Annual Report 2010
Year 2010 has marked a very significant and successful trans- formation for our Centre. After 12 months of formative efforts and critical commitments from our industry, government and research partners nationally, the Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre (SBEnrc) is in business delivering valuable research outcomes. The leadership and reputation of the CRC for Construction Innovation has been effectively captured and strengthened in our new Centre. We have emerged in a stronger and more resilient form, able to engage in more proactive ways than previously. Throughout this transformation three issues have been paramount.
First, our industry values collaborative applied research. The property, planning, design, construction and facilities management industry values an independent national applied research centre. The vacuum that would have been created in this space would have signalled the end of a decade’s growth of collaboration and relationship build- ing that has endured the boom industry period of the early part of this past decade as well as the global financial crisis. As we emerge from the GFC, the need for ensuring our industry is adopting more progressive sustainability practices is higher than ever. Industry driven research programs across environmental, social and economic sustainability provides for a continuation of research value. The vital positioning of the Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre for 2011 and beyond is clear.
Second, leadership breeds commitment. Our lead industry and government partners – Queensland Government, Western Australia Government, Parsons Brinckerhoff, John Holland, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Curtin University and Swinburne University of Technology – have delivered the commitment required to underpin the Centre’s transformation. In particular, QUT has provided essential underwriting of the Centre’s future and provided the central headquarters accommodation and business support necessary to maintain our enterprise. As the Centre grows in 2011 and beyond, the early and strong commitment of these seven core members deserves recognition.
Third, delivery is key. Shaping the industry-driven projects throughout 2010 and delivering results through our project teams across Australia is the current challenge leading into 2011. Program Leaders in Professor Peter Newman, Curtin University (Program 1: Green- ing the Built Environment); Professor Russell Kenley, Swinburne University of Technology (Program 2: Developing Innovation and Safety Cultures) and Professor Robin Drogemuller, QUT (Program 3: Driving Productivity Through Procurement) provide the key distributed research leadership roles. Their energies and in-kind commitment from their respective universities will continue to be fundamental in ensuring the success of our research programs and the future development of our industry research leadership. As the project teams are staffed and the results of our engagement in university-led ARC Linkage projects become clear from mid-2011, our research student support (Masters and PhDs) will add a fresh dimension to the SBEnrc teams. Additionally, international participation (through VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and BRANZ in New Zealand in the first instance) provides an important global quality review and engagement mechanism. Reinforcing this is the Presidency of the CIB (International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction) by our Governing Board Chair, John V. McCarthy AO provides ready access to a worldwide network of over 5,000 experts from about 500 member organisations across 80 countries.
Year 2011 provides the opportunity to deliver on the promise our investing partners are seeking. Value-adding research with clear benefits in environmental, social and economic sustainability is key. Multi-disciplinary research teams from across our research institu- tions complemented by international leaders with input from our industry and government end-users provides the best prescription for shaping this. Our challenge is to grow the value and impact of our applied research more deeply and more broadly across Australia. 2011 will see our Centre target stronger involvement across Western Australia and Victoria complemented by growth in New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania. Our private sector partner network will grow in the property, planning, design, construction and facilities management sectors. A broad base of national partners across the entire supply-chain of our industry is the way forward.
We look forward to maintaining our joint commitment and working with core members, project partners and other industry stakeholders growing the value of SBEnrc research into the future.
Dr Keith Hampson CEO, SBEnrc and John V. McCarthy AO Chair, SBEnrc
