Construction 2020

Media Releases

13 November 2003 Media Release

Construction 2020 hits Brisbane. Next - Australia.

The first Construction 2020 (C2020) Workshop was held in Brisbane on Wednesday 12 November, with broad representation from across the industry.

Construction 2020 is an initiative of the Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation to workshop and survey members of Australia.s property and construction industry to develop and capture a shared vision of what the industry could look like in the Year 2020, and what is needed to get it there.

Over sixty people attended the Brisbane workshop to listen to an overview of Construction Innovation.s research activities and define their best dreams and worst nightmares for the future of the industry.

Feedback from workshop participants was excellent, with members suggesting the C2020 process was a valuable one to assist in bringing together what is currently an industry riddled with adversarial and disparate effort.

Professor Peter Brandon, an international expert in the property and construction industry, is facilitating the C2020 initiative, and will be travelling to all capital cities in Australia to workshop and capture the vision of where the Australian property and construction industry is heading; and determining how the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Construction Innovation can lead the industry in applied research to achieve this vision.

Professor Brandon recently completed his term as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for research at the University of Salford, UK - the only UK University to be awarded a 6-star rating in the Built Environment within the independent UK research assessment exercise. He is now the University Director of Strategic Programmes.

Professor Brandon will be compiling results from a questionnaire being delivered to over 100 000 members of the industry, requesting information on the possibilities and vision for the Australian construction industry. The questionnaire is also available on the C2020 website www.construction2020.construction-innovation.info and can be submitted on-line, or by fax or post.

Sharing the facilitation role in the C2020 workshops is Dr Keith Hampson, CEO of the Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation. Dr Hampson is committed to building a more internationally competitive Australian property and construction industry by developing applied technology and management systems, promoting better education, and innovative practices.

10 November 2003 Media Release

As interest rates rise, Queensland property and construction workers look to the future

With indications suggesting property markets are cooling and interest rates are rising, the sector has decided to examine itself.

More than 100 people from the property and construction sector are attending a workshop in Brisbane on Wednesday 12 November at the Auditorium, 111 George Street, Brisbane, from 4:00.7:00 pm to look at where the property and construction industry is at, and what is taking it forward into the Year 2020. Is the industry giving buyers what they want? Is it internationally competitive? Is it focusing too little on sustainability? Is it able to reduce costs all the way down the supply chain? And does the industry have a clear and united picture of where it wants to be in 2020? These and more questions will be asked when industry comes together this week for the workshops.

The facilitated workshops are the main program of an initiative called Construction 2020, which is about capturing the vision of where the Australian property and construction industry is heading.

Initiated by the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Construction Innovation, Construction 2020 begins with a series of participatory workshops in every capital city of Australia in November and December to seek industry views on the direction and challenges facing the Australian property and construction industry today and into the future.

The last time a report was produced on the state of the industry was in the late 1990.s: a government-industry initiative which brought together all major players to identify issues to lift industry performance. The formation of this CRC was one of the recommendations arising from that National Building and Construction Committee and Australian Government Action Agenda process.

Through the Construction 2020 workshops, the CRC hopes to gain an Australian perspective and vision of where the property and construction industry is heading and the research needed to make the Australian industry more competitive. The outcomes will be documented in a quality industry-focused report for broad distribution, to be launched May 2004. In addition, the results will be disseminated through a series of national seminars mid-2004. The Construction 2020 workshops are being presented by Professor Peter Brandon who recently completed his term as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for research at the University of Salford, UK, the only UK University to be awarded a 6-star rating in the Built Environment within the independent UK research assessment exercise. He is now the University Director of Strategic Programmes.

Dr Keith Hampson, CEO of CRC for Construction Innovation, is also presenting. He is committed to building a more internationally competitive Australian property and construction industry by developing applied technology and management systems, promoting better education, and innovative practices.

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Contact Kate Finlayson, Media Officer, CRC for Construction Innovation: T: 07 3864 9295

26 September 2003 Media Release

Be heard! Construction 2020 . The way forward

Builders, contractors, industry leaders - EVERYONE working in the Australian property and construction industry. You can talk about your vision for the year 2020 in a series of workshops being held around the country in November and December 2003.

We call it Construction 2020, and it.s all about -

• capturing the vision of where the Australian property and construction industry is heading; and
• determining how the Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation can lead the industry in applied research to achieve this vision.

Construction 2020 will begin with a series of participatory workshops in every capital city of Australia to seek industry leaders. and industry members. views on the direction and challenges facing the Australian property and construction industry today and into the future.

The last time a report was produced on the state of the industry was in the late 1990.s: a government-industry initiative which brought together all major players to identify issues to lift industry performance. The formation of a Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) was one of the recommendations arising from that National Building and Construction Committee and Australian Government Action Agenda process. It was a valuable process. Now that we have a CRC servicing the Australian property and construction industry, we believe you should help clarify the vision for the property and construction industry.

So who are we? Construction Innovation is a research and development collaboration involving 19 industry, government and research partners and has been made possible through a $14 million Federal Government grant through the CRC Program complemented by $50 million of cash and in-kind support from industry, research and other government partners.

What do we do? We take ideas, turn them into collaborative research, and turn that research into industry relevant results for our partners and the whole industry. We encourage innovation in our research, and collaboration in our projects. We know the industry has not always been talking together, or working well together. Our aim is to work with you to improve that.

What is the main purpose of Construction 2020? To gain an Australian perspective and vision of where the property and construction industry is heading and the research needed to make the Australian industry more competitive, on the understanding that excellent research and development will contribute to national and international growth in the construction industry. The outcomes will be documented in a quality industry-focused report for broad distribution, to be launched in May 2004. In addition, the results will be disseminated through a series of national seminars mid-2004.

What are the benefits for you in participating in these workshops? Firstly, you will be heard. Your voice and your vision is important in defining the next period of growth and development for our industry. You will also see practical and exciting examples of where Construction Innovation is leading the property and construction industry in applied research and development and technology transfer, and will have the opportunity to see how new and leading edge research is being applied in the industry.

Who is presenting Construction 2020?
Professor Peter Brandon recently completed his term as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for research at the University of Salford, UK, the only UK University to be awarded a 6-star rating in the Built Environment within the independent UK research assessment exercise. He is now the University Director of Strategic Programmes.

Peter.s research interests range from construction economics and management, information and knowledge based systems for construction and more recently sustainable development. Several of the outputs of his research have resulted in commercial products. He has played a significant role in UK Construction Research Policy and now Chairs the Ross Priory Group which includes all the major research organisations in the UK. He founded .Construct IT. , the UK National Centre for Construction IT (which won the Queens Jubilee prize for Higher Education) and has established six other centres which work with industry on research and innovation issues.

Dr Keith Hampson is committed to building a more internationally competitive Australian property and construction industry by developing applied technology and management systems, promoting better education, and innovative practices.

As CEO of the CRC for Construction Innovation, Keith has responsibility for crafting a blend of commercial and public good outcomes on behalf of the Centre.s industry, government and research partners. Keith.s career has spanned these three sectors, where he has developed a reputation as an energetic leader with a strong blend of technical and management skills and formal qualifications gained through international experience and scholarship.

When and where are the workshops?

Brisbane . Wednesday 12 November
Auditorium, 111 George Street
Workshop: 4:00.7:00 pm

Hobart . Monday 24 November
The Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel, 1 Macquarie Street
Workshop: 4:00.7:00 pm

Melbourne . Tuesday 25 November
Rydges Hotel, 186 Exhibition Street
Workshop: 4:00.7:00 pm

Sydney . Wednesday 26 November
Engineers Australia Auditorium, Eagle House,118 Alfred Street, Milsons Point
Workshop: 4:00.7:00 pm

Canberra . Thursday 27 November
The Canberra Club, 45 West Row
Workshop: 4:00.7:00 pm

Perth . Monday 1 December Engineers Australia Auditorium, 712 Murray Street, West Perth
Workshop: 4:00.7:00 pm

Adelaide . Wednesday 3 December
Novotel Hotel, 65 Hindley Street
Workshop: 2:30.5:30 pm

Darwin . Thursday 4 December
Crowne Plaza Hotel, 32 Mitchell Street
Workshop: 3:00.6:00 pm

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