A Vision of the Future

Each year more than 1,000 exhibitors bring innovative ideas to the World of Concrete. Have you ever wondered why some ideas stick, and others seem to fade?

At one time, industry pundits estimated it takes roughly seven years for a new idea to be incorporated into building codes and standard practices. While the industry adoption rate of new ideas has improved there still can be hurdles to cross before wide-spread adoption.

For more than 20 years, a group of industry professionals have been gathering twice a year to help reduce these barriers. The Strategic Development Council (SDC), part of the ACI Foundation, continues to provide pathways for technology transfer of new ideas, materials, and applications. Senior leaders of SDC members review these new technologies and suggest pathways into industry acceptance. Often, members become champions of a new technology and mentor its path forward.

SDC members are familiar with ACI and ASTM technical review and adoption. More importantly, SDC members come from a wide range of technical groups, such as the RMC Research & Education Foundation, and the Charles Pankow Foundation, thus ensuring exposure to all portions of the concrete community.

SDC's Forum 48 happened virtually in August and another will take place in the spring. If you are a manufacturer about to launch an innovative product, or a construction professional who wants to know about the cutting edge of concrete construction, you should consider attending an SDC meeting.