2006-07 - Construction Innovation

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Taskforces to provide strategic input into key research projects
from organisations both within and external to our participant base
(see further details in Section 4.2). This approach has proved highly
effective with the Safer Construction and Your Building projects and
has been expanded into our extension program, where an Industry
Taskforce provides guidance and input into the newly established
Dispute Avoidance and Resolution project. This approach also
increases pathways for adoption of research outcomes for industry.
Our researchers and staff actively contributed to policy development
through submissions to government inquiries on business regulation,
sustainability and infrastructure development. We welcomed further
collaboration with key government agencies, such as the Office of
the Federal Safety Commissioner (OFSC) who have participated in
several worksite safety projects and provided additional funding for
the Construction Safety Competency Framework Implementation
project and the Australian Greenhouse Office (AGO) through the Your
Building sustainable commercial building web portal project. The Your
Building project was undertaken through the provision of a $750,000
grant from the Department of the Environment and Water Resources
to develop a business and technical web portal for sustainable
commercial buildings.
Our industry-focused collaborative research has been recognised by
winning four prominent industry association awards, as noted in the
Executive Summary.
Federal Safety Commissioner Tom Fisher at the launch of the Construction
Safety Competency Framework in September 2006. The OFSC has partnered
with Construction Innovation in a number of safety initiatives.
Input from these discussions was considered in the context of
current and previous industry needs-analyses, including the Building
and Construction Industries Action Agenda (1999); the Facility
Management Action Agenda (2004); and current work forming part
of the Built Environment Design Professions Action Agenda (due to
be published in 2008).
The extension program enables Construction Innovation to strengthen
its engagement with its broader participant network and develop and
deliver outcomes in the areas of digital modelling, safety and dispute
resolution.
Industry Taskforces
Industry Taskforces have been established to provide senior strategic
input into key research projects from organisations both within, and
external to, our participant base. This approach has proved highly
effective with the Safer Construction project, chaired by Engineers
Australia Taskforce for Construction Safety Chair and Leighton
Holdings Chief Operating Officer, Bill Wild. The project delivered an
industry-wide Guide to best practice for safer construction.
The Taskforce consists of key representatives from:
Dean Cipolla (right), John Holland Group Safety Manager with Don Dingsdag
of the University of Western Sydney – receiving the Victorian Chapter of the
Australian Institute of Building’s (AIB) Professional Excellence in Building for the
Construction Site Safety Culture project in June 2007.
4.2 Research collaborations
Development of two-year extension program
Construction Innovation’s two-year extension program, which
commenced on 1 July 2007, was developed following extensive
stakeholder engagement by consultation with CEOs and senior
management of industry, government and research organisations
and through a series of workshops held in Sydney, Melbourne,
Brisbane and Perth.
• Engineers Australia (EA)
• Australian Constructors Association (ACA)
• Property Council of Australia (PCA)
• Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA)
• Association of Consulting Engineers Australia (ACEA)
• Australian Procurement and Construction Council (APCC)
• Master Builders Australia
• Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner (OFSC)
• National Committee for Construction Engineering
• John Holland Group
• Construction Innovation.
Delivered in collaboration with Engineers Australia, Safer Construction
brings together the peak national associations for clients, designers
and constructors in the development and dissemination of this
ground-breaking guide. In doing so, the project reinforces the unique
position Construction Innovation occupies in its ability to provide
national, independent industry R&D leadership.
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