A recent poll of CIFE members regarding the benefits of CIFE membership showed that there was a strong support for CIFE and a wide range of perceived benefits from CIFE membership. 17 member companies are represented in this survey. The survey results are shown in the graph below (1=low priority, 5=highest priority):

Comments Made by Some CIFE Member Companies Regarding CIFE Membership:

Software/Hardware Company
"CIFE researchers assume a certain baseline in technology utilization in the industry as the foundation to launch their research activities. We use this assumption of "baseline foundation" as a guiding beacon for our internal strategic planning on technology utilization. For example, CIFE assumes industry is currently using 3D-CAD animation and walkthru capabilities, and are researching 4D-CAD issues. We want to implement animated 3D-CAD as a standard project communication tool, which will position us for future advancements in 4D-CAD"

A/E/C Firm
"The single most important benefit is to have a much higher comfort level as to where my company is in relation to other companies in the design/build arena. That is, are we ahead of most other similar companies in the incorporation of technology, behind, or in the middle?"

A/E/C Firm
"Involvement in CIFE enables us to validate our automation efforts and remain informed of technology trends as they relate to our industry without bearing the full cost of the associated research and development."

"Our company was able to develop and implement new technology which reduces the cost of services to our clients. Our association with CIFE was instrumental in making the contacts with the right people who were able to custom develop their technology to suit our application."

A/E/C Firm
"Maintaining contact with the development of innovative ideas and processes in the delivery of Building Programs."

A/E/C Firm
"By participating in CIFE, we feel we are always along with the top technology in this field. Also, we feel we were given an impetus to accelerate our own technology development. CIFE offers good opportunity for educating our young talents in this field."

A/E/C Firm
"As relatively new members, we have found the CIFE program to be unique with the respect to University sponsored, A/E/C Industry research programs. Some unique attributes, from our perspective, are as follows:

1.  CIFE's holistic approach to exploring the integration of new concepts and technologies in all aspects of the delivery process in design/construction operations. Other University sponsored research programs we have investigated have tended to be "discipline discreet" and are not focussed on improvement in the delivery process.
2.  CIFE's integration of technology and project team collaboration concepts into the teaching curriculum thereby creating an enhanced awareness and understanding of of the process and the environment graduates will encounter when they enter the workforce.
3.  CIFE's focus on creating membership awareness of evolving technology through its association with leading commercial application developers.
4.  The diversity of CIFE membership and the opportunities created for collaboration between CIFE members.
5.  CIFE's focus on integrating A/E/C industry perspective into its program initiatives through the IAB and TAC activities. CIFE research, in our opinion, is on the leading edge of exploring, defining and communicating new concepts of project delivery, and is a key/critical alignment for long term viability and success of the leading A/E/C firms as we move to the 21st century. Our participation in the CIFE program , over the past 2 years, has provided a new window for our "view to the future", and as a result, CIFE will continue to be an integral component of our strategic plan for both improving and enhancing our design and construction delivery process."