Construction research should concentrate on prefabrication, 3D modelling and whole-life costs, a newly formed industry ginger group has said.
The group, called the Industry Network for Construction Research, set out its three research priorities at its second meeting last week.

It will operate under the wing of the Reading Construction Forum, an industry-funded group of 42 client and construction organisations.

The group has 15 members including Amec, Bovis Lend Lease, Whitby Bird & Partners, WS Atkins, Corus, Balfour Beatty, Taylor Woodrow Construction, Pearce Retail Services and Arup.

Scott Steedman, Whitby Bird's representative, said: "The research group came together to establish an agenda to launch an industry initiative on research and innovation."

The group, chaired by Malcolm Dodds, is the first to be set up in response to Sir John Fairclough's review of construction research, published earlier this year. The review called for a pan-industry research agenda based on a strategic plan.

The group is looking for government funding, and met the DTI last Thursday.

Steedman said: "We talked about what we see as top priorities for innovation and where there might be a meeting of minds." He added that the group was pushing ahead aggressively in response to a new set of Partners in Innovation research awards.