Technology (Archived)

The cost of industrial building construction has risen dramatically in recent years. Excessive construction costs have eroded the competitive position of the U.S. construction industry and are having a similar impact on the manufacturing industry by preventing it from building new plants and modernizing existing ones. A large number of projects have been abandoned because the cost of construction has become such a large component of a corporation's cash flow. The decline will continue until construction firms lower costs and improve techniques to the point where growth is worth the risk and investment.

The purpose of this study is to assist the construction and manufacturing industries in becoming more efficient and cost effective through the introduction and broad use of new technologies. Approximately 50% of construction costs in light industrial and commercial building construction are related directly to enclosure and structural systems. Since these systems are common among industrial buildings, the identification and adoption of effective and efficient technologies in these areas is a major step towards improving quality, reducing costs, and expediting schedules.

This study has developed an information system for advanced building technologies (ABT) and has used this system to document 151 promising ABTs for the enclosure systems of light industrial and commercial buildings. The results of this study can be used as a direct source of initial information about the documented ABTs; as a pilot implementation and example of the ABT database system; and as a basis for developing similar, in-house, ABT documentation systems.

A collection of research on anchor bolt design includes CII’s initial review of current knowledge regarding anchor bolt installation circa 1989. The contribution from this investigation was the collection and analysis of the input from designers, owners, and contractors.