Table Of Content

INNOVATION THE IN JAPANE SE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY A 1995 APPRAISAL QC 100 U57 NO. 898 1996 INNOVATION THE IN JAPANESE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY A 1995 Appraisal Project Sponsors: Asia Pacific Technology Program NIST Special Publication 898 Office ofTechnology Policy Technology Administration U.S. Department of Commerce Marck 1996 U.S. Department of Building and Fire Research Laboratory Commerce National Institute ofStandards and Technology Ronald H. Brown, Secretary Technology Administration U.S. Department ofCommerce Technology Administration Mary L. Good, Under Secretaryfor Technology Structural Systems and Construction Processes Program National Science Foundation National Institute of Standards and Technology Arati Prabhakar, Director Office ofBuilding Technologies Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficient and Renewable Energy U.S. Department ofEnergy National Institute ofStandards U.S. Government Printing For sale by the Superintendent and Technology Office ofDocuments Special Publication 898 Washington: 1996 U.S. Government Printing Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol. Office Spec. Publ. 898 Washington DC 20402 254 pages (March 1996) CODEN: NSPUE2 The U.S. Panel on Innovation in the Japanese Construction Industry: Dr. Richard G. Gann, ParTel Chair Chief, Fire Science Division Building and Fire Research Laboratory National Institute ofStandards and Technology Dr. Thomas L. Anderson Charles I. McGinnis East Coast Regional Manager Associate Director Fluor Daniel Technologies Construction Industry Institute Dr. Steven J. Bomba Professor Boyd C. Paulson, Jr. Vice President, Technology Construction Engineering and Johnson Controls, Inc. Management Program Department ofCivil Engineering Richard A. Cemenska Stanford University Manager, New Technology Caterpillar Inc. Noel J. Raufaste, Jr. Manager, Cooperative Research Programs Edward E. DiTomas Building and Fire Research Laboratory ChiefEngineer National Institute of Standards The Turner Corporation and Technology Lloyd A. Duscha, P.E. Dr. Kenneth F. Reinschmidt & Consulting Engineer President, Stone Webster Advanced Systems Development Services Professor Ezra Ehrenkrantz Sponsored Chair Dr. Arthur H. Rosenfeld Architecture and Building Science Senior Advisor New Jersey Institute ofTechnology Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Department ofEnergy Burton Goldberg Senior Analyst Economics and Policy Analysis National Association of Home Builders Research Center TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ix EXECUTIVE SUMMARY xi INTRODUCTION I. 1 D. CHARACTER OF THE JAPANESE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY 5 A. Character ofthe Japanese People 5 B. Historical Perspective ofthe Japanese Construction Industry 6 C. The Japanese Construction Industry Today 7 1. Similarities to 1990 7 2. Differences from 1990 16 III. UNDERSTANDING INNOVATION AND R&D IN THE JAPANESE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY 23 A. Background 23 B. Definition ofResearch and Development 23 R&D C. Support for Advanced Technology and 24 1. Driving Forces and Objectives 24 R&D 2. Funding of 26 3. Where Does Innovation Occur? 30 R&D 4. Nature ofConstruction Industry 31 R&D 5. Implementation ofConstruction 39 6. Impressions 41 IV. INNOVATION IN COMPONENTS OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS 43 A. Process Integration 43 1. Benefit ofVertical Integration 43 2. General Findings 43 3. Specific Organizations: Corporate Software 44 4. Field Software 46 v B. Construction Materials and Products 49 Introduction 49 1. 2. Concrete Research 49 3. Building Envelope Materials 51 4. Metals Research 51 5. Other Materials 52 C. Structural Systems 54 1. Introduction 54 2. New Construction 55 3. Retrofit 59 4. Seismic Design 62 D. Field Operations and Construction Equipment 69 Introduction 69 1. R&D 2. Field Operations 69 3. Current Construction Equipment and Practices 70 4. Technological Innovations and Trends 73 5. Summary 76 E. Fire Protection 77 1. Introduction 77 2. Fire-Resistant Construction 77 3. Fire Detection 78 4. Active Suppression 78 5. Egress 79 6. Furnishings 79 7. Performance-Based Fire Codes 79 8. Summary 80 INNOVATION BY CONSTRUCTION SECTOR V. 81 A. Industrial Construction 81 B. Large Commercial, Residential and Institutional Buildings 89 Introduction 89 1. 2. Examples ofCurrent Construction 89 3. Other Aspects 90 4. Summary 92 C. Residential Construction 93 Introduction 93 1. 2. The Government Role in Housing 94 3. Historical Trends 95 4. Factors Influencing Trends 98 5. The Status ofJapanese Housing 102 6. Residential Energy Conservation 110 7. Summary and Conclusions 114 vi D. Public Works 116 1. Definition 116 2. Scope 116 3. Government Role 117 4. Procurement Practice 118 5. Contract Payment ." 119 6. Public Works Research 119 CONCLUSIONS VI. 121 VH. REFERENCES 125 APPENDIX A: SITE VISIT REPORTS A-l APPENDIX B: JAPAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS' OVERVIEW OF THE JAPANESE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY B 1 APPENDIX C: PANEL BIOGRAPHIES C I vii LIST OF TABLES 2.1 Comparison ofJapanese and U.S. Construction Industries 8 2.2 Comparative Data on the 20 Largest Japanese Construction Firms in 1994 and the 10 Largest Firms in 1987 10 2.3 Fatal Injuries per 100,000 Construction Workers, 1990-1992 data 12 2.4 Fatal Injuries per¥1 Trillion Construction Investment 12 2.5 Comparative Data on Housing in World Capitals 15 2.6 Magnitude ofthe Top 25 Global Construction Contractors 20 2.7 1993 International Market Share 21 4.1. Properties ofthe Replark Prepreg 60 4.2. Field Operations Equipment Sales in Units 71 5.1 Comparison of 1993 Engineering Rates 84 5.2. Japanese Gross National Expenditures (GDP) for Housing and Total Construction, Percent GDP ofTotal and Percent Change, 1992 and 1993 97 5.3. U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Investment in Residential Structures, Housing GDP GDP and Total Residential 98 5.4. Housing Starts and Cost in Japan, 1993 102 5.5. Dwellings By Type Structure in Japan 104 LIST OF FIGURES 3.1. Organization ofR&D in a Typical Japanese Construction Company 34 4.1. Construction ofGeodome 74 4.2. Radio Controlled Operation System 75 viii