Emerging Construction Technologies and the Advanced Construction Technology System (ACTS)

In 1987, the Construction Industry Institute formed the Technology Survey Task Force. The purpose of the task force was to examine the R&D work that could impact productivity in a positive way, and to make such R&D efforts more broadly known. This publication is a report on the task force efforts.

The task force established three objectives for their scope of work: (1) identify innovations and emerging technologies, concentrating on aspects of construction that could contribute to the improvement of productivity; (2) develop computer software to store information on construction technologies and provide methods for searching electronic databases for such technologies; and (3) promote the establishment of a capability for the continued identification of emerging technologies and the maintenance of the data and software system.

Improved knowledge in the technology area can contribute to productivity improvements. To a large degree, however, current R&D in the technology area stresses materials and design criteria research. Relatively few developing technologies were identified by the task force that focus on the construction process. The improvements made are considered either proprietary or not innovative and thus are often not available. For these reasons, the industry needs to develop a strategy that encourages a focused effort on technology research and information distribution that relates to construction processes.

Over 300 technologies have been identified by the task force. These technologies are housed in the Advanced Construction Technology Systems (ACTS), a computer software database developed by the task force. The ACTS database has been designed for classifying, documenting, and retrieving information about emerging construction technologies. Specifically, ACTS can help the industry improve its productivity through dissemination of information.

The long-range plan for ACTS is that it be an ongoing information service to the construction industry. The task force strongly recommends that individual companies utilize ACTS as a method of collecting their own innovations and disseminating them within their organization and jobsites. The availability of the information contained in the system should quicken the pace of technology utilization in the industry and contribute toward cost effectiveness, productivity, and overall competitiveness.