ABSTRACT
There has been a significant change in the construction industry over the past few years in terms of its composition, increased competitiveness, advancing technology, and a reduction in its capacity due to the economic downturn. This has made the architects to, inter alia, focus on design quality while maintaining tight control on costs: both of the construction and of design development. This chapter discusses current issues within the construction industry and examines the trends within the industry. The chapter provides the key roles within the construction industry and provides a list of useful organisations that offer support and information. In addition to these core roles, specialist input may be required in relation to design or information management, masterplanning, sustainability, landscaping, planning, fire engineering, external lighting, acoustics, interior design, catering or other specialist support roles.
