ACQ, innovation in the construction industry

The GRIDD research team was commissioned by the Association de la construction du Québec (ACQ) to conduct a study on the use of technology to increase productivity and encourage innovation in the Quebec construction industry. The purpose of this study was to provide an objective look at the technological innovations already applied or under development, to paint a picture not only of the conditions in which they must be deployed, but also of the impacts or potential that technological innovations may have on the productivity of the Quebec industry. This study was carried out in three stages. First, a review of the literature to characterize the various current technological innovations. Second, a large-scale pan-Quebec survey to understand the rates and issues of technology adoption in construction in Quebec. Third, a case study to qualify the potential impact of technology on construction site productivity. The survey revealed that 77% of respondents indicated a strong or very strong interest in innovation and the use of new technologies for projects. The majority of respondents (68%) indicated that they have implemented or used several innovations in their projects. The main drivers for implementing these innovations would be management initiative (23%), the desire to improve project performance (19%) and the desire to increase the companies’ competitiveness in the market (16%). The main expectations from these changes were time savings (13%), productivity (12%), cost savings (11%) and project quality. The majority of respondents (71%) also reported high satisfaction with these expectations. This study has allowed us to better understand the dynamics behind the innovation process and to provide food for thought on how to improve the implementation of innovations within the Quebec construction industry.

ACQ – Rapport Innovation