2006-07 - Construction Innovation

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Research symposiums
Two research symposiums were held in Perth and Sydney in 2006–07.
The research symposiums Construction Innovation continue to
provide a conduit for disseminating research outcomes to industry
and developing engagement with Small to Medium Enterprises (SME).
The Perth symposium, held at Engineers Australia in February 2007,
focused on seven research projects and featured industry and
academic presenters.
The Sydney research symposium held in June 2007 featured an
overview of current worksite safety research and the benefits of
innovation. The research symposiums were very well received,
with over 150 people attending. Further research symposiums
are planned for other cities.
International collaborations
Our international industry and research collaboration has achieved
significant recognition. Construction Innovation’s Chair, Mr John
McCarthy, sits on the Board of CIB, a global network for international
exchange and cooperation in research and innovation in building
and construction.
Mr McCarthy was appointed Chair of the CIB Marketing and
Communication Committee at the Triennial CIB World Building
Congress held in Capetown in May 2006.
CEO Keith Hampson leads the international CIB Innovation in
Construction Task Group.
Construction Innovation staff and researchers presented the following
refereed papers at the CIB Congress:
• Effective Financial Incentive Mechanisms: An Australian Case
Study; Rose, T., Manley, K.
• An Integrated Approach to the Relife of Office Buildings; Yang,
J., Lim, S.
At the launch of the Guide to Best Practice for Safer Construction – a research
project outcome guided by a high level industry steering committee – were
(L–R) John McCarthy, Chair, Construction Innovation; the Hon Joe Hockey,
Federal Employment and Workplace Relations Minister, Keith Hampson, CEO,
Construction Innovation; Bill Wild, CEO, Leighton Holdings (and Chair of the
Engineers Australia Taskforce for Construction Safety).
CEO Keith Hampson was invited to participate in an International
Review Panel of PSIBouw (Process and System Innovation in Building
and Construction) in The Netherlands, which promotes the CRC
model of industry-research collaboration to deliver industry and
national benefit.
Construction Innovation also strengthened its collaboration with
buildingSMART International Alliance (IAI) for Interoperability, the
organisation which established the international open standard IFC
for object-based software in construction and facilities management.
Construction Innovation’s Chief Operating Officer, Research and
Commercialisation, Peter Scuderi, is a member of the IAI International
Council and attended IAI International Council meetings in London,
where he showcased the significant research outcomes of
Construction Innovation’s Sydney Opera House FM Project.
• Role of Cultural Capital towards the Development of a
Sustainable Business Model for Design Firm Internationalisation;
London, K., Chen, J.
• Uptake of OHS Code of Practice by Australian Construction
Firms; Charles, M.B Furneaux, C., Pillay, J., Thorpe, D., Castillo,
CP., Brown, K.
• Mapping the Australian Regulatory Environment: Implications for
Construction Firms; Furneaux, C., Brown, K., Hampson, K.
• Managing Building Projects through Enhanced Communication:
An ICT Based Strategy for Small and Medium Enterprises, Yang,
J., Ahuja, V., Shankar, R. and;
• Strategies for Minimising the Whole of Life Cycle Cost of
Reinforced Concrete Bridge Exposed to Aggressive Environments;
Humphreys, M., Setunge, S., Fenwick, J., Alwi, S.
Project Leader John Tsoukas (right) and Daniyal Mian of Arup with the 2006
Professional Excellence award for Research and Development for Construction
Innovation’s Project Diagnostics at the AIB National Awards in September 2006.
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