Technology Roadmap 01-18-02

PATH - A Public Private Partnership for Advancing Housing Technology

January 18, 2002

PATH Technology Roadmapping pinpoints specific technological needs in the housing industry ranging from the development of new materials, products, and systems to improved methods of production and software. PATH's Industry Steering Committee, composed of more than 150 prominent industry leaders, has met over the past few years to determine the key technology needs for new home construction.

Through PATH's Technology Roadmapping, the residential construction industry is able to prioritize its technology development agenda and decide which "roads" to choose for future research. Current PATH roadmaps include information technology, panelization, and whole house systems.

Technology Information Roadmap

Information technology offers the potential to accelerate and streamline the homebuilding process just as it has enhanced the efficiency of most other manufacturing industries, particularly the automotive and aerospace industries. Yet, information technology has not yet been widely implemented in the homebuilding process, probably as a result of the industry's fragmentation and the fact that most houses are constructed at a job site rather than in a factory. PATH's roadmapping process provides both a vision of how information technology can transform the home building process and a detailed 10-year plan for achieving that vision. The roadmap shows the necessary activities and accomplishments that lead to realization of the vision.

The Information Technology Roadmap embraces four major segments to achieve its goals:

Common Language enable people, processes, and information technology tools to communicate across the residential construction process.
Streamlining the Regulatory Process increase efficiency in permitting, plan review, site inspection, and product approval.
Noncommercial Information Portal provide a source of objective, reliable technical information about home building for builders, trade contractors, and consumers.
Production Management Systems From Conception to Closure link information technology tools and data within and between firms to improve the efficiency of managing the housing production process from start to finish.

To read the technology information roadmap and learn more about other roadmaps visit PATH Technology Roadmapping web page.

Content updated on 7/10/2003

Graphical Version