Industry Research

1.10.4 Bringing Consistency and Enhancing Circular Economy Practices in the Built Environment

The project will make a significant contribution by establishing a consistent circular economy framework for the built environment. This clarity will enable businesses and industries to develop realistic action plans and targets for their circular economy initiatives.

2024 - 2026

Outcome Themes Economic

BuildingInfrastructure

2.10.5 Procuring Buildings and Infrastructure: Unlocking the value of ESG

The building and infrastructure sectors are under significant scrutiny from regulators, investors, and the public to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and social responsibility.

2024 - 2026

Outcome Themes Economic, Process

2.10.2 Transforming Life Cycle Carbon Accounting using AI

In the era of climate change awareness and sustainable development, accurate carbon accounting has become imperative for businesses and governments alike.

2024 - 2026

1.10.1 Delivering Social and Affordable Housing at Scale: Turning Challenges into Opportunities

This project will investigate the challenges and opportunities in scaling social and affordable housing delivery. By identifying the potentials for improving construction practices, overcoming supply chain hurdles, and enhancing the stakeholders’ decision making, strategic recommendations will be developed to facilitate cost-effective delivery of social housing project at scale.

2024 - 2026

P1.87 Green Hydrogen for Road Transport in Western Australia (21.RP2.0094)

This project aims at designing and implementing a pilot program which will contribute to the development of the entire industry supply chain for hydrogen fuelled heavy haul vehicles in WA, including hydrogen production, transportation, refuelling infrastructure and vehicle marketing.

2022 - 2025

Outcome Themes Economic, Environment

2.92 Smarter and Greener Built Assets through Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence

Built assets are responsible for 50% of resource consumption, 36% of energy consumption and 38% of energy-related carbon emissions.

2023 - 2024

1.91 Build-to-Rent to Increase Supply of Social and Affordable Housing in Australia

To address current critical challenges facing the social and affordable (SAH) sector, this research will investigate the potential of Build-to-Rent (BtR) to increase the supply of rental housing in Australia including the practicability of seeking to secure a portion of social and/or affordable housing through multi-sector partnerships.

2023 - 2024

2.96 Achieving Decarbonisation by Reducing Embodied Carbon Through Procurement

This project aims to drive reductions of embodied carbon in the Australian built environment by leveraging organisations’ purchasing power and enhancing their procurement processes and practices.

2023 - 2024

1.95 Using Recycled and Recyclable Products: Influencing Stakeholders through Circular Economy Practices

This project will identify strategies to enhance the economic and environmental performance of projects using products with recycled and recyclable content;

2023 - 2024

1.94 Net Zero Corridors : Integrating Transit with Urban Development

To develop a governance and procurement model that integrates public and private interests into the delivery of mid-tier transit corridors and station precincts along main road corridors, as part of the journey to net zero cities.

2023 - 2024

1.93 Green Energy and Decarbonisation Transition of the Built Environment

This project aims to address industry challenges with a focus on sustainable energy solutions. It will study two key areas; the design of efficient and cost-effective networked renewable energy and hydrogen microgrids for regional/remote and national park applications, and decarbonisation of construction materials, sites, and processes, as well as the promotion of low-carbon building products.

2023 - 2024

P2.67ARC Constructing Building Integrity: Raising Standards Through Professionalism (LP190110218)

This project is funded partially by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council.

2021 - 2024

1.84 Net Zero Corridors – The Business Case and an Engagement Process

This project will build on previous projects related to mid-tier transit solutions, activated transit corridors and housing diversity.

2021 - 2023

1.85 Enhancing the Use of Products with Recycled Contents in the Australian Construction Industry

The project will make a significant contribution to the construction industry by enhancing the use of products with recycled content.

2021 - 2023

2.82 Digitally-Enabled Asset Life-Cycle Management

Digital engineering in the built environment has been the subject of changing practice and research for years and life-cycle consideration of the usefulness of the digital models has attracted much attention.

2021 - 2023

Strategic Themes Sustainable Procurement

2.86 Developing Sustainable and Resilient Supply Chains

This project aims to develop sustainable and resilient construction supply chain capabilities, especially for SMEs in Australia to bridge the gap between supply chain capabilities and client expectations.

2021 - 2023

1.81 Developing a Social and Affordable Housing Investment Tool

The current social and affordable housing (SAH) market is facing several challenges relating to persistent issues around long waiting lists and homelessness.

2021 - 2023

3.83 FreightSync Proof of Concept – Investigating value creation from the exchange of freight vehicle data with transport agencies

This project seeks to investigate through a proof-of-concept approach the potential for near real-time data to be securely exchanged between freight operators and transport agencies through a trusted intermediary in a manner that delivers mutual benefit.

2021 - 2023

1.24b Greening the Built Environment – Zero Carbon Airport Precincts

It is clear that through advances in small scale renewable energy generation and storage, the energy sector has changed forever, and more specifically that a centralised energy system is no longer suited as the basis for a city or a nation’s energy supply system.

2020 - 2022

P2.51ARC Asset Intelligence: Maximising Operational Effectiveness for the Digital Era (LP180100222)

This project is funded partially by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council.

2019 - 2022

2.72 Leveraging an Integrated Information Lifecycle Management Framework – Building and Infrastructure Sectors

Digital engineering in the built environment has been the subject of changing practice and research for years and is often complicated by inconsistency in data standards from various stakeholders.

2020 - 2021

1.71 Liveable Social and Affordable Higher Density Housing

Ensuring liveability and accessibility in medium to high density urban housing and precincts in our cities is critical to maximise investment and minimise future risks to our community.

2019 - 2021

Strategic Themes Sustainable Procurement

2.76 Sustainable Procurement

There is an increasing community expectation to support sustainable products and practices through the billions spent by government and industry in their commercial operations.

2020 - 2021

1.74 Delivering Transit Activated Corridors

This project aims to help deliver the new concept of Transit Activated Corridors (TAC’s) which are main road corridors refurbished to provide higher capacity new technology transit integrated with higher density urban regeneration and affordable housing projects.

2020 - 2021

Outcome Themes Economic

1.75 Creation and Stimulation of End Markets for Construction and Demolition Waste

This project seeks to develop a national understanding of the operation and capacity of existing end markets for C&D waste in Australian jurisdictions.

2020 - 2021

3.73 Road Freight and Network Efficiency

Freight vehicles depend on and impact the transport network, however a reluctance to exchange data has led to little interaction between the two systems, resulting in missed opportunities to gain efficiencies.

2020 - 2021

Outcome Themes Construction, Productivity

2.56ARC Improving Road Network Operations under Non-recurrent Events (LP170100341)

This project is funded partially by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council.

2018 - 2021

Outcome Themes Construction, Process

3.48ARC Bridge performance assessment through advanced sensing and modelling (LP160100528)

The primary aim of this project is to develop new techniques in creating cyber infrastructure, for bridges in particular, to improve current performance assessment and future capacity estimation.

2017 - 2020

2.64 Unlocking Facility Value through Lifecycle Thinking

Lifecycle thinking has significant potential for improving the delivery, maintenance and operation of facilities. Industry disaggregation, poor marketing of the value and disparate market drivers have limited the potential for greater uptake along the supply chain.

2018 - 2020

1.65 A National Economic Approach to Improved Management of Construction and Demolition Waste

A holistic national approach is required to handle the growing issue of construction and demolition (C&D) waste management in Australia.

2018 - 2020

1.62 Sustainable Centres of Tomorrow: People and Place

Australian cities are going through a transition, with a clear priority to make more productive, sustainable, liveable centres.

2018 - 2020

1.63 Exploring the Potential for Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain to Enhance Transport

This project will explore a range of digitally-driven opportunities and challenges in seeking to get cities moving and functioning better;

2018 - 2020

1.61 Mapping the Social and Affordable Housing Network

This research will map the social and affordable housing sector in Australia, to help improve the productivity, effectiveness and efficiency of the system and thus enhance access.

2018 - 2019

3.27ARC Boosting up Productivity: Optimising Scaffolding Life Cycle Management with Virtual Design and Construction (LP140100873)

This project will innovatively integrate a decision support system, virtual design and construction, and onsite monitoring into one dynamic planning system to significantly improve construction site productivity.

2015 - 2019

Strategic Themes Digital Transformations, Green Energy Transitions

1.43ARC-H Closing the gap between Design and Reality of Energy Retrofitted Buildings (IH150100006)

The disparity found between the predicted energy consumption in the design stage of buildings and the actual energy use during operation is known as the energy performance gap.

2017 - 2019

2.33ARC CONie: Open Standards Design for Improved Road Network Information Exchange (LP160100524)

CONie is the proposed common name for a specification for information exchange for horizontal infrastructure. The name is drawn from the universally accepted equivalent specification for vertical infrastructure named COBie (Construction to Operations for Building information exchange).

2017 - 2019

3.47 Non-conformance Prevalence, Testing Capacity and Nature amongst Specific Building Product Categories

Non-conforming building products (NCBPs) have been of concern to regulatory authorities for a number of years but most of the collected data to date has been largely ad-hoc in nature.

2018

2.51 Developing a Cross Sector Digital Asset Information Model Framework for Asset Management

Asset management in the built environment has been the subject of changing practice and research for years and is often complicated by inconsistency in measuring and monitoring the condition and performance of assets across the industry.

2017 - 2018

1.52 Tech-Enabled Transport: Informing the Transition to Technology Enabled Transport Vehicles and Infrastructure

This aim of this project is to assist Australian transport related agencies and infrastructure consultants navigate the transition to technology enabled vehicles and transport infrastructure in the coming decade.

2017 - 2018

1.53 Resilient Buildings: Informing Maintenance for Long-term Sustainability

Resilience of buildings is a national objective in disaster mitigation. Maintenance is the missing link to improving the resilience of buildings in extreme events.

2017 - 2018

1.55 Integrated Cities: Procuring Transport Infrastructure through Integrating Transport, Land Use and Finance

Cities in Australia and globally find it difficult to integrate transport infrastructure with land development. This project will seek a new model for how private finance and Public-Private Partnerships can be used to create this integration.

2017 - 2018

1.54 Procuring Social and Affordable Housing: Improving Access and Delivery

Improving the suitability, supply and provision of housing infrastructure is needed to address current issues of affordability and access.

2016 - 2017

2.46 Whole-of-life Value of Constructed Assets through Digital Technologies

In the coming decades Australia and other countries will be facing challenges as a result of a changing climate and rapid technological progress.

2015 - 2017

3.28 National BIM Guidelines and Case Studies for Infrastructure

Mechanisms that improve collaboration and communication in the construction process are becoming ever more critical in the quest for increased productivity.

2015 - 2017

1.42 Innovative Industrialised Buildings: Accelerating the Mainstreaming of Building Manufacture in Australia

Accelerating the growth of building manufacturing in Australia presents significant opportunities for the building sector.

2015 - 2017

1.44 Scenario Planning Transport Futures: Improved Road and Transport Planning using Digital Scenario Planning Tools

New data suggests Perth and Brisbane are likely to reach a population of 5 million, whilst Sydney and Melbourne will be 8 million by 2050.

2015 - 2017

1.45 Big Data, Technologies and Transportation

A key focus for the management of main roads is to consistently deliver users decent travel times, safe higher speed travel and reduced interruptions, while achieving minimal operating costs and reducing capital investment in infrastructure upgrades.

2015 - 2017

1.29 Strategies and Solutions for Housing Sustainability

Housing is more than human shelter – it is a significant national and family asset, requires considerable upfront and ongoing capital, contributes to national carbon emissions, impacts on physical health and wellbeing, and reflects social and cultural identity.

2013 - 2015

1.43 Retrofitting Public Buildings for Energy and Water Efficiency

Governments occupy over 25% of Australia’s commercial building stock and collectively spend over $1 billion annually on energy and water utilities associated with their buildings, with the Commonwealth alone spending $450 million per annum.

2015 - 2017

1.41 Valuing Social Housing

A critical challenge for those delivering social housing infrastructure is how to effectively demonstrate the value of investing: from a whole-of-government perspective, for the community and for the private sector.

2015 - 2016

3.48 Sustainable Asset Management: Selecting Optimal Maintenance Strategies Based on Multi-criteria Decision Making

In an economic downturn, it is of critical importance to ensure that asset management plans represent the reality of current conditions and the prediction of road performance fits the real behaviour of assets, so that loss of productivity due to mis-allocation of maintenance funds can be avoided.

2015 - 2017

2.33 New project management structures: Infrastructure modelling (BIM) and Location (GIS)

At a very broad level, productivity measures are often used to indicate the capacity of a nation to harness its human and physical resources to generate economic growth.

2015 - 2016

3.27 Using Building Information Modelling (BIM) for Smarter and Safer Scaffolding Construction

Temporary structures like scaffolding have a significant impact on the quality, safety and profitability of construction projects.

2014 - 2016

2.24 Integrated Project Environments – Leveraging Innovation for Productivity Gain through Industry Transformation

This research will contribute to realising productivity benefits of digital modelling and integrated project delivery for the Australian construction industry through a focus on the use of building information modelling (BIM) and virtual design and construction (VDC) in the delivery of transport infrastructure projects.

2013 - 2014

1.22 Strategies and Solutions for the Future of Roads

The coming decades will see a great deal of innovation and creativity in the way that our road networks are designed, constructed, and maintained.

2014 - 2016

1.24 A Roadmap for Carbon Structural Adjustment in the Built Environment Sector

Governments around the world are recognising that a ‘carbon-constrained future’ lies ahead, and that leadership is needed to transition economies to low carbon operation, especially in the area of public procurement.

2014 - 2016

1.31 Rethinking Social Housing: Effective, Efficient & Equitable (e3)

This project will work closely with both public sector housing authorities and private sector organisations to inform the on-going delivery of social housing to further...

2014 - 2015

1.35 Transport Network Resilience: Disaster Logistics and Infrastructure Vulnerability

A number of geographic areas within Australia are subject to frequent and significant natural disasters such as cyclones, bushfires and floods.

2014 - 2016

1.37 Transformative Products and Processes: A Value Chain Assessment of the Australian Manufactured Housing Industry

This research project aims to improve the understanding of how to leverage greater value from the manufactured buildings industry and increase the robustness of the supply chains involved.

2014 - 2016

2.34 Driving Whole-of-life Efficiencies through BIM and Procurement

In 2013, the Australian Department of Industry identified lifting productivity and economic growth as one of the most important challenges that Australia is facing.

2014 - 2015

2.32 Challenges for the FIFO/DIDO Workforce: Impacts on Health, Safety, and Relationships

Australia is experiencing a rising trend in the use of fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) or drive-in, drive-out (DIDO) workers within the construction sector associated with the resource extraction industry.

2013 - 2015

2.21 New Project Management Models for Productivity Improvement in Infrastructure

This research will develop new project management models for productivity improvement in infrastructure, including enhanced approaches to project management systems, data structures and construction management processes to support productivity improvement in both project management and construction management of infrastructure projects.

2013 - 2014

Strategic Themes Future Cities and Transport, Sustainable Procurement

1.8 Sustainable Infrastructure Procurement

The community’s concern with environmental cost of the built environment is growing, so there is a pressing need for industry to identify and reduce the environmental cost of production.

2010 - 2012

Outcome Themes Construction, Environment

2.1 Safety Impacts of Alcohol and Other Drugs in Construction

The overarching goal of this project was to enhance the safety of all workers engaged in the Australian infrastructure and building construction workforce by reducing the risk of accidents resulting from impaired performance caused by the use of alcohol and other drugs.

2011 - 2013

2.2 Offsite Fabrication and Links to Product and Process Innovation

The goal of this project is to find ways to improve supply chain confidence in off-site manufacturing (OSM) and its associated technologies, and to develop better supply-chain processes to support increased technological adoption for OSM.

2011 - 2013

2.7 Leveraging R&D Investment for the Australian Built Environment

The overarching goal of this project is to better match funding strategies to industry needs to maximise the benefits of R&D to Australia’s infrastructure and building industry.

2011 - 2013

1.1 Understanding the Performance of Existing Office Buildings to inform Energy Reduction Initiatives

The purpose of this project was to provide a low cost, low complexity tool that can be used across the building sector and around the world to assist efforts to sustain improvements in the energy performance of existing commercial buildings and foster a productive workplace.

2010 - 2013

1.3 The Future of Roads: Environmental Pressures, Sustainability Reporting, and Considering Future Scenarios

In the coming decades the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of roads and transport infrastructure will face a range of new challenges and as such will require a number of new approaches

2011 - 2013

1.5 Harnessing the Potential of Biophilic Urbanism In Australia, an Economic and Policy Investigation

The concept of ‘Biophilic Urbanism’, championed by Tim Beatley and Peter Newman for decades, has been used widely to create more liveable and vibrant cities.

2011 - 2013

1.1b Housing Sustainability Performance

Climate variation, resource depletion and increasing urbanisation are converging global issues that are challenging the way we design, construct and operate buildings.

2010 - 2013

3.1 Collaborative Object Libraries Supporting the Facility Lifecycle

The aim of this project is to improve industry productivity by extending the current paradigm of computer-aided design (CAD) libraries to support the design, construction, facilities management and demolition/re-use information across disciplines and throughout the building lifecycle.

2011 - 2013