The Technology Strategy Board has issued a call for applications for its rethinking the build process collaborative research and development grants.

This competition encourages radical rethinking of the build process and supply chain relationships, leading to more consistent delivery of low-impact buildings. Projects should:

• explore and test the viability of new integrated ways of working;
• examine novel process tools, products or contractual arrangements;
• and demonstrate that these improve the consistency, cost effectiveness, speed and sustainability of building.

Funding requires that these new integrated ways of working are trialed on a new-build construction project or a series of buildings.

Projects must be business-led and collaborative and should last between one and four years, although academic institutions may take part in the project as consortium partners.

Please note that this is a a two-stage competition that opens on 8 May 2012. The deadline for registration is noon on 6 June 2012 and the deadline for expressions of interest is noon on 13 June 2012. The deadline for invited full-stage applications is noon on 22 August 2012. A briefing event for potential applicants will be held in London on 15 May 2012.

The total budget for this call is £4 million, and TSB expects to invest between £150,000 and £1m for each project and up to 15 research projects will be funded.

For more information please visit the call page.