Advancing the Competitiveness and Efficiency of the U.S. Construction Industry

Construction productivity—how well, how quickly, and at what cost buildings and infrastructure can be constructed—directly affects prices for homes and consumer goods and the robustness of the national economy. Industry analysts differ on whether construction industry productivity is improving or declining. Still, advances in available and emerging technologies offer significant opportunities to improve construction efficiency substantially in the 21st century and to help meet other national challenges, such as environmental sustainability. Advancing the Competitiveness and Efficiency of the U.S. Construction Industry identifies five interrelated activities that could significantly improve the quality, timeliness, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of construction projects. These activities include widespread deployment and use of interoperable technology applications; improved job-site efficiency through more effective interfacing of people, processes, materials, equipment, and information; greater use of prefabrication, preassembly, modularization, and off-site fabrication techniques and processes; innovative, widespread use of demonstration installations; and effective performance measurement to drive efficiency and support innovation. The book recommends that the National Institute of Standards and Technology work with industry leaders to develop a collaborative strategy to fully implement and deploy the five activities Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Background2 Obstacles to Improving Construction Productivity3 Opportunities for Breakthrough Improvements in the U.S. Construction Industry4 Implementing Activities for Breakthrough Improvements: Recommended ActionsReferencesAppendixesAppendix A: Biosketches of Committee MembersAppendix B: Workshop Agenda and List of ParticipantsAppendix C: An International Perspective on Construction Competitiveness and Productivity--Carl HaasAppendix D: Technical Change and Its Impact on Construction Productivity--Paul M. GoodrumAppendix E: Creating and Cultivating the Next Generation of Construction Professionals--Jeffrey S. Russell