Dr Troy Coyle, HERA CEO

I was on leave in the middle of the Australian bush, koala spotting, when we got the great news that after years of work in the background, our Endeavour Funding bid for $10.3 million had been successful.

The need for this project had been brought to my attention during my member visits in my first 90 days as CEO of HERA, initially by Wayne Carson, Managing Director of D&H Steel Construction. I asked other members for their views in subsequent meetings, and heard the industry reflect that this was a big issue.

How it was told to me (in summary) that there was a nexus between design, construction and beyond, leading to inefficiencies. There was a lot of data and knowledge floating around but it wasn’t connected, optimised or in an easily used form.

Having established that it was a broader problem for the sector, I knew HERA had to do something to assist in solving that problem, including how decisions were optimised for sustainability. I also knew this was going to be a technically challenging (and huge) project requiring an Industry 4.0 approach.

That member feedback, along with HERA’s commitment to its vision “of securing tomorrow’s future by innovating today” is what led us on a four-year long journey to get this project running.

Why is this project important for the sector?

Currently, there is a profound limitation in the way construction is performed in Aotearoa New Zealand. The challenge is that complex decisions are being made based on simple data inputs. Decision points in the process are in linear silos with little inter-connection or data-derived decision support.

The process is entrenched and far from optimised. For example, designers do not have adequate tools to optimise designs for ease of manufacture/fabrication, let alone the ability to resolve the conjoint considerations required to deliver design for sustainability, constructability, Te Ao Māori, resilience and affordability simultaneously. Such decisions require collection, connection and analysis of complex data sets.

Construction is a system that is greater than the sum of its parts

To overcome these issues, new technologies of the 4th industrial age are required to transform construction from a linear to a circular system known as Construction 4.0. Construction 4.0 provides the construction industry with a decentralised connection between the physical space and the cyberspace via ubiquitous connectivity. Therefore, the science problem is one of complex big data managing and connectivity.

This will be world leading research

The research will be world-leading in an emerging area of international interest and create data-driven decision-making for the future of construction.

There are several major advances expected in this project to make the work globally unique:

• Complex system data management science stretch – this project will take a complexity science approach to construction optimisation using customer input. It will consider complex interactions between cost, sustainability performance, structural performance, constructability, and people’s subjective preferences using fuzzy logic based on stakeholder interaction/feedback.
• Technical science stretch – new approaches will be developed, to cover the broad range of practical construction options to be considered in the big data optimisations.
• Mātauranga Māori interfaces – this will be the first time globally that indigenous world views are incorporated into decision support tools using Construction 4.0. This presents a significant challenge due to inherent differences, in viewpoint and the practical challenges with codifying this data and resolving incompatibilities with prevailing approaches. This in itself will transform the sector and make it more holistic. [Note: MBIE has requirements around Vision Mātauranga, which we want to honour meaningfully versus ticking a box to merely get the funding].

It requires a global effort: researchers and industry leaders working together

The application of complexity science and Industry 4.0 in construction is an immature discipline globally with very few identified experts in Construction 4.0 research.

We have brought a team of global experts (experience and skills mix) together to ensure linkages internationally, within industry and existing research programs, enable outcomes to meet international best practice and avoid redundancy.

Experts in Mātauranga Māori and its interface with engineering, as well as sustainability and resilience in the built environment are also key team members.

We have also incorporated expertise in technology transfer in traditional industries, and public policy development to ensure the project outcomes are both ready for adoption and readily adoptable.

To increase productivity and quality, the Construction 4.0 framework and guidelines developed in this project will manage complexity, reduce uncertainty and enhance information exchange and communication between stakeholders. It will create a step-change in construction sector transformation, create jobs and upskill the workforce through innovation and/or digital literacy.

We know this is a big project and we are only just coming to terms with the fact that it has been successful in gaining funding. Stay tuned for more updates along the journey.