The Heavy Engineering Research Association (HERA) has been awarded a grant of close to $10.3 million to support a four-year Construction 4.0 research project focused on transforming the New Zealand construction sector.
HERA was successful in the 2022 round of the prestigious Endeavour Fund, part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment.
As the nation’s largest contestable funding system, the fund plays a unique role in the science system by selecting research proposals that will provide the highest potential impacts across a range of economic, environmental and societal objectives to transform the future of New Zealand.
In this funding round, the Science Board allocated $236.5 million to 71 projects. Among the 112 research programme proposals assessed, 45 were assessed for impact, and HERA’s proposal was one of 20 to be approved for investment.
HERA’s research programme is focused on improving productivity for the construction sector more broadly, with key outcomes including better economic performance, building and infrastructure affordability, and a larger workforce which is more skilled, innovative, and digitally literate.
Chief executive Troy Coyle says the association’s research team is excited and thankful that the Science Board, assessors and the Minister of Research, Science and Innovation appreciate the significant contribution the project will make to the sector and New Zealand economy.
“This programme not only addresses key challenges identified by our members and wider industry, but will be world-leading in creating data-driven decision-making for the future of construction,” Coyle says.
“Currently there is a profound limitation in the way we perform construction in Aotearoa New Zealand. Complex decisions are being made based on simple data inputs and in linear silos with little inter-connection or data-derived decision support.
“This project will improve design to construction (and beyond) by bringing together industry and a team of global experts rigorously vetted, who will use complexity science to build upon developing nascent global Construction 4.0 knowledge.”
The Construction 4.0 framework and guidelines developed in the HERA project will focus on a series of nationwide sector-driven benefits including:
• better economic performance,
• improved productivity in the construction sector,
• building resilience and performance within environmental limits,
• building and infrastructure affordability,
• interfaces with indigenous knowledge — matauranga Maori,
• management of complexity and reduction of uncertainty, and
• enhancement of information exchange and communication between project stakeholders to increase productivity and quality of output.
Research through another lens
This funding round, it has been recognised that the Science Board has a strong focus on Vision Matauranga, and ensuring matauranga Maori aspects are raised and upheld.
HERA says that aligns strongly to its own commitment in this space, and sees it as an opportunity to bring a more holistic approach to the key components of the programme of Industry 4.0, sustainability and matauranga Maori.
A core research theme will focus on technology transfer in traditional industries and policy development and implementation, to ensure project outcomes are readily adoptable.
HERA believes its international links to industry and to existing research programmes will ensure project outcomes avoid redundancy, and are international best practice.
Moving forward, HERA will be focused on the programme’s start-up phase, and the development of the programme, contracts and advisory boards.
