ABSTRACT
Many large Japanese construction companies consider their mission to be to contribute to society by creating a richer, fuller environment. To achieve this mission, they have their own research institutes and conduct research and development of new technologies.
Although much progress has been made in the research and development of construction technologies over the years, recent changes in social and economic conditions have led to new development trends. These trends will not change in the foreseeable future; research on building safety, construction efficiency and quality as well as global environmental concerns will attract increasing attention.
In this paper, some aspects of research and development of the construction industry are explained and recent research results related to energy—and labor-saving, building renewal, improved productivity, performance-based design and disaster prevention are introduced, along with research needs.
In addition, 1) joint research partnerships among industry, government and academic circles, 2) cooperation with other industry sectors, and 3) international exchanges, are discussed, all of which are expected to facilitate research and development in the future.
