Infrastructure
Work with us to meet the infrastructure needs of rapidly growing urban populations. Our researchers collaborate with industry and government to develop and deliver faster, cheaper and more sustainable housing and other essential facilities.
With an extra 2.5 billion urban residents expected in the world’s cities by 2050 there is a critical need to innovate to support this growth.
We combine world-class research with industry-led partnerships that work to solve some of the biggest challenges facing the construction industry in Australia and the Asia–Pacific region.
The three pillars of our infrastructure and construction research target those processes we believe will have the greatest impact on industry:
- digital engineering (including Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA))
- new materials and infrastructure/building systems
- prefabrication and automated off-site manufacturing.
New construction techniques, processes,materials and systems are being designed to reduce costs while making the industry more efficient and producing longer-lasting, higher-quality structures. Applications include low-cost social housing, high and low-density residential housing, commercial and public buildings such as schools and hospitals, and general infrastructure projects such as bridges, tunnels and roads.
Our research collaborations deliver innovative solutions that improve infrastructure productivity, energy efficiency and functionality to meet society’s current and emerging needs.
Applied across whole-of-life projects or at specific stages in the construction process, our research embraces elements of ‘Industry 4.0’ to incorporate advanced automation, robotics and AI.
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Innovative digital design and engineering
We are developing advanced digital technologies to streamline the planning, design, engineering and construction of infrastructure materials and projects. This will lead to significant savings in costs and time, critical to meeting accelerating urban densification.
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Novel materials and systems
To meet the increasing demands on urban infrastructure we are developing new materials for use in complex structures and extreme environments, and establishing comprehensive testing facilities for these materials.
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Prefabrication, and off-site manufacturing and construction automation
To increase productivity and reduce labour-intensive practices, we are exploring ways to optimise and automate manufacturing for prefabricated construction, and to create advanced solutions for off-site manufacturing.
Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P)
We have successfully partnered with large construction companies, developers and suppliers of building materials and construction systems to win CRC-P grants for: Innovative Prefabricated Building Systems; CRC-P for Advanced Manufacturing of High Performance Building Envelope Systems; and CRC-P for Advanced Manufacturing and Construction of Smart Building Modules.
These CRC-P grants support short-term, industry-led collaborations to develop new technologies, products and services that deliver tangible outcomes for the Australian construction industry.
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Asia-Pacific Prefab Innovation Centre
This is an extension of the Asia-Pacific Research Network for Resilient Affordable Housing. It focuses on developing new low-cost, lightweight and durable prefabricated building materials and systems. The centre will become a regional R&D hub, accelerating technology uptake and providing opportunities to work with partners in a $5-trillion housing and infrastructure market.
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ARC Training Centre (CAMP.H)
This centre aims to unlock the potential growth of Australia’s prefabricated building industry by creating a cooperative training system between industry and universities. It has four university and 12 industry partners collaborating on breakthrough product and process innovations for eco-friendly, prefabricated housing, with the potential to deliver employment growth and increase product and service exports.
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Building 4.0 CRC
Through deep collaboration and new technologies of the 4th industrial age, Building 4.0 CRC will catapult the industry into an efficient, connected and customer-centric future. This will deliver better buildings at lower cost and the human capacity to lead this future industry.
Professor Tuan Ngo
Media enquiries
Prue Gildea
Media Advisor, Melbourne School of Engineering
Telephone: +61 3 9035 4306
Mobile: +61 466 473 741
Email: prue.gildea@unimelb.edu.au