research at grif

Since 1976 grif has studied the process-related aspects of construction projects, including:
- project management for projects of sustainable development (architecture and urban design)
- poject governance and organizational design
- housing in developing countries, including sustainable post-disaster reconstruction

Forming part of a long-term program of research, this work focuses on the consequences of the building owner's strategic procurement decisions on the subsequent organization and management of the building process, in terms of the participants' roles and relationships.

This research includes a study of certain aspects of performance-based building, particularly for its impact on the information and communication needs of involved parties. The impact of procurement and ensuing organizational design on the scope for innovation and industrialization are particular concerns. | Book Building Abroad

This research includes the interdisciplinary design of a system for providing convivial access to information on the Internet for the construction sector. The research - now entering the test phase - involves the development of a Question-Answer (Q.-A.) system supported by an automated web crawl system for selecting pertinent web sources. The system uses natural language (English or French) for requests for information and for providing answers accompanied by hot links to sources (the system fundamentally differs in this way from classical search systems which only provide links requiring further reading).

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This work explores the processes of project management for post-disaster reconstruction initiatives. The research recognizes that strategic planning - that goes beyond project-specific decisions - coupled with organizational design (i.e. the design of the temporary multi-organization in charge of developing the project) are fundamental for attaining the objectives of sustainable housing reconstruction.

The research is supported by case studies in Turkey, Colombia, Honduras, El Salvador and South Africa. The research findings challenge the traditional approaches to the management of post-disaster housing by demonstrating that the success of the projects does not depend uniquely on community participation (as has been widely accepted since the 1980s); the findings also demonstrate the need for accepting that project outcomes must anticipate the long-term growth of sustainable housing units.

Images: Post-disaster housing units in Honduras: changes from the original unit through appropriation by the occupants>>>

grif has recently obtained research grants from:

- Le Conseil de recherche en sciences humaines du Canada (2011-2014, 2008, 2002)
- Les Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la société et la culture (2010-2012, 2008-2010)
- Le Centre des recherche en éthique de l'Université de Montréal (2012)
- Le Centre d'études et de recherches internationales de l'Université de Montréal CÉRIUM (2010)
- La Direction des relations internationales de l'Université de Montréal (2013, 2010)
- Laboratoires universitaires Bell (2001-2003)
- Le Conseil de recherche en sciences naturelles et génie du Canada (2001-2002)
- Le Centre de recherche pour le développement international (2002, 2006)
- Le Ministère de la recherche, de la science et de la technologie (2002)
- Le Ministère du développement économique, de l’innovation et de l’exportation (2007)

grif has recently obtained funding from the private sector:

- AEdifica and AEdifica Sud (2013)
- The Arcop Group (2010, 2011, 2012)
- SNC Lavalin (2008)
- Lavery avocats (2008)
- Taylor and Francis (2010)