CHENNAI: With new projects including smart cities coming into focus, the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras is preparing a blueprint to set up a Centre of Excellence in Construction Engineering with assistance from the State government.
The Centre for Urbanisation, Buildings and the Environment (CUBE) being proposed by IIT-Madras would be modelled on the lines of General Services Administration of the United States which provides comprehensive solutions for products and services across the government.
The aim is to use information technology for improving planning in construction industry. CUBE will initially require seed funding which would be provided by the State government and possibly by the Ministry of Housing and Poverty Alleviation, sources said.
Centre for Urbanisation, Buildings and the Environment (CUBE) would prepare the concept note with the help of Tamil Nadu Investment Development Board consultants, and is likely to get the backing of the CMDA and Tamil Nadu Housing Board.
The focus of the centre will be on applied research for innovative technology and policy based solutions in partnership with the government, academia, private sector and other stakeholders. It will work towards exploiting the huge potential for innovation in materials and processes.
The focus would be on developing smart cities, urban planning and transport and environment stability.
Centre for Urbanisation, Buildings and the Environment would be set up as an autonomous society with support from the IIT and the government. It is learnt from official sources that the government is against setting up CUBE as a centre of the IIT as it will not provide flexibility in hiring and resources mobilisation.
The key activities of the Centre of Excellence would include development of new technologies and implementation of pilot projects, environmental analysis of mega projects besides providing a networking platform for State civil or construction engineering institutions.
