Construction Process Improvement

The construction process has come under intense scrutiny in recenttimes and this is set to continue as building owners and usersdemand better value for money from a more sustainable builtenvironment. The construction sector's actors are respondingto the challenges implicit in this drive for greatercompetitiveness and social responsibility. New forms ofprocurement, innovation programmes, knowledge management,CAD-supported processes, predictive and diagnostic tools, and manymore initiatives are helping to transform the sector. Construction Process Improvement showcases 21 examples ofhow directed efforts are being taken to raise productivity andquality, reduce waste and costs, and provide more certain anddurable products for the sector's customers. Each example isthe subject of a closely coupled collaborative project in whichanswers are being sought on matters of strategic importance tocompanies. The chapters that describe and discuss these projectsbalance state-of-the-art reviews with details of the work beingundertaken and, in many cases, the results that are beingimplemented within the companies. Construction Process Improvement deals with issues thatmatter to best practice companies and researchers in industry anduniversities. It covers, amongst other topics, modularisation formanufactured housing, life cycle methods in housing, commercialbuildings and services installations, tools and techniques forperformance prediction and diagnostics, coordination of design andproduction processes, novel use of traditional materials, new formsof procurement and the role of innovation, public privatepartnerships, partnering structures, learning organisations,management of major refurbishment, management information systems,TQM and continuous improvement, CAAD methodology, tools and 4-DCAD, and facilities management. This book analyses the way forward for improving theconstruction process, in particular the links between research anddevelopment and industrial competitiveness. The implementation ofnew methods and thinking in companies is examined and importantadvice for senior managers and researchers is offered.