ABSTRACT
Professor Peter Barrett at the 2013 CIB World Building Congress1 presented a timely context for the future of research and development (R&D) investment in the global construction industry. A close synergy exists between global and national economies and the construction industry with the most recent economic downturn having serious consequences in most nations. Organization's such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Green Building Council are increasingly embracing this complexity and deliver global reporting. In Canada, where research topics have a broad impact on industry, industry members work with the National Research Council of Canada(NRC) to undertake 'precompetitive'-type research. The Australian Research Council (ARC) has begun to discuss pathways to impact as including industry funding of research and the training of higher degree research students. Recent case study research in Australia of private sector research and development(R&D) activity reveals the central role of R&D to maintaining market share.
