LETTER FROM THE FOUNDING CHAIRMAN OF CIF
The goal of the Construction Innovation Forum (CIF) is to foster and encourage innovations in construction. The CIF began as an idea of a handful of people in 1986 and has grown into a worldwide grass roots organization that is known and respected for its NOVA Award, the "Nobel Prize" for innovation in construction.
New solutions to construction challenges occur only when individuals are inspired to think in new ways and such inspiration is a primary goal of the Construction Innovation Forum. The NOVA Awards exist to draw attention to innovative thinking and the need for more of it. So far, more than 80 NOVA Awards have been presented to innovative construction technologies, processes, and projects.
Equally important are the more than 600 NOVA Award nominations received to date, which are summarized and accessible world wide in the CIF searchable database. They represent a great body of creative problem solving and new thinking about many areas of the construction process. We present them in the hope that you will be inspired to face your own challenges with an innovative spirit, and that we will see a nomination from you in the near future.
I am encouraged to see that many of your peers know of the CIF and the NOVA Award. We need to continue our efforts and work together to promote advancement and change in our industry. The CIF offers several practical steps to help you do just that: If you haven't nominated a project for the NOVA Award, think about making a nomination; if you're not a member of the CIF, join up; read about the innovations on this web site -- and use one.
The CIF is not here just to hand out awards -- however enjoyable the task. We are here to help spur on the innovation and change needed to keep our industry thriving in this new millennium.
Roger W. Lane
CIF Founding Chairman