ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides an introduction to the construction industry and its characteristics and addresses key issues and concepts, including a focus on R&D (research and development) investment processes and funding. The book presents more case studies of projects and programmes that illustrate how R&D ideas and products are translated from research into practice or policy. It introduces the impact of R&D on innovation outcomes and mechanisms for disseminating and measuring the impact of R&D. The book draws on the individual country chapters to synthesise and showcase what the future might bring for the construction industry. It focuses on mechanisms to take advantage of R&D, including opportunities for collaboration and better leveraging new technologies. The book addresses approaches to developing infrastructure to support R&D and increasing research impact, the latter by bridging the divide between researchers and industry and disseminating the R&D outcomes.
