the CRC for Construction Innovation. These international research and development bodies across the Americas, Europe and the South Pacific are collaborating to achieve their collective aim of creating World Best Practice in International Construction and Property Management. For more information refer to the website www.icall.crcci.info.

Another initiative Construction Innovation is delighted to be associated with is ASBEC (Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council). With nearly 30 members now on board, the Council is gaining the support and impetus required to carry out its objective of helping Australia achieve leadership in sustainability in the built environment. The September 2004 meeting identified the four action areas of Regulation for Better Practice, Leading Sustainable Practices, Building the Business Case and Communicating & Educating. In 2005, our Chair John McCarthy will hand over the reins of ASBEC to architect Caroline Pidcock, Royal Association Institute of Architects NSW Chapter President.

Last week we hosted the Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF) Board meeting. This developing relationship with an organisation boasting almost 200, 000 members is just part of the process of further strengthening our industry connections. This strategic alliance which will include ongoing linkages at Board level, will enable us to jointly engage in setting research directions, become partners in technology transfer, leverage applied research for industry benefit and share our communication networks.

So where to in 2005? It will be about delivery and impact. Projects will need to demonstrate clear business benefits to industry. Four of our key projects, already receiving strong industry attention are the BRITE project, LCADesign, Project Diagnostics and Road Asset Management Investment*.

Our Third Year Review highlighted the challenges of achieving 'continuous improvement' in research management, commercialisation and technology transfer activities. The series of recommendations made by the Review Panel (Professor Peter Brandon and Dr Geoff Cohen) are currently with the Construction Innovation Board for their consideration. We will be streamlining our business processes and focussing more sharply on delivery and impact challenges arising in the second half of our current CRC.

2005 promises to be another critical year in the life of Construction Innovation. I anticipate it will offer its full share of challenges and rewards as we gain momentum building towards Renewal in 2006 and shaping our vision for a second round CRC

*For more information on the Research Projects listed below refer to our website at /ourprojects.php
2001-012-A BRITE
2001-006-B LCADesign
2002-052-C Project Diagnostics
2001-010-C Road Asset Management Investment

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CONSTRUCTION INNOVATION PROJECT UPDATE

Program C completed projects

To read about the completed projects listed below, visit the Construction Innovation website at /ourprojects.php

Program C: Delivery and Management of Built Assets

2001-003-C Value Alignment Process for Project Delivery [Sidwell, QUT]

2001-007-C Managing Information Flows with Models and Virtual Environments [Drogemuller, CSIRO]

2001-008-C Project Team Integration: Communication, Coordination & Decision Support [Kajewski, QUT]

2001-010-C Investment Decision Framework for Infrastructure Asset Management [Kumar, RMIT]

2001-011-C Evaluation of Functional Performance in Commercial Buildings [Boyd, QUT]

2002-052-C Value in Project Delivery Systems Project Diagnostics [Tsoukas, Arup]

2002-056-C Contract Planning Workbench [Drogemuller, CSIRO]

New projects from 1July 2004

Program A: Business and Industry Development

2002-067-A e-Business Security & Legal Issues [Martin Betts, Queensland University of Technology]
Participants: Qld Dept of Public Works, Qld Dept of Main Roads, Queensland University of Technology, The University of Newcastle

This project will define construction industry contract requirements for electronic information exchange and provide guidelines to facilitate online trading which conforms to legal standards. It will enable construction organisations and their clients to be confident of the legal basis for their electronic business transactions.

2003-003-A e-Business Adoption Project [Kerry London, University of Newcastle] Participants: John Holland, Qld Dept of Public Works, Qld Dept of Main Roads, Building Commission (Victoria), RMIT, The University of Newcastle

The aim of this project is to improve the use of e-business that will in turn provide commercial gains for users, network providers, application developers, e-facility managers and the construction industry in general through more efficient and effective procurement processes. The more widespread diffusion of e-business technology will provide the platform for future information and communication technology industry innovations.

2003-050-A Construction Site Safety Culture [Dean Cipolla, John Holland]
Participants: John Holland, Bovis Lend Lease, Queensland University of Technology, University of Western Sydney

The project team will conduct research in three key areas of safety management in construction sites by identifying:
1) management and supervisory positions within a construction company/project that are critical to safety performance
2) competencies/skills/knowledge/behaviours required to shape the understanding, attitudes, behavioural competencies, norms and commitment of line management and supervision to site/project safety and safety culture
3) training packages and learning tools in place and link their effectiveness to individual site and industry OHS outcomes and safety performance.

Program B: Sustainable Built Assets

2004-011-B Code Checking - Phase 2 <[Lan Ding, CSIRO]
Participants: Woods Bagot, Building Commission (Victoria), The University of Sydney, CSIRO

Automated Code Checking [Drogemuller, CSIRO] and expand it to cover the new provisions for access that are currently out for public comment. The work consists of two components:
1) improving the robustness of the system by providing appropriate pre-checks on the data to ensure that the system is suitable for the typical building designer with an understanding of 3D CAD
2) modifying the existing rules to incorporate the changes to the access provisions that are currently under discussion.

Program C: Delivery and Management of Built Assets

2002-057-C Team Collaboration Using Wireless Computing [Stephen Kajewski, Queensland University of Technology]
Participants: John Holland, Woods Bagot, Queensland University of Technology, The University of Sydney

This project has two streams that consider the use of pervasive computing technologies in two very different contexts:
1) on-site (construction site) deployment of mobile computing devices
2) use and development of intelligent rooms based on sensed environments and new human-computer interfaces for collaboration in the design office. Together, these two streams present a model of team collaboration that relies on continuous communication to people and information to reduce information leakage.

2003-026-C Delivering a Re-life Project [Tony Sidwell, Queensland University of Technology] Participants: John Holland, Qld Dept of Public Works, Queensland University of Technology, RMIT, University of Western Sydney

The project objectives are to to investigate the characteristics of re-life projects that impact upon the effective management of the construction process, such as the identification and mitigation of risks, issues of decanting and existing tenants, identification of existing structure and services, work scheduling, occupational health and safety issues for construction personnel and tenants, demolition, waste and recycling, issues of quality and workmanship, cost planning and cost modelling methodologies.

2003-029-C Maintenance Cost Prediction for Roads [Arun Kumar, RMIT]
Participants: Qld Dept of Public Works, Qld Dept of Main Roads, Queensland University of Technology, RMIT

The project will develop a method for determining the budget prediction for managing the maintenance and rehabilitation of a chosen road network over a chosen analysis period (say 10, 20 or 30 years).

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BRITE Innovation Survey Results - High Innovators Show the Way

watch for developments internationally and in other related industries

Read the full report at www.brite.crcci.info/publications/index.htm. The BRITE site also has case studies that show how innovations have been successfully implemented in a range of projects, and the benefits that were gained.

Participants: Arup, Qld Dept of State Development and Innovation, Qld Dept of Main Roads, Qld Dept of Public Works, CSIRO, Queensland University of Technology, University of Western Sydney

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PREMIER'S AWARD WINNER

Congratulations toDale Gilbert, Construction Innovation Research Committee member from Qld Dept of Public Works, who is the joint winner with QUT's Professor Lidia Morawska of the 2004 Premier's Award category 'Innovation and Creativity'. The entry 'Public Works - QUT Air Quality Research Program' began in 1998 and has lead to an improved understanding of the effect of pollutants, especially motor vehicle emissions, on indoor and outdoor air quality. It has also yielded new information on air quality in offices and residential buildings and the effects of filtration and ventilation systems.

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YBE YOUTHQUAKE

As part of the 2004 Year of the Built Environment, around 70 under-35-year-old property and construction future leaders met at Youthquake to create a desirable built environment for Australia in 2050. Construction Innovation supported the attendance of Sarah Alder (QUT Research Assistant on the DISCOVER Project) and Construction Innovation PhD scholar Col Greville to attend the event held on the last weekend in November in Newcastle. Both of them felt that their participation was extremely worthwhile.

Kevin Nuttall facilitated the process which developed desired outcomes for 2050, strategic pathways to achieving them, milestones and a scorecard for measuring progress. Potential outcomes from Youthquake include a report outlining the decision-making process, a video, the formation of a national group that will facilitate a web-based discussion forum to help develop a series of projects proposed by the delegates. UPDATE will keep you informed on the progress of this group as initiatives unfold.

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SCHOLAR'S CORNER

Scholar examining financial incentives

Construction Innovation PhD Scholar Tim Rose is currently on study leave from the Building Division, Queensland Department of Public Works (QDPW) and is based at Queensland Univeristy of Technology (QUT), Brisbane. He is one year into his research project Optimising the impact of financial incentive mechanisms (FIMs) in Australian Government building projects. Here's how he sums up this project.

My research is investigating the effectiveness of financial incentive mechanisms in Australian Government building projects and how their implementation can be optimised to increase the level of contractor motivation and assist in the attainment of client-defined project goals.

Despite a number of major government initiatives, the Australian construction industry is still experiencing significant problems in project delivery, which is resulting in cost and time overruns and failure to achieve client goals above business as usual. The appropriate implementation of financial incentive mechanisms in the contractual arrangements of construction projects can impact significantly on the motivation of contractors and hence project performance.

The outcomes from my research will enable Government clients and their representatives to gain a better understanding of the impact of motivation and the influence of the projects drivers on financial incentive performance. This will contribute to the development of contract strategies to minimise adverse effects and optimise the performance of financial incentive mechanisms in future Australian Government building projects. My academic and industry supervisors are Dr Karen Manley (QUT) and Don Allan (QDPW) respectively.

To find out more about his research, please email Tim at t.rose@construction-innovation.info

Tim holds an undergraduate honours degree in Construction Management (The University of Newcastle) and was previously employed both in the private and public building sectors, most recently the QDPW. Through a study leave program, Tim commenced his postgraduate studies at QUT in July 2003.

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EVENTS & UPDATES

Construction Innovation events

A Sustainable Built Environment: Planning, Designing and Rating It (10 February, 2005: Brisbane)
This half-day forum by the CRC for Construction Innovation and Brisbane City Council (BCC) explores the opportunities for achieving a sustainable built environment and how rating tools play a part in the planning and design process.

The forum will include presentations by:

Chris Johnson (Government Architect, Dept of Commerce, NSW) - initiatives in NSW including the assessment tool BASIX and successes from the Year of the Built Environment initiative
Ken Stickland - the CRC will provide an overview of their sustainable R+D projects including initiatives such as the LCADesign tool and enhancement to the Building Code of Australia. Ken will also give a briefing on the roles and responsibilities of the newly formed ASBEC (Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council)
Cathy Crawley from Arup Sustainability and Vanessa Swinson (BCC) - recent investigations into the use of rating tools in the planning process and their potential contribution to achieving sustainable outcomes.

Time: 10 February, 2-5 p.m. (registration and presentations), 5-6 p.m. (refreshments and networking)
Cost: $130 per person, $65 per student

Registration details:
seq@eianz.org
Fax: 07 3023 6189
john.tsoukas@arup.com.au or Sheldon Sherman sheldon.sherman@arup.com.au at Arup on
07 3023 6000.
Brisbane, 15 February, 111 George St
Melbourne, 17 February, Arup Melbourne
Melissa.Cogzell@arup.com.au or phone 07 3023 6026
Project Diagnostics screening soon in Asia-Pacific

www.abcasiapacific.com/nexus will be screened on ABC Asia-Pacific TV in about March 2005. If you have contacts in that region and would like to be advised of the airing time (we'll receive about two weeks notice) please indicate this to enquiries@construction-innovation.info.

Partner/External-lead events and updates

FMA announcements

Stephen Ballesty of our CRC partner Rider Hunt succeeds Mr Steve Gladwin as National President

of the Facility Management Association of Australia Limited (FMA). He will lead the FMA for the next two years.

Melbourne: 1820 May 2005)

2005 FMA Awards for Excellence in Facility Management
Award winners receive industry wide recognition and acknowledgements of their innovative performances.

Categories:

www.fma.com.au

QUT Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering Research Week (4-8 July: Brisbane) - Call for papers

Research themes: Achieving best value for clients/bridging the skills gap/Legal and commercial relationships/research and education/Sustainability - new ways for new times/Real estate and property/IT and construction/Innovation in design and construction

Mon/Tues 4-5 July
COBRA (the Construction Research Conference of the RICS foundation)
AUBEA (Australian Universities' Building Educators Association)

Wed 6 July
3rd CIB* Student Chapter International Symposium

Construction Innovation, CIEAM (CRC Integrated Engineering Asset Management) and others.

300 word abstracts to be forwarded to qutrw@qut.edu.au on or before 14 Jan., 2005
For further details refer to website at

*CIB - International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction

Whole-life-costing for asset management (15-16 February: Sydney)

A two-day conference Whole-life-costing for asset management being organised by the International Quality & Productivity Centre (IQPC) will address the key issues:

managing spending patterns during you asset life-cycle

improving decision-making through whole-life-costing.

Dates: 15-16 February, 2005
Venue: Rydges Jamison, Sydney
Booking hotline: 02 9229 1037

Performance Based Building Network News
(information supplied by Peter Boxhall, CSIRO)

Since reporting in the October newsletter, the Australian Performance Based Building (Aus-PeBBu) Network has been predominantly concerned with participation in the Clients Driving Innovation International Conference held in late October and in EU PeBBu domain meetings in Portugal (mid November).

Seven Aus-PeBBu representatives attended a series of meetings with their EU counterparts in Porto, Portugal on 17-19 November. The purpose of the meetings was to disseminate the latest EU developments on performance-based building concepts and practices, and most member states were represented. Greg Foliente gave a fiery keynote presentation during the plenary session, on barriers, drivers and pathways to the widespread adoption of the performance approach in the building and construction industry. The other Aus-PeBBu representatives made presentations at the six individual domain meetings:

Selwyn Tucker Performance of Construction Materials and Components, and Legal and Procurement Practices
Steve Brown & Phillip Paevere Indoor Environments
Peter Scuderi Innovation
Lam Pham Design of Buildings
John Carson Regulations.

A full report on the Portugal series of meetings will be available shortly on the Networks website: www.auspebbu.org

International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI**) Summit (Singapore 1-5 November, 2004)

(information supplied by Kwok-Keung Yum, CSIRO)

The Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) integrated 3D CAD model has reached a certain level of comprehensiveness and sophistication. IAI technical development still continues to include IFC model extension, maintenance and harmonisation with ISO standards.

As the IFC based software product increases in the market, the IAI has acknowledged that it is time to extend the IAI agenda from the focus of technical development to one of engaging the industry to promote and support the wider adoption of standardised IFC 3D CAD models in industry, as a means of integrating multi-disciplinary collaborative work.

The International Council (IC) Meeting in Singapore endorsed new marketing and education strategies to move forward through 2005. The IAI will be Re-branding "Building Smart" to convey the message of improving building process rather than technology. The Chair of the International Council Patrick MacLeamy, Australian members John Mitchell and Kwok K Yum will lead the marketing and communication activities to encourage the use of IFC to owners, governments and wider industry sectors. An education and training group (lead by Peter Scuderi) will develop an international plan to identify teaching, training and certification opportunities to increase the skill base of the industry in this field.

The IAI Australasian chapter is keen to hear from university or TAFE institutions interested in developing course curriculum incorporating IFC technology. Please contact p.scuderi@construction-innovation.info if you would like to know more about this.

** The IAI (International Alliance for Interoperability) is a non-profit, global alliance of the building, construction and software industries with over 600 member organisations in 17 countries. The IAI was formed in 1995 with the primary focus to develop innovative concepts that improve the ways to share information over the life cycle of construction projects. Construction Innovation is represented on the IAI both in Australia and internationally.

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TALL STOREYS IN CONSTRUCTION

7 X 40 floors of construction debris

Do you know of a 'tall (but true) storey' or joke from the world of property and construction? Please send to me at c.foelz@construction-innovation.info

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