September 2007
By Dr Keith Hampson
Chief Executive Officer
CRC for Construction Innovation
Extending our reach to industry
Construction Innovations extension program, which consists ofthree new programs of research and implementationto run from 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2009, is now underway. The extension program has been developed following extensive consultation with industry.
The extension programwill build on and complement Construction Innovations existing work and will run in parallel with the existing CRC to June 2008 and as a stand-alone programme through to June 2009.
This initiative will position our Centre to submit a competitive bid to the CRC Programmes 2008 Selection Round.If successful, the next round of CRC funding would commence July 2009.
This additional research and implementation programme will focus on:
1. Integrated Digital Modelling
The integrated digital modelling program has been developed to provide outcomes that complement and benefit industry users of Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology. The goal is to provide industry practitioners with NationalGuidelines that promote effective data sharing between disciplines, trial it in an on-line, real-time context and demonstrate the benefits of this paradigm shift in business processes.
Specifically, the Integrated Digital Modelling programme will deliver the following key industry outcomes:
- Contribute to international standards for data sharing in roads, site works, underground services and landscaping
- DevelopNationalGuidelines for sharing data between disciplines based on case-studies of projects using BIM
- Develop a model server specification that allows sharing of data to facilitate effective on-line collaboration between disciplines in the construction supply chain.
2. Construction Safety
OurCRC for Construction Innovation continues to improve construction safety by bringing a national approach to safety competencies and integrating improved practices in the construction supply chain. However, while industry OH&S performance is improving, it is still a long way short of best practice and too many Australians are still being killed and injured each year. Our Construction Safety program will build on our CRCs National Construction Safety Competency Framework embraced by the Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner, to ensure Australias industry benefits from a fundamental improvement of work safety culture and nationally consistent safety legislation.
Our new safety project in the extension program 2007-005-EP Safety EffectivenessIndicators[Cipolla, JHG] examines measurement of safety effectiveness as a requirement for measuring safe behaviours and safety performance. Currently the only method or tool available is PPIs or lead indicators. In other words, as well as requiring positive safety behaviours, these need to be measured according to the positive safety actions they generate. However, currently, there are no standard national or international PPIs that are accepted by the construction industry (or any other industry).
This project will undertake a consultative process to develop Safety Effectiveness Indicators and pilot them on a number of construction projects throughout Australia.
3.Procurement and Dispute Resolution
This program will focus on minimising the cost of litigation in our industry through distilling existing national and international research and practice as a foundation to a fresh research program that will provide a detailed understanding of the factors that facilitate the effective, efficient and timely performance of projects and the root causes and costs of disputes. This program will bring together major construction clients, designers, constructors and facility owners.
Funding of Extension Programme
The additional program will be funded by fresh income from existing and new partners listed below:
Industry | Government | Research |
| Australian Building Codes Board | QUT University of Newcastle |
| Brisbane City Council | |
Leighton Contractors
Mirvac | Building Commission
(Victoria) | Curtin University of Technology |
Nexus Point Solutions Rider Levett Bucknall | Qld Building Services Authority | |
| Queensland Goverment | |
| * Public Works | |
| * State Development | |
| * Main Roads | |
| WA Department of Housing and Works | |
We are delighted to have even stronger support from leading businessesin these programs. In upcoming editions of Update newsletter, we will look each of these programs in more detail.
