The final discussion paper in the Foundations and Frontiers series, focusing on enhancing productivity in the construction industry through smarter data utilisation and practical metrics has been released.

The latest paper, Data-rich future, addresses the well-documented flatlining of construction productivity growth as reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Australian Constructors Association CEO, Jon Davies, said current productivity metrics are complex and often inaccessible but this paper envisions a future where easily understandable measures can be used to benchmark and track performance improvements effectively.

“Despite the wealth of data generated by construction projects—including engineering calculations, project costs, equipment usage and weather conditions—most of this information remains underutilised,” said Mr Davies.

“It often ends up in obscure storage or is only referenced in contractual disputes, leaving a critical gap in opportunities for process improvement, forecasting, and design refinement.

“The paper imagines a transformative approach where historical and real-time data drives decision-making.

“Predicting project completion dates and costs with high accuracy, comparing design options quickly and effectively – these are just some of the opportunities in reach if we get this right.”

Foundations and Frontiers will be held on 8 August in Sydney. Register today: https://foundationsandfrontiers.com.au/