Eracobuild is a new European network for RDI (Research, Development and Innovation) cooperation in construction and operation of buildings. The network Eracobuild started in the autumn 2008. The work of Eracobuild will be based on the results of the previous Erabuild, the intention being that Eracobuild will strengthen and broaden the existing European network of RDI programmes.
The construction and building operation sector is one of the most important sectors in the EU. The built environment and the activities associated with this make up a considerable proportion of Europe's economy and have an appreciable impact on the environment. If the entire value chain is added up, the sector accounts for more than 23% of GNP and 70% of the national assets, and provides work opportunities for more than 20% of the labour force.
Global driving forces such as climate change, open frontiers and scarcity of natural resources will oblige the sector to make changes. Compared with other sectors, the construction sector has great potential for improvements in terms of both effectivisation and sustainability, which makes it a key actor in achieving the European goal for sustainable development, where economic, social and environmental factors are balanced.
Started quite recently
The earlier Erabuild project which was recently terminated has re-emerged and will continue in the Eracobuild project. The full name is "Eracobuild – Strategic Networking of RDI Programmes in Construction and Operation of Buildings". Eracobuild started this autumn and will go on for three years.
The aim of Eracobuild is to strengthen and broaden the strategic network of RDI programmes in the field construction and operation of buildings, which was initiated in the previous Erabuild. Eracobuild comprises 35 partners/ participants who are responsible for research programmes in 21 countries.
From Sweden, apart from Formas and BIC, the Energy Agency is also taking part as a partner with the research programme Sustainable Buildings and CERBOF, Centre for Energy and Resource Effectiveness in Construction and Operation of Buildings.
France is coordinator for Eracobuild and is represented by MEDAD, Ministère de l'Ecologie, de l'Energie, du Dévelopment durable et de l'Aménagement du territoire, and by CSTB, Centre Scientific et Technique du Bâtiment.
Cooperation with industry
New areas for joint activities will be developed within Eracobuild. New RDI priorities will be identified, now with special attention to cooperation with industry. Importance is also given to the need for pre-normative research and optimal utilisation of existing research resources and the development of new ones.
The Eracobuild project will continue to work to create better conditions for the initiation of joint activities. Ambitious targets have been set up regarding the financing of transnational research and opportunities for access to and dissemination of resources in other countries.
The overarching goal of the project is to develop a deeper and more sustainable cooperation and coordination among national research funding organisations in Europe. Quality is to be enhanced and utilisation of research results in the construction sector is to be increased, so as to improve the effectiveness of the sector and secure the value of the assets which the sector has been instrumental in creating.
Five levels
Eracobuild will focus on strengthening and deepening cooperation in consortia at five levels:
- Developing integrated strategies for the construction and operation of buildings. This will be done by integrating economic, environmental and research policies which are often determined by different ministries and Directorates General, and result in suboptimised regulation of the construction sector.
- Creating a structured dialogue in order to coordinate the research priorities of the sector with prioritisations that conform to national and European policies. The dialogue will be held between regional and national decision makers, the EU Commission and representatives of the sector, through ECTP and its national technology platforms.
- Strengthening and performing joint activities among ongoing programmes, e.g. transnational programmes.
- Providing consultancy services for national governments and the EU Commission regarding appropriate measures to improve conditions for transnational cooperation.
- Bridging the gap bewtween RDI and practice by linking strategies for implementation to the research programmes.
Erabuild paved the way
Erabuild is an ERA-Net project which went on for three years and was recently terminated. It is now continuing in the project Eracobuild. The acronym Erabuild stands for Strategic cooperation between national programmes promoting sustainable construction and operation of buildings.
Together with BIC, Construction Sector Innovation Centre, Formas was the Swedish representative in the Erabuild project. A total of 13 partners – national research funding agencies and directors responsible for programmes – from 10 countries participated in the project.
The aim was to
- harmonise regulations for support for RDI
- create a learning network and
- establish a platform for research cooperation in the construction and property sector among a number of RDI programmes in EU countries.
Pilot calls
Within the project, six joint calls, "Pilot Calls" and "Invitations for Tender", were made. During these Pilot Calls, a large number of research projects were granted funds. Each project comprised research groups and cooperating stakeholders (industry groups, organisations and other players), from at least two and up to five of the participating countries. The projects are listed on the Formas website.
Reviews of the state of the art
Within Erabuild, reviews of the state of the art and situation analyses were performed. These resulted in the following reports:
- RFID in Construction,
- Review of the Development and Implementation of IFC Compatible BIM,
- Building, Renovation and Modernisation in Europe: State of the Art Review.
These reports can be downloaded from the Formas and Erabuild websites.
Transnational programmes
Two transnational programmes, Sustainable Renovation and Value Driven Processes, were planned and prepared for start-up.
Author
:
Jan Sandelin
Senior Research Officer at Formas