| late February 2002 published.
Sir John Fairclough (D. Gann, A. Salter, J. Molas-Gallart, B. Cleasby, J. Senker, T. Sinclair, B. Martin)
MAIN CONCLUSIONS INVESTMENT
? Current Government investment in construction R&D should be safeguarded
? Increase investment on R&D supporting: -Productivity -Value for public sector clients -Strategic issues
STRATEGIC VISION (P.28)
? Acknowledge construction's contribution to quality of life agenda
? Facilitate a strategic vision owned by the industry ? R&D priorities should be based on strategic analysis of the issues faced by the sector
MECHANISMS FOR CHANGE
? The Strategic Forum takes pivotal role in strategic thinking
? New arrangements for prioritising R&D building on foundations laid by CRISP
COMMISSIONING RESEARCH
? Define longer term programmes of R&D based on analysis of problems
? Procurement of R&D on merit, avoiding monopoly supply
? Encourage collaboration, ensure relevance to industry needs, institute strong quality control mechanisms
? Improve dissemination, evaluate impact, assess return on government investment
GOVERNMENT FOCUS (P.32)
? Tailor Government R&D procurement to reflect the various motivations for government support: - Regulator - Sponsor - Client - Policy maker
RESPONDING TO UNFORESEEN EVENTS (P.34)
? Don't maintain government funded research teams ˇ®just in case'
? By procuring R&D on merit, encourage centres and networks of excellence
SKILLS AND RECRUITMENT (P.34)
? Excite researchers by defining programmes of work in terms of quality of life issues and sustainability
? Demand multi disciplinary teams, and more interchange of people between industry and academe
? Centres of excellence will encourage deeper skills and help to recruit and retain research staff
? Facilitate high profile generalist construction qualification
RESEARCH BASE STRUCTURE (P.35)
? Encourage closer working between traditional
construction research organisations
? Enhance intermediary role of traditional research
base, including a remit to distil knowledge,
from outside the UK and outside construction,
for use by the UK sector
INNOVATIVE CAPACITY (P.35)
? Support the best innovators
? Encourage innovation by providing guidance
and encouraging participation in the Teaching
Company Scheme.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The innovative capacity of an industry influences its long-term competitiveness and effectiveness. R&D is an important driver of innovation. No valid argument was presented to justify the construction industry being any different - R&D is as important to the construction industry as any other. But it is not given the same priority as measured in R&D expenditure as a proportion of turnover. The construction industry organises its resources around projects and although it is evident that considerable innovation occurs and is funded within projects there is a problem with institutional learning to capture this innovation for future pro jects.
It is universally recognised that the industry must improve its performance. There are many pressures not least of which is the need for the industry to become more profitable and at the same time, deliver better value for money. The Strategic Forum, which reflects the interests of the whole industry, has recently been established, and is concentrating its initial energy on some key issues of fundamental importance to delivery of the vision set out in Sir John Ega n's report ˇ®Rethinking Construction'.
This represents a bold initiative to break the mould of outdated and often adversarial processes that operate in the sector. Sir John Egan did not consider the role of R&D in his report, but having made considerable progress in getting the industry to focus on the need for change it is now timely to do so. Sir John acknowledges that a carefully focused R&D programme will be required to support the work of the Str ategic Forum.
Once the immediate activities of the Strategic Forum have been initiated, they will have an opportunity to build an outward looking vision. The sector has suffered from a lack of focus and an ability to speak with a single voice on those issues that influence it and its stakeholders as a whole. The sector needs a vision - a strategic perspective - not least because effective R&D must be driven from clear strategic goals.
The sector has a profound influence over our quality of life at home and at work and needs to demonstrate that it will be a force for positive progress. One issue, which will become dominant, is the ne ed for sustainable development.
This represents a significant challenge to the entire construction community, its processes and technologies, as well as to its clients and customers who must demand buildings whose economics are considered on a whole life basis. R&D has a pivotal role to play here but the effort needs to be carefully focused on those activities in which the industry will invest either out of enlightened self-interest or to respond to the demands of clients and governm ent policy.
To help provide this strategic thinking and orchestrate the dialogue, I have proposed new roles for the Strategic Forum and for the Construction Research and Innovation Strategy Panel (CRISP). The indu' esponsibility.
As sponsor for the industry, government policies should facilitate change but not impose or assume control. Business issues and a clear strategic vision should drive industrial R&D policies and practices. The Industry must be encouraged to provide the leadership to set a strategic vision and define its R&D ne eds.
As client, Government has a vital role to stimulate innovation by demanding better value and fitness for purpose from public buildings, and particularly to take account of the interests of the eventual users of these buildin gs.
The strategic framework for R&D should be owned and managed by industry. But in order to facilitate early operation of the relevant bodies the Government should provide the necessary foundation funding to enable the strategic thinking required, after which the industry should pay. Government would thereafter participate in and contribute to these bodies as the guardian of the public interest and as the industry's major client, providing clear representation of policy requirements on such issues as sustainable developm ent. | 