The Vancouver Regional Construction Association has launched an initiative to connect the best ideas in construction with the best ideas in technological innovation.

The Construction Research Network (CRN) is a digital inventory of researchers, projects and facilities that are available to link up with architecture, design and construction.

Many people in B.C. construction are unaware there are R&D facilities across the province that can help them move their ideas forward.

Aimed at closing the gap “between insight and job site” to ensure B.C.’s construction industry stays competitive and up-to-date, the project is being developed by Scius Advisory Services, a Vancouver consulting firm.

“Visitors to the site will find an online community of individuals, facilities and projects that are involved in conducting R&D connected to a wide range of construction-related initiatives,” said Scius managing director Mark Devereux, who is in charge of the initiative.

Devereux said that although CRN is new – it went live at the end of March – interested members of the construction industry will already find a wide variety of R&D sources on the site,

“Primarily these are based in B.C., but we have a scattering of others from across the country, where we felt those researchers were doing work which would be applicable to B.C. industry,” he said.

The researchers and facilities that are listed on CRN cover a wide and growing range of subjects, such as wood machining, process optimization, information technology for collaboration and project management, building envelopes and structures, and applications of integrated product design and lean construction.

“The site is simple to access,” said Devereux. “Just go to www.constructionresearchnetwork.ca and either browse the categories or put whatever you’re interested in into the search box. Once you’ve found what interests you, there will be contact information available for you to connect with the relevant researcher or facility.”

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