A sectoral view of FP6: opportunities for knowledge-driven and sustainable

1. A sectoral view of FP6: opportunities for knowledge-driven and sustainable CONSTRUCTION in Europe. Italian experience and proposals in the sector Paolo Zupa ICT Consultant, Italy E-mail: paolo@zupa.it

2. ANCE :The National Association of the private Construction Contractors, active in public works, residential and industrial building (www.ance.it) • 20,000 contruction companies of every specialization and size • 101 provincial associations • 20 regional organisations AFM: the Association for Higher-Professional and Managerial Education & Training in the Construction sector (http://www.afmance.it) e.g. EDILforma Project

3. leading “Proposal”: commitment to develop a set of associative services for Innovation, Research, Education, as a tangible example of “immaterial infrastructure” adequate to a European country to support the Construction Industry’s growth and competitiveness

4. Presentation content • The Construction sector in Italy and in Europe: the demand of Innovation • The FP6 opportunity: a sectoral view • FP6-related R&D projects, intents, networks • Preparing the ground: the EDILforma Project experience • References

5. Source: FIEC (www.fiec.org)

6. The construction sector is characterised by a high degree of fragmentation, with a large number of actors, which are mainly SMEs, low productivity, a low level of innovation and expensive maintenance. This highly fragmented structure leads to difficulties in reaching the end-users and to a deficiency of a rapid take-up of R&D results and tracks for innovation (source: e-CORE, www.e-core.org)

7. So: • relevance of the Sector (in Italy, in the Single European Market), but… • (not so much positive) image at the public • critics everywhere (Europe, North America, Pacific Asia) on not pursuing improvements of efficiency, productivity and quality as other manufacturing sectors do • Benchmarking with other sectoral systems needed, to drive entrepreuneral choices in a highly competitive context • Sector perceived as mature, or low-tech, or even no-tech

8. 60% of Europe’s annual construction budget spent on the rehabilitation of existing structures • by 2010, 25% of the European population will be aged over 60 (30% by 2020) • persons with disabilities will rise from about 11% today to around 18% by 2020 ( e.g. incorporating barrier-free and "empowering" IST-technologies) • The building sector is the largest end user of energy in EU • Energy saving, through RUE and RES, in the existing building stock is a relatively new topic for governmental policy • More than one-third of the total energy used in Europe is consumed for heating and cooling of buildings and the supply of electricity for building service technology • road infrastructures develop significant negative impacts in terms of sustainability issues: society demands sustainability and k-based economy, new services for information, for traffic fluidity and inter-modality, for safety, + productivity gains in terms of reduced maintenance, longer service life, minimum disturbances during maintenance, less polluting infrastructures

9. CONSTRUCTION • at the cross-road of • Urban development and design • Housing and living styles • Industrial sites and work places • Mobility • Environment • Energy • Well-being • Entertainment and culture • Tourism • .................. • emerging requirements  extended Innovation • wide impact of innovation process (sector, European economy)

10. Proposal (e.g. EoI/IP): Knowledge-driven and Sustainable Construction in EuropeApproach • to provide an integrated “reading” of FP6 opportunities and priorities • to innovate construction products and processes • to sketch a framework for RTD and support actions Arguments accounted for: • Analysis of new business development areas • Product diversification as marketing leverage • Strategies for business organization and management

11. Specific areas showing the highest-potential in terms of Research & Innovation: Domotics; Bio-architecture; Fitness/Wellness and Entertainment Centres; Hospitality, Lodging and Resorts; Work-site management; New methods of work; Relationship between execution of works and future running costs, depending on technologies embedded into manufacts

12. large-scale research efforts • to contribute an extraordinary support and push to the competitiveness of the Construction sector in Europe • alignment with • requirements for quality of life and sustainability • expected evolutionary trends of living styles • thus... • affecting and cross-cutting large societal/economic communities (and their related interests and businesses)

13. FP6: • CONSTRUCTION as major application area, • to drive European-generated R&TD in • ICTs, new materials,... ... • Central focus on: • IST (migration towards K-based products, services, skills) • Environmental issues, QoL, sustainable development

14. multiple Activity Areas are cross-cut • Priority Thematic Areas • Cross-cutting Activities • Strengthening ERA • Structuring ERA • as well as multiple Priority Thematic Areas • 1.1.2 IST • 1.1.3 Nanotechnologies and nanosciences, knowledge- based multi-functional materials and new production processes and devices • 1.1.6 Sustainable development, global change and ecosystems

15. rationale: • >> strong integration and comprehensiveness of technologies and processes • >> coherent, comprehensive set of RTD actions (medium-to-long term objectives) • vision supported: • unitary “design/production/service/end-of-life” cycle for construction products/services • strong inter-relation of Construction with several other sectors’ requirements (both well supported by IST)

16. Improving the efficiency, quality and security of the production processes and environments (evolving towards highly knowledge-based production environments, enriched with ‘ambient intelligence’) • Improving/optimizing the construction “products” • Introducing new methods of work • e-Learning, KM and sectoral-specific digital content

17. [1] Improving the efficiency, quality and security of the production processes and environments (evolving towards highly knowledge-based production environments, enriched with ‘ambient intelligence’*) • strengthening further the development and application of ICTs for implementing effective information handling and knowledge management tools to support e.g. company management, decision making, project management, site management, operation automation and integration,…. * see ‘SCENARIOS FOR AMBIENT INTELLIGENCE IN 2010’ Final Report compiled by K. Ducatel, M. Bogdanowicz, F. Scapolo, J. Leijten & J-C. Burgelman; February 2001, IPTS-Seville (www.cordis.lu/ist/istag.htm)

18. [1 - CONT.] Improving the efficiency, quality and security of the production processes and environments (evolving towards highly knowledge-based production environments, enriched with ‘ambient intelligence’) • Improving communications and interactions between workers, agents, systems, implementing suitable systems, software and intelligent wirelessinterfaces (e.g. portable intelligent systems to be used by workforce at work-sites, based on mobile communications and interacting with sensoring networks, managers, central application systems, databases, and intelligent software agents);

19. [1 - CONT.] Improving the efficiency, quality and security of the production processes and environments (evolving towards highly knowledge-based production environments, enriched with ‘ambient intelligence’) • Security/safety-supporting solutions to control both the working environments and the health of the workforce, not only pursuing the optimization of existing products/materials, methods, rules,…, but specifically by investigating and experimenting new solutions which are typically to be associated to “proactive surroundings” rich of ambient intelligence (e.g. early warnings and sensoring networks, self-monitoring buildings, smart building materials incorporating in-built sensors and funtional characteristics); Technologies implied:networking; communication middleware; distributed databases; sensors; materials

20. [1 - CONT.] Improving the efficiency, quality and security of the production processes and environments (evolving towards highly knowledge-based production environments, enriched with ‘ambient intelligence’) • To improve work skills, through continuous learning supported by effective e-Learning solutions (widely customized and flexible to be tailored to different users and changing needs) and new forms of organization (based on learning environments, intelligent workplaces integrated with learning facilities and with capabilities to collect/accumulate experience memory and digital content).

21. [2] Improving/optimizing the construction “products” (under both the economic and the functional respect) • Improving energy saving and efficiency, particularly in buildings, but also in urban contexts, also (when relevant and demanded from user/community requirements) through the adoption/use of renewable energy sources (RES)

22. [2 - CONT.] Improving/optimizing the construction “products” (under both the economic and the functional respect) • Introducing solutions for improving security and safety, to protect people and property (e.g. civil infrastructures, houses and residential buildings/areas, industrial plants/areas, work places), such as multi-sensorial interfaces and ambient intelligence

23. [2 - CONT.] Improving/optimizing the construction “products” (under both the economic and the functional respect) • Integrating construction products with intelligent systems and interactive, multi-functional services to improve access, usability, destination, control: this relates to domotics, as well as to integration with sector-specific construction specifications and user requirements coming from such other societal/economic areas as fitness, leisure, culture, tourism,…, including also bio-architecture, industrial parks and, more generally, sustainable urban planning and development. Here, the challenge is to incorporate into construction practice/technology (since design to operation to end-of-life of “products”) the knowledge and the responsiveness to cope with the emerging requirements and the increasing demand for quality of life and jointly for sustainable development.

24. [2 - CONT.] Improving/optimizing the construction “products” (under both the economic and the functional respect) • Implementing a life-cycle approach to construction “products”, so that to move increasingly towards a “service”oriented industry and to optimize the overall “designproductionservice operationend-of-life” cycle, complying with sustainability requirements (e.g recycling of components,…). This refers to e.g. technologies and organization models for Facilities Management, pre-planned and self-monitored maintenance, intelligent scheduling, self-monitoring buildings and self-diagnosing materials, smart objects and their communicating capacities, distributed databases,…)

25. [3] Introducing new methods of work • Optimizing the co-ordination and integration of the construction company’s business processes with all the participants in the value chain (or, better, value networks, to strengthen the concept of flexible ad-hoc networked partnerships).

26. [3 - CONT.] Introducing new methods of work • Integration with/among different actors, by implementing groupware solutions to favour and to optimize the “mutual interdependency” among dispersed multi-skill teams, or to accelerate the R&D(or design)-to-market cycles Technologies implied:networking; e-business; e-work; mobile communications; distributed data management; secure and trusted communication; middleware;…

27. [4] e-Learning, KM and sectoral-specific digital content • Developing systems and digital contents in order to accumulate, to access and to diffuseknowledges and know-how pertaining to the Construction sector and to the various competences/skills of the related value chain/networks, by emphasizing both the flexible customization of content access and learning processes, and the widest cross-cutting between Construction and other inter-related areas or sectors.

28. Product innovation, but merged with the necessity and trend towards a product-to-service approach (with service innovation prospects) • Process innovation (see: materials, work methods, group/cooperative work patterns, value chain/networks).

29. Emphasis on the need of strongly inter-related and coordinated activities • Research (both medium and longer term research actions; • e.g. long-term research deals with ambient intelligence, smart building materials, smart objects, self-monitoring buildings,…) • Technology development • Demonstration (pilot trials; pilots for set-up and delivery of learning/e-Learning content and services) • Dissemination and Training (vs researchers, engineers, entrepreuners/managers of Construction SMEs and related sectors’ organizations, public authorities, students,…) • Accompanying actions to support Awareness Raising and Technology Take-up and Exploitationinitiatives at Construction/Engineering companies (specially SMEs).

30. Requirements: • Major R&TD efforts • Multi-disciplinary competences (ICT, energy, materials, architecture, management, production engineering,…) • Multiple application areas involved (building construction, domotics, urban planning, transports and infrastructures, tourism, wellness,…) • wide cross-Europe, multi-disciplinary cooperation among RTD centers, technology transfer organizations, training institutions, intermediate operators • involvement of large communities of Construction SMEs, business operators, public authorities, ...the public in general too

31. ANCE • has intended to express evolutionary needs and requirements of the sector • is a users association, representing Constructors’ interests • is not a research organization, but catalyzes converging RTD interests and capacities from RTD centres, both in Italy and in Europe

32. Liaisons with other similar European initiatives • Associated Partner to the ROADCON Roadmap Project on “Strategic Roadmap towards Knowledge-driven Construction”, IST-2001-37278) [1 support group also from PL]. • Associated Partner to the Southern & Mediterranean group within the INTELCITY Roadmap Project (IST-2001-37373)

33. 2083 – IP Model-based methods of work and ICT components for Construction in the digital economy - i-CODE The target industrial sector of i-CODE is Building and Construction, for which the wide dissemination and generalisation of eWork and eBusiness should effect major business improvement and economic leverage. New technologies (ICT) offer the promise of redefining relationships between all construction actors in the value chain, making them more market driven. The aim of this Integrated Project (IP) is to facilitate wide adoption of model based, knowledge driven ICT in the construction sector; so establishing Europe as an international leader for building and civil engineering sectors. Model based refers to semantic description of data and information for automatic processing by computers and integration of tools and applications, supporting the transformation of the conception-design-realisation-maintenance value chain in the mid-term, and better and safer buildings. Note: this EoI is Supported by the Strategic Roadmap ROADCON (IST-2001-37278) Priority: 1.1.2.i - Organisation: CSTB – Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment - Dr. Zarli Alain Contact: Alain ZARLI, CSTB BP209, 06904 Sophia Antipolis, France. Tel :(+33) 4 93 95 67 36 ; mailto:zarli@cstb.fr ; URL : http://cic.cstb.fr/

34. i-CODE fundamentally proposes: • adaptation and integration of ICT to the Building and Construction requirements; • model-based tools and components to support new processes in eWork and eBusiness; • Build, demonstrate, evaluate and disseminate frameworks and services that supports collaborative eWork and eBusiness in Building Construction, that moreover must support the various and heterogeneous phases (from inception stage to maintenance and refurbishment or demolition) and work environments and constraints of Construction activity; • new implemented models for smooth automated integration in the production process and co-operation between computer applications and services (eWork and eBusiness); • Demonstrate and educate the value of those new models for collaborative eWork and eBusiness and how it is changing the way the industry works.

36. 2084 - IP Knowledge Management for Intelligent Construction - KMICA better management of knowledge in construction is likely to improve process efficiency, reduce costs, and increase quality of building, but organisational and cultural changes are needed. On their hand, new technologies (ICT) have the potential to help and support the implementation of new KM solutions. The overall aim of this IP is to make the European construction industry adopt on a large scale new IT-supported work and business organisations that improve KM within companies and in the context of collaborative construction activities with partners. The IP will generate sub-projects for the various fields of application of KM in construction activities, and will implement integration activities devoted to harmonisation, awareness, demonstration, learning and dissemination, as well as cross-projects activities for supporting KM in construction (ontologies, KM impact measurement, soft issues, etc.). Note: this EoI is Supported by the Strategic Roadmap ROADCON (IST-2001-37278) Priority: 1.1.2.i - Sub-priorities: 1.1.2.iv Organisation: CSTB – Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment – Dr. Bourdeau Marc (marc.bourdeau@cstb.fr) Click here for the submission formof this Expression of Interest For comments on this Expression of Interest, click here

37. 2136 - IP Bridging the Gap - CONSTRUCTION IT Construction is a fragmented industry, with low profit margins and deep-rooted working traditions. The relationships within the construction supply chain are complex. Research in Construction IT to date has had limited impact on industry. This EoI is for the establishment of an Integrated Project (IP), which aims to extend the existing construction IT research, in order to generate exploitable research results. The IP can be an independent project, or operate as a fairly autonomous work package within another IP (for example ROADCON). The IP will engage the existing successful construction IT research projects and expand their findings, so that they will become exploitable. The IP will set up: (i) a clients and senior executives club; as well as a (ii) professional bodies network, in order to influence the macro-economies and procurement practices, and also to reach the practitioners within the industry. The client’s club will select components of existing projects, which are exploitable. The professional bodies will find suitable real life demonstrations. The research teams will implement their demonstrators and identify supply chain, human factor and technological factors, which need to be considered, in order to reap business benefits. The clubs will disseminate these findings and assist the cultural change within the industry. Priority: 1.2.2 - Sub-priorities: 1.1.2.iv - 1.1.2.i Organisation: Univ. of Salford, Prof. Sarshar Marjan (M.Sarshar@Salford.ac.uk)Click here for the submission formand the full textof this Expression of Interest For comments on this Expression of Interest, click here

38. INTELCITYIST-2001-37373 INTELCITY is a one-year RTD roadmap project funded by the E.U. Information Society Technologies (IST) Programme. It aims to explore new opportunities for sustainable development of cities through the intelligent use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). It will integrate the knowledge of experts in sustainable urban development (SUD) and ICTs to deliver a roadmap that relates the range of potential ICT development options to planning and urban re/development processes. The partnership is led by the University of Salford, UK and includes: VTT, Finland; ITAS, Karlsruhe and IOER Dresden, Germany; CSTB, France; ESI of the Free University of Amsterdam, TaeD of the University of Florence and the Polytechnic of Turin, Italy; Napier University, Edinburgh and the University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. Contact details: Patrizia Lombardi, Mediterranean End User Networking Platform co-ordinator, Polytechnic of Turin. Tel: +39 011 564 6423. Fax: +39 011 564 6499. E mail: patrizia.lombardi@polito.it

39. ANCE - The depicted reference framework is intended also to: • raise awareness, at associated Construction companies, about possible European-wide RTD scenarios • stimulate interests of, and confrontations among, universities and RTD & Transfer centres, about the RTD demand expressed by the Entrepreuneural Associated System • identify more specific RTD actions to submit within Regional, National, European programs, based on the innovation level expressed by individual/clustered companies • drive the planning of post-degree courses on the Strategic Management of construction companies

40. “set of mutually integrated initiatives in research, training and technical assistance, with an experimental and prototipe valency in the area” www.edilforma.afmance.it

41. EDILforma Project • addressed to those engaged in the building sector, to stimulate, strengthen and accelerate the processes of change necessary for the development of construction enterprises. • The actions in the EDILforma Project produce value through experimentation of innovative methods and the dissemination of good practice as instruments for increasing the managerial and technical competence of those working in the building industry.

42. EDILforma Project: the Mission • establishment and experimentation of a methodology • integration of a coordinated set of activities that can: • detect and record trends in the building market; • identify the requirements for change suggested by the market; • prepare diversified training activities appropriate for the area. • involvement of local players engaged, with differing skills and competencies, in the building industry chain, and co-ordinated by their local trade associations The prototype is associated with a proposal for an industrial policy for the construction industry

43. EDILforma Project The experiences are based on the involvement of : • about 300 young under-graduate and graduate people • about 300 other people: businessmen and their collaborators, managers in the public administration and banks, professionals and managers of trade associations; • 8 Universities and 8 Technical Colleges.

44. EDILforma Project • High-level assistance and orientation on new Market Opportunities and Trends: • Fitness/Wellness Centres • Entertainment • Bio-Architecture, Bio-Building • Smart home, Domotics, Intelligent Buildings • Specialized (prototypes of) services: • e-Learning • Data bases • Virtual Market Place • Knowledge Management, Content Management

46. The CO-MASTERING feasibility and experimentation: • How to conceive and implement a post-graduate Master course on Construction Management, designed and carried-out by multiple cooperating universities, integrating: • Education & research • Face-to-face + distance learning (eL) • In-class + on-the-job training • and providing socializing environments among industry, academy and research, trainees • (+ contribution to renovating/adapting curricula)

47. EDILforma follow-up: • Implementing a network of operating nodes, collectively providing a “learning environment” and acting as a “learning organization”; • Emphasizing the socialization among actors from industry and academy & research, with trainees on-the-job • Running complementary distributed experiences of integrated training & research: • ICT in Construction • Infrastructures • Water cycle management • Business re-organization and value-chains • Sustainable development, bio-architecture • Scenarios and products for Tourism and Leisure Time • Cultural Heritage Restoration

48. EDILforma follow-up: More: Cooperation agreement between ANCE and MIUR (e.g. for establishing a National Research & Innovation Plan for the Construction industry) Ref.: FP6 “Article 169” instrument (Programmes implemented jointly by several Member States, and the European Commission) www.cordis.lu/fp6/instrument-169/

49. Initiatives in other Countries UK (DTI): “Rethinking Construction” (= agenda for the sector); CIRM (Construction Research and Innovation Management) budget FINLAND: 6 technology programs for Construction SWEDEN: “Competitive Building” and “Competitive Infrastructure” Programs B, FI, DE, UK, NL, SE: specific funds for R&I by Construction firms

50. FP6-related (+other) opportunities in Italy (and around) some references