37º IAHS World Congress on Housing: - Universidad de Cantabria

XXXVII <strong>IAHS</strong><strong>World</strong> <strong>Congress</strong> on HousingOctober 26 – 29, 2010, Santander, SpainCODE: 927INNOVATION BASED ON ALTERNATIVE USE OFMATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES IN BUILDINGINDUSTRYManuel Cabeza GonzálezDepartment of Industrial System Engineering and DesignUniversidad Jaume ICastellón de la Plana, Spaine-mail: cabeza@esid.uji.esKey words: technology, construction, aeronautical industry.AbstractThe main objective of this study is to observe how advances in building technology are notalways determined by the use of more innovative materials or highly technologicalconstruction techniques. Evolution in this field can be determined by an unusual use ofmaterials in construction, making it possible to develop new techniques for the application ofthese materials within the construction process.This unusual use of building materials was often resorted to in Spain during the first half ofthe twentieth century, as a result of the lack of resources and the need for quality production.Thus, the building industry found new and unexpected applications for materials, whichprompted the development of building techniques for the correct resolution of the innovativeplans proposed.On other occasions the introduction of materials and technologies from other similardisciplines, such as the aeronautical industry, further removed the building industry fromtraditional practices, although the lack of major technological achievements meant thattradition and innovation could be combined.An analysis of present-day construction processes has shown how, in addition to solvingspecific problems, many of these applications have also brought about advances inconstruction technology, even formalising new patents which are commercially available atpresent.37º <strong>IAHS</strong> <strong>World</strong> <strong>Congress</strong> On Housing Science 301