JRGF underwrites industry-critical research conducted by leading experts and consultants. This research provides our best chance of addressing our industry’s largest challenges.
Current projects in development are:
Service Contractor Workflow Project
Working with service contractors from around the united state and the MEP Innovation Lab, the JRGF has worked to identify processes and efficiencies for service contractors in the mechanical industry. Digital integration of service software has been a necessity for modern service contractors to perform operations. Many contractors need to utilize purpose-built software for service operations that must be integrated extensively with their construction software, their ERP systems or their accounting systems.
Virginia Tech Helmet Safety Research
Collaborating with The Electri Foundation, TAUC and the American Society of Concrete Contractors, the JRGF is partnering with the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab to research the improved effectiveness of Type-II construction helmets. The lab has already partnered with the NFL and bike manufacturers to test safety, protection and concussion risk. They are conducting research currently with the expectation of the project to be concluded in August of 2025.
VDC Time Study
Collaborating with New Horizons Foundation and the Electri Foundation, the JRGF is engaged in a time study on the tasks associated with Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) in the MEP industry. Partnering with The University of Washington, the study aims to help quantify the amount of time that typically takes place for coordination, drawing, submitting RFI’s and other various tasks associated with VDC. The study will conclude research in 2025 with early findings delivered at the MEP Innovation Conference by lead researcher Carrie Sturts Dossick, Ph.D, P.E, from the University.
Wire Hanger Research
Recently the JRGF produced a white paper based on case study research on the practical application of high-tension wires as hangers for mechanical contractors. Currently, threaded rod is specified and used for most hanger situations in construction, but sheet metal contractors have gained acceptance of high-tension wires for sheet metal for years. Recently, there is some allowance for the wires to be used for certain mechanical systems by mechanical and plumbing contractors.
JRGF has many loyal and generous financial contributors, including the Partnership Enterprise who have given over $100,000 to the Foundation. As major stakeholders, members have an active voice in defining JRGF’s research agenda, bringing forward the industry’s concerns and prioritizing various issues. Other ways to receive funding consideration from JRGF include:
- The Board of Trustees may publish a Request for Proposals (RFP) to an extensive mailing list of academic leaders and industry consultants
- Meetings with other partners, including MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council, the Mechanical-Electrical Academic Consortium, various legislative or allied associations
- Unsolicited proposals may be sent to the JRGF office
Once a project has been approved by the JRGF Board of Trustees, a volunteer task force of industry experts is assembled to shepherd the project from development through deployment. The task force will:
- Consist of persons who have extensive knowledge and/or enthusiasm for the given research area; these may be contractors, service representatives, manufacturer/suppliers, affiliated association executives or students.
- Serve as a resource for the research principal; providing contacts and information, especially for sourcing focus group members or objective reviewers
- Hold live meetings and conference calls, as needed to keep the project moving forward, hosted by the principal
- Present, or assist in the roll-out presentation of the final product at an MCAA national convention
- Present interim or final findings to the JRGF trustees
- Include one or more JRGF/MCAA national staff members
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.
PROJECT EXAMPLES
- The United States Department of Defense has created the new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) standard that will soon be required for corporations and entities that want to bid as a contractor, or act as a subcontractor, for DoD projects. With an increase in ransomware attacks and cyber security breaches, the United States Department of Defense (DoD) is taking steps to make sure construction projects are more secure during their design and construction. >LEARN MORE
- JRGF released the Complexity Measurement Tool (CMT) which analyzes and documents a building’s mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) spaces for congestion and complexity. The CMT is an add-in for the Autodesk Revit platform. >DOWNLOAD or >VIEW
- Achieving Spatial Coordination Through BIM – A Guide for Specialty Contractors helps MEP contractors reconcile and incorporate leading edge technologies and processes into their projects’ spatial coordination efforts. >DOWNLOAD
- JRGF underwrote a project wherein Iowa State’s intern Joe Hines who was hired by Waldinger Corporation of Omaha, NE, developed ideas and uses for Mircrosoft’s HoloLens product to aid the mechanical contracting industry. Hines’ findings are available in the full report. >DOWNLOAD
- Building a Successful Internship Program was developed and contributed by Dr. Mostafa Khattab, Department Head, Construction Management Department at Colorado State University. Internships are an opportunity to identify and evaluate potential full-time hires for your organization. Dr. Khattab shows how building a structured internship program will provide the opportunity for MEP firms to recruit talented students and provide a flexible, cost-effective labor force without a long-term commitment. >DOWNLOAD
- Online Piping and Usage Specification, or OPUS, was the result of a Foundation research project to see if its venerable core body of knowledge publication, the Guideline for Quality Piping Installation, could be converted to and formatted for a more modern online delivery. OPUS is particularly useful for students, faculty, or even recent industry hires who need to know more about the basic materials and methods of the mechanical contracting industry, the world-class manufacturers and suppliers who provide these materials and the methods to use them effectively and profitably. >VIEW
- When all participants in a supply chain strive to provide value to their direct and indirect customers, while removing waste from their processes, that supply chain becomes a value chain. By streamlining work processes, developing stronger relationships with suppliers, and using technology, contractors can significantly increase their company’s profitability. The Value Chain–Adding Value to the Supply Chain report highlights key concepts in supply chain management that will help contractors transform their supply chain into a value chain. If you read it, you will discover the opportunities and the challenges which emerge when you integrate the business processes of contractors, suppliers, and manufacturers. >DOWNLOAD
- The Water-Efficiency Technologies for Mechanical Contractors: New Business Opportunities report identifies the range of opportunities for mechanical contractors, from water efficiency audits, to rainwater harvesting, gray water reuse, high-efficiency fixtures and cooling tower water conservation. The continued rapid growth of the LEED green building rating system, especially the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance program, puts mechanical contractors at the forefront to find green solutions. >DOWNLOAD
- The Green Building SmartMarket Report publication, produced by McGraw-Hill Construction (MHC), is an extremely useful introduction to the concepts and terminology of green construction in the U.S. It is exactly the publication JRGF would have designed for industry education if McGraw-Hill had not already done it. The Foundation partnered with MHC to make nearly 2,500 copies of the report available to members of the industry that McGraw-Hill would not have otherwise reached. >VIEW
- RFID technology has allowed a wide variety of firms to track assets in a wide spectrum of industries, including the construction industry. These RFID systems, which involve tags that collect data automatically, can be an important tool for increasing productivity in the mechanical contracting environment. The Measuring the Effectiveness of RFID on Mechanical Contracting Jobsites: A Practical Evaluation report confirms that RFID technology is a viable strategy for products with the stated characteristics and operational parameters. A methodology derived in the RFID Supply Chain Lab at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, called Design for Six Sigma Research, was used to evaluate the performance of RFID technologies in a construction environment. Lab and on-site testing were used to analyze RFID reader interrogation rates. >DOWNLOAD
- The Five Key Trends for the Future of the Mechanical Contracting Industry report identifies five major trends resulting from technological advances, scientific breakthroughs and changing social structures that will impact the mechanical construction and service industry between now and the year 2020. Two of these trends evolve from current industry conditions, and three of them are exterior to the industry but, nonetheless, they portend significant impact. The report is structured to include implications for the industry and identifies subjects for future research. One of the most important and practical aspects of the report is its inclusion of activities that contractors can undertake now to better position their companies to meet future challenges and opportunities. >DOWNLOAD
- The Procurement Chain Management in Construction Industry research was commissioned to investigate the prevailing, existing, and alternative models of procurement. In order to adequately assess the strengths and weaknesses of each model, a neutral comparison of each model was conducted. After thorough investigation, a common problem was discovered in each procurement model being practiced. None of the existing and alternative models are offering an efficient, streamlined approach to procurement. >DOWNLOAD
- The JRGF-funded insurance liability reform study by Ducker Worldwide, The Contractor Liability Insurance Cost and Coverage Problem – Solutions to Improve, was completed and made available on MCAA’s website in 2005. The comprehensive industry survey and analysis was compiled from interviews and survey data from hundreds of contractors and industry experts. It describes the growing problems of mounting cost and decreasing scope of liability coverage; and it shows that premiums have increased an average of 50 percent over the past five years, while the scope of coverage has narrowed considerably. The report suggests a broad scope of remedial approaches including federal reforms and state law tort reform measures. >DOWNLOAD
