Innovative Construction Research Centre (ICRC)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Reading
Department Name: Construction Management and Engineering
Abstract
The Innovative Construction Research Centre (ICRC) is dedicated to socio-technical systems research within the built environment, with particular emphasis on through-life performance in support of the client's business operations. Our vision is for a research centre that not only supports the competitiveness of the architectural, engineering, construction and facilities management sectors, but also supports societal needs for built infrastructure and the broader competitiveness of the UK economy. The domain of enquiry lies at the crucial interface between human and technical systems, thereby requiring an inter-disciplinary approach that combines engineering research methods with those derived from the social sciences. The ICRC's research portfolio is organised into six themes: (1) Integration of design, construction and facilities management. Concerns the through-life management of socio-technical systems within the built environment. Topics of consideration include: integrated logistic support, design for reliability and systems integration for building services. Of particular concern is the way that firms within the supply chain are integrated to provide solutions that add value to the client's business. (2) Knowledge management and organisational learning. Addresses the means of supporting knowledge flows across extended supply chains and the extent to which procurement systems learn across projects. Of particular importance is the design of learning mechanisms that extend across organisational boundaries. Also investigates the degree to which the construction sector can learn from other sectors, i.e. aerospace, automotive, retail, defence. (3) Human resource management and the culture of the industry. The construction sector is too often characterised by regressive approaches to human resource management (HRM) with little emphasis on developmental to support innovation. Of particular importance is the concept of 'high commitment management' that has emerged as a central component in the quest to link people management to business performance. Any attempt to improve HRM practices in the construction sector must also recognise cultural barriers to the implementation of new ways of working.(4) Innovative procurement. Includes legal, economic and organisational aspects of procurement systems. The last twenty years has seen a plethora of new procurement methods seeking to encourage different behaviours and allocations of risk. Many such initiatives experienced significant reality gaps between technological intent and resultant behaviours. Of particular importance in the current context is the notion of performance-based contracting which seeks to reward parties on the basis of building performance.(5) Innovation in through-life service provision. Most innovation in facilities management (FM) is concerned with service provision rather than the design and construction of the built asset. The inclusion of FM-service provision reflects the ICRC's strategic focus on through-life issues. The shift towards service provision is reflected in practice through procurement approaches such as PFI/PPP. But the issue has a wider significance as construction contractors increasingly embrace service philosophy. (6) Competitiveness, productivity and performance. Focuses on techniques for performance improvement, coupled with a broader emphasis on competitiveness and profitability within the marketplace. Techniques for performance improvement include: process mapping, benchmarking, value management, risk management and life-cycle costing. Also seeks to assess the competitiveness of the construction sector in comparison to other countries, and to achieve a broader understanding of the economic context within which firms operate.
Organisations
- University of Reading (Lead Research Organisation)
- Max Fordham (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Scott Brownrigg Ltd (Project Partner)
- Confederation of Finnish Construction (Project Partner)
- British Institute of Facilities Management (Project Partner)
- British International Investment (Project Partner)
- National Audit Office (Project Partner)
- Mowlem Plc (Project Partner)
- Royal Inst Chartered Surveyors (Project Partner)
- Inbis (Project Partner)
- Audit Commission (Project Partner)
- Union, Const'n. & Allied Trade Technicia (Project Partner)
- FaberMaunsell Ltd (Project Partner)
- Balfour Beatty (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Air Black Box (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Fulcrum Consulting Ltd (Project Partner)
- The Facilities Society (Project Partner)
- W S Atkins Consultants Ltd (Project Partner)
- Assystem (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Construction Industry Solutions Ltd (Project Partner)
- Concur Partnership Ltd (Project Partner)
- Emcor Drake & Scull Ltd (Project Partner)
- Arup Group (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- NMEC (Project Partner)
- Ansys UK Ltd (Project Partner)
- Forticrete Ltd (Project Partner)
- Asite Solutions Limited (Project Partner)
- Gardiner and Theobald (Project Partner)
- Andrew Wilkes Management (Project Partner)
- Waterman Partnership (Project Partner)
- Highways England (Project Partner)
- DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION (Project Partner)
- NG Bailey Ltd (Project Partner)
- Reid,Geoffrey,Associates Ltd (Project Partner)
- Jacobs (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Jones Lang LaSalle (Project Partner)
- B A E Systems (Project Partner)
- Collier and Catley Ltd (Project Partner)
- The Football Association (Project Partner)
- Costain (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Sir Robert McAlpine (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Confederation of Construction Specialist (Project Partner)
- Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (Project Partner)
- Royal Institute of British Architects (Project Partner)
- Tekla (Project Partner)
- Aqumen Services Ltd (Project Partner)
- Construction Industry Training Board (Project Partner)
- Lend Lease (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- MR1 Consulting (Project Partner)
- Ove Arup Ltd (Project Partner)
- Global Solutions UK Ltd (Project Partner)
- R G C M Ltd (Project Partner)
- Rolls-Royce (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Dytecna (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- EMCOR Rail Ltd (Project Partner)
- John Mowlem Construction plc (Project Partner)
- Wilkinson Eyre Architects (Project Partner)
- Landsec Limited (Project Partner)
- Atkins (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- M41 - Movement for Innovation (Project Partner)
- Office for National Statistics (Project Partner)
- Constructing Excellence (Project Partner)
- National House Building Council (Project Partner)
- Emap Glenigan (Project Partner)
- Mott Macdonald (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (Project Partner)
- Troup Bywaters & Anders Ltd (Project Partner)
- Skanska (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Institution of Civil Engineers (Project Partner)
- UK Trade and Investment (Project Partner)
- Federation of European Heating REHVA (Project Partner)
- Hans Haenlein Architects (Project Partner)
- Mace (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- E C Harris (Project Partner)
- British Expertise (Project Partner)
- Jacobs UK Limited (Project Partner)
- BWA (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Monodraught (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- European Intelligent Bldg GP (Project Partner)
- Walters and Cohen (Project Partner)
- Irvine-Whitlock Ltd (Project Partner)
- Swedish Contractors Confederation (Project Partner)
- Quorum Logistics Support Ltd (Project Partner)
- Building Information Warehouse Ltd (Project Partner)
- Performance Building Partnership (Project Partner)
- Pearce (Retail Services) Ltd (Project Partner)
Publications
Green S
(2008)
Forum Theorizing in the context of professional practice: the case for middle-range theories
in Building Research & Information
G Larsen
(2008)
Partnering in flight: from being to becoming
in Journal of Construction Procurement
Ewenstein B
(2009)
Knowledge Practices in Design: The Role of Visual Representations as `Epistemic Objects'
in Organization Studies
Davies R
(2009)
Care pathways and designing the health-care built environment: an explanatory framework
in International Journal of Care Pathways
Leiringer R
(2009)
Living up to the value agenda: the empirical realities of through-life value creation in construction
in Construction Management and Economics
Harty C
(2010)
Emerging Hybrid Practices in Construction Design Work: Role of Mixed Media
in Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Bresnen M
(2010)
Editorial: objects, knowledge sharing and knowledge transformation in projects
in Construction Management and Economics
Whyte J
(2010)
Learning by Design: Visual Practices and Organizational Transformation in Schools
in Design Issues
Lu X
(2010)
Integration of chaos theory and mathematical models in building simulation
in Automation in Construction
ALwaer H
(2010)
Key performance indicators (KPIs) and priority setting in using the multi-attribute approach for assessing sustainable intelligent buildings
in Building and Environment
Lu X
(2010)
Integration of chaos theory and mathematical models in building simulation
in Automation in Construction
Liu K
(2010)
Pervasive informatics: theory, practice and future directions
in Intelligent Buildings International
Schweber L
(2010)
Actors and objects: a socio-technical networks approach to technology uptake in the construction sector
in Construction Management and Economics
Whyte J
(2010)
Coordination and control in project-based work: digital objects and infrastructures for delivery
in Construction Management and Economics
Green S
(2010)
Contextualist Research: Iterating between Methods While Following an Empirically Grounded Approach
in Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
Harty C
(2010)
Implementing innovation: designers, users and actor-networks
in Technology Analysis & Strategic Management
Raja J
(2010)
Concurrent and disconnected change programmes: strategies in support of servitization and the implementation of business partnering
in Human Resource Management Journal
Green S
(2011)
Making Sense of Construction Improvement
Whyte J
(2011)
Managing digital coordination of design: emerging hybrid practices in an institutionalized project setting
in Engineering Project Organization Journal
Whyte J
(2011)
Motivations for innovation in the built environment: new directions for research
in Building Research & Information
Clements-Croome D
(2011)
Sick Building Syndrome - in Public Buildings and Workplaces
Yang T
(2012)
Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology
Ness, K
(2012)
Human Resource Management in Construction