Grant: Industrial Research Chairs

The fourth term of the NSERC/Alberta Construction Industry Research Chair in Construction Engineering and Management brings the Chair's internationally-recognized expertise in construction simulation research to the issue of increasing construction industry competitiveness, a major industry concern. For the Canadian economy to remain competitive globally, it is of utmost importance to make the construction sector of the economy competitive both within Canada and in international markets. The overall objective of our research program is to enhance the competitiveness of our partner companies and the Alberta construction industry at large through research that utilizes simulation models for studying and understanding issues related to competitiveness and through deployment of tools that can support improvement. We will build on our past work in Construction Synthetic Environments (CSEs) to develop simulation models and simulation-based tools that (1) assist stakeholders in understanding the intricate details of the construction supply chain and the impact of various strategic factors on competitiveness; (2) enable the identification of and experimentation with the most appropriate methods for efficiency gains; and (3) ensure the deployment of a new generation of tools that will enhance planning and control through integration of new technologies, management strategies and real-time input.