Construction Users Roundtable

Construction Users Roundtable
Name	Construction Users Roundtable
Abbreviation	CURT
Formation	1987
Type	Trade association
Headquarters	Chicago, Illinois
Region served	United States, Canada
Membership	Owner organizations, contractors, suppliers
Leader title	Chair

Construction Users Roundtable

Construction Users Roundtable is a trade association founded to represent large owner organizations in United States construction and capital projects, bringing together procurement leaders, risk managers, and project executives from across sectors such as ExxonMobil, General Electric, Ford Motor Company, Boeing, and Walmart. It convenes stakeholders from energy, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transportation, and telecommunications to address procurement, safety, and productivity challenges faced by owner organizations including Chevron, Dow Chemical Company, Pfizer, AT&T, and Procter & Gamble. CURT connects to contractor and supplier communities represented by firms such as Fluor Corporation, Bechtel, Kiewit, Skanska, and Turner Construction Company to align owner priorities with industry practice.

History

CURT was established in 1987 following industry dialogues among executives from Standard Oil, General Motors, Texaco, DuPont, and Mobil who sought coordinated owner representation during the post-1970s construction expansion and capital investment cycle. Early meetings involved representatives from U.S. Steel, Alcoa, Southern Company, Exelon Corporation, and United Technologies Corporation and drew attention from regulators and policy forums like Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Federal Highway Administration, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Over decades CURT evolved amid construction industry shifts influenced by events such as the 1990 Oil Price Shock, the 2008 Financial Crisis, and infrastructure initiatives tied to administrations of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. CURT’s history includes engagement with industry coalitions alongside Associated General Contractors of America, Construction Industry Institute, American Institute of Constructors, National Safety Council, and multinational firms such as Siemens and ABB.

Mission and Objectives

CURT’s mission focuses on improving industrial and commercial capital project performance for owner organizations like Shell, BP, ExxonMobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips through advocacy, best practices, and collaboration with contractors such as Jacobs Engineering Group, AECOM, CB&I, Jacobs, and Arcadis. Objectives emphasize safety leadership aligning with programs endorsed by National Safety Council, productivity improvements similar to initiatives from Lean Construction Institute, risk management practices influenced by American Society of Civil Engineers standards, and procurement strategies drawing on models from Institute for Supply Management and Project Management Institute. CURT aims to influence policy discussions around capital planning, construction procurement, and project delivery alongside bodies like U.S. Department of Transportation, Department of Energy, and Environmental Protection Agency.

Membership and Governance

CURT membership comprises owner organizations such as Toyota, Microsoft, Intel, Amazon, and Facebook (now Meta Platforms), contractors including Mortenson Construction, Gilbane Building Company, PCL Construction, Lendlease, and suppliers like Caterpillar Inc. and 3M. Governance is structured with a board drawn from owner executives, a chair (rotating among member companies), and committees populated by leaders from institutions such as Harvard University campus facilities, Massachusetts Institute of Technology research groups, and corporate legal teams from Johnson & Johnson and Siemens. CURT’s governance model mirrors corporate governance practices seen at General Electric and nonprofit oversight frameworks used by National Academy of Sciences affiliates, with advisory input from academic partners including Stanford University and University of Michigan.

Programs and Services

CURT delivers programs such as safety initiatives modeled with input from National Safety Council, productivity benchmarking similar to McKinsey & Company studies, and procurement forums drawing on Institute for Supply Management guidance. Services include owner-to-owner communities that parallel peer groups at Conference Board, training modules co-developed with National Academy of Engineering affiliates, and toolkits addressing topics championed by Lean Construction Institute and Construction Industry Institute. CURT also offers benchmarking databases, policy advocacy briefings responding to rulemaking from Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Environmental Protection Agency, and implementation support for digital construction technologies promoted by Autodesk, Bentley Systems, and Procore Technologies.

Industry Impact and Initiatives

CURT has influenced industry practice through initiatives targeting construction safety, productivity, and procurement reform, collaborating on campaigns referenced by National Safety Council, American Society of Safety Professionals, and World Economic Forum construction task forces. Its initiatives include advancing pre-qualification standards compatible with ISO 9001 quality frameworks, fostering adoption of building information modeling promoted by Autodesk and buildingSMART International, and supporting modular construction techniques used by McKinsey & Company case studies. CURT has engaged on workforce development initiatives alongside Carnegie Mellon University, Cleveland Clinic facilities teams, and apprenticeship programs affiliated with United Association and Laborers' International Union of North America.

Conferences and Events

CURT organizes member conferences, workshops, and summits featuring speakers from owner companies like BASF, Exelon, Duke Energy, Southern Company, and contractors such as Bechtel and Turner Construction Company. Events often include technical sessions aligned with standards from American Institute of Architects, presentations on digital transformation with vendors like Trimble and Oracle Construction and Engineering, and panels including representatives from World Bank infrastructure programs and Inter-American Development Bank projects. CURT’s annual gatherings draw parallels to forums organized by Associated General Contractors of America, Construction Industry Institute, and international conferences such as World Economic Forum annual meetings.

Partnerships and Collaborations

CURT partners with organizations across industry and government including Construction Industry Institute, Associated General Contractors of America, National Safety Council, Lean Construction Institute, and academic institutions like Purdue University and Texas A&M University. It collaborates on standards and research with American Society of Civil Engineers, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Institute for Supply Management, and technology firms including Autodesk, Bentley Systems, Procore Technologies, and Trimble. CURT has participated in joint initiatives with international bodies such as buildingSMART International, International Labour Organization, and multilateral development agencies like Asian Development Bank and European Investment Bank to align owner-driven priorities with global construction programs.

Category:Construction organizations Category:Trade associations based in the United States