Innovative

technologies
for buildings
EU-funded research
to transform
the construction sector
success stories
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 EUROPEAN COMMISSION

Innovative
technologies
for buildings
EU-funded research
to transform
the construction sector

Directorate - General for Research, Industrial technologies

2009 Unit G2 ‘New generation of products’ EUR 24023 EN
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Table of contents

4 A strong foundation for construction in Europe

6 ‘Intelligent houses’ meet safety and life-style aspirations

8 Tunnelling made safer, faster, more economical

10 Industrialised concepts promise huge savings

12 ‘Open Building’ strides beyond prefabrication

14 Strategy for stone strengthens EU position

17 Textiles tailored for innovative buildings

20 Outlook

I NN OVAT IVE TE CH NO LO G IE S FO R BU ILDI NGS

3

A strong foundation for
construction in Europe
The construction sector is Europe’s largest
industrial employer, a major source of revenue
from exports and an evident contributor to the
quality of life for all citizens. Continued research
and development is vital to provide a sound
basis for recovery from the effects of economic
downturn and to address the global problems
of climate change and population growth.
The construction industry is central to the overall
economy of the EU, as an employer, the provider of
accommodation and infrastructure, and a prominent
player in the global marketplace. It underpins the func-
tioning of virtually all other sectors, including the supply
of food, water and energy; the delivery of public serv-
ices; and the production and distribution of manufactured
goods. It also has a key role to play in maintaining the
cultural heritage of the Member States.
According to the European Construction Industry Fed-
eration, output in 2007 amounted to €1 304 billion,
representing 10.7% of GDP for the EU27 countries,
and 51.5% of their investment in fixed assets. The sec-
tor comprised 2.9 million enterprises, of which 95%
were SMEs with fewer than 20 employees. A work-
force of 16.4 million equated to 30.4% of industrial
employment, and 7.2% of the European total. Further-
more, EU companies won more than 50% of major
international contracts, outstripping Japanese and
American rivals, respectively by 10% and 30%.
Challenges and opportunities
While the global recession emerging in 2008/9 will
clearly have negative effects on the above figures,
it is essential to consider construction as part of the
eventual solution to the economic woes. However,
a sustained effort will be needed to maintain and
extend the technological leadership of the EU, while
continuing to improve the sustainability and cost-
effectiveness of processes and materials.
At present, buildings account for 40% of the total
energy use in Europe – giving rise to around one third
of the region’s CO2 emissions. The industry also con-
sumes billions of tons of natural resources, and
produces 22% of total waste. Radical improvements
must urgently be sought in all of these areas.
A study commissioned by the Commission’s Enterprise
and Industry DG confirmed that industrialised meth-
ods consume significantly less labour and materials
than the traditional craft structures and processes. The
research also showed that those countries which en-
courage closer collaboration between the design and
construction activities are the ones that tend to make
greater use of off-site pre-fabrication, and have
a work force which is well-equipped and trained to
take full advantage of it.
Keeping ahead of international competition, particu-
larly in relation to the US, China and India, calls for
speedy integration of the most recent advances. Con-
stant adaptation to changing needs and new
opportunities is vital. Future prospects will depend
more and more on the capacity to innovate: at the
process level, in product development, in the organi-
sation of the workforce and in the rapid deployment
of new technologies. New approaches to the overall
construction process, from initial concepts to execu-
tion and full life-cycle management, will enhance the
competitiveness of individual enterprises and the
sector as a whole. A particular priority will be to ac-
celerate the penetration of the latest technologies into
the SMEs that make up the bulk of the industry.
Health and safety, and the establishment and deploy-
ment of international standards are other key areas to
be addressed.
Continuing EU support
For more than 20 years, the construction industry has
benefited from substantial participation in various
4
EU-supported research programmes. Within the Fifth
Framework Programme (FP5 – 1998-2002), the Com-
petitive and Sustainable Growth (GROWTH) programme
alone funded 93 construction-related research projects,
contributing around 7% of its total budget for the pe-
riod. Similarly, under FP6 and the first call of FP7, around
6% of the total EC contribution to the NMP Theme has
been allocated to construction-related projects.
The ERABUILD network, an ERA-NET financed under
FP6, linked national and regional bodies responsible
for managing research programmes. Based on a con-
sortium of 18 partners from 8 countries, with EU
funding of €2.5 million, the network developed
durable cooperation and coordination between
national research programmes on the sustainable
construction and operation of buildings.
Within the NMP Theme of FP7, research projects for
the construction sector are already in progress on two
topics identified as priorities in consultation with the
Member States and the European Construction
Technology Platform:
• “Resource-efficient and clean buildings”, to reduce
significantly the consumption of materials and en-
courage the wider use of renewable resources.
• “Innovative value-added construction product-
services”, for retro-fitting and maintenance of
buildings, which was identified as a key activity
for the 2.5 million SMEs in the construction sector.
The proposals selected in late 2008 under the topic
“Industrialisation through new integrated construc-
tion processes” are now also giving birth to new
projects.
Coordination of Member States research in the con-
struction sector will continue to receive support under
FP7 through a second ERA-NET, ERACOBUILD, which
was established in November 2008. With 34 partners
from 21 Member States, and a total EC contribution
of €2.3 million, it will focus on the sustainable reno-
vation of buildings and on value-driven construction
processes.
This is well in line with the “Energy-efficient Buildings”
(EeB) Public-Private Partnership Initiative, for a total
of €1 billion in the period 2010-2013, which was in-
cluded by the European Commission in the “European
Economic Recovery Plan” of November 2008.
Complementary mechanisms
A European Construction Technology Platform (ECTP)
was launched early in 2005, with the aim of mobilis-
ing all stakeholders around the stated objectives of
‘meeting clients’ and users’ requirements, becoming
sustainable and transforming the construction
sector’. This now boasts over 1 000 members, and is
mirrored by national platforms in most EU countries.
It also maintains close links with other construction-
related technology platforms.
Alongside the Framework Programmes themselves,
complementary mechanisms such as COST (European
co-ordination in science and technology) and EUREKA
provide additional funding for joint European research
in this field. Both are intergovernmental programmes
allowing the coordination of nationally-funded research
on a European level. COST makes it possible for various
national facilities, institutes, universities and private
industry to work jointly on a wide range of research
activities, while EUREKA focuses on market-oriented
industrial R&D. Under the latter scheme, the umbrella
project EurekaBuild was initiated in 2006 to develop
technologies for sustainable and competitive con-
struction, in line with the Strategic Research Agenda
of the ECTP.
I NN OVAT IVE TE CH NO LO G IE S FO R BU ILDI NGS
Success Stories
The following pages outline notable examples of cur-
rent and recently completed projects in which
transnational cooperation is helping to achieve the
transformation of construction into the competitive,
knowledge-intensive and sustainable activity envis-
aged in the Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs.
5

‘Intelligent houses’
meet safety and life-style
aspirations
Climatic change, growing safety
consciousness and increasing quality-of-life
expectations impose growing demands
on the designers and builders of dwellings.
To meet these requirements, the Integrated
Project I-SSB is developing an ‘intelligent
house’ concept that will combine comfort
with hazard resistance by integrating the
structure with novel components and
monitoring systems.
I-SSB concept: new solution to
housing, particularly in high-risk areas.
Mechanical strength, thermal insulation, fire-resistance,
ease of application and dynamic response to external
perturbations make dry-walled, steel-framed construc-
tion an attractive option for house building, especially
in areas at risk from events such as earthquake or fire.
Such structures are also easy to erect and very flexible
in configuration.
In the industry-led I-SSB project, 22 partners from
11 countries are collaborating to review the whole pro-
duction process, in order to introduce a new modular
concept for durable multi-storey residential houses
based on multi-functional load-bearing dry walls cou-
pled with a smart steel-stud framework. The aim is to
incorporate sensors and actuators controlling dynamic
oscillations within the buildings, together with an em-
bedded wireless network to monitor and regulate
components having self-healing and auto-correcting
characteristics.
Multi-faceted research
Sonic attenuation, vibration absorption, fire-prevention
techniques, nano- and advanced composite building
materials, indoor parameter monitoring systems and
new construction methods are all being investigated.
In addition, 3D virtual design procedures are under de-
velopment to enhance structural stability and fire
safety, while new software tools for the prediction of
fire spread are planned.
As well as providing added safety, improving comfort
and reducing environmental impact, it is estimated that
this could be achieved at half the typical €2 000/m2
cost of a family house calculated in 2007. And, by shift-
ing work from building site to factory, it will contribute
to the desired progression towards a more knowledge-
intensive construction sector.
6
 The I-SSB demo house.
This demonstration building was designed as a typical
two-storey Greek family home.
Full-scale demo house
The eventual results will be demonstrated in a full-scale
family house designed to sustain extreme loads of wind,
vibrations and earthquake. The prototype of this was
completed during the first two years of the project. New
types of plasterboard with improved ability to withstand
the extreme conditions occurring during earthquake or
fire – notably by the incorporation of polypropylene
fibre and expanded perlite (amorphous volcanic glass)
fillers – have been developed and successfully tested
as additives for improved fire resistance. These are cur-
rently undergoing further evaluation and refinement.
I-SSB • The integrated safe and smart built project.
Total cost | €9 853 200
EC contribution | €6 000 000
Project duration | January 2007-December 2010 (48 months)
Coordinator | Prof. Dr. Hans-Ulrich Hummel, Knauf Gips, Germany
More information | http://www.issb-project.com/
Erection of steel frame completed in March 2009.
Valuable progress has also been made in the produc-
tion and wireless networking of sensors/actuators to
reduce man-induced vibrations and control noise,
as well as an innovative 3DPZT (lead zirconate titan-
ate) piezoelectric ceramic-fibre earthquake sensor.
A longer-term intention is to provide the house with en-
ergy storage elements based on phase-change materials,
and to combine these with energy-efficient systems that
will dramatically reduce consumption. The target is to
show that lightweight steel-frame buildings with gypsum
board systems can also become ‘zero-energy houses’
when suitably equipped. This is already beginning to be
explored in a follow-up FP7 project: MESSIB.
I NN OVAT IVE TE CH NO LO G IE S FO R BU ILDI NGS
7

Tunnelling made safer,
faster, more economical
Routing traffic below ground offers
a means to reduce urban congestion,
noise and pollution; while in mountainous
areas it cuts journey times and fuel
consumption. But tunnelling is itself
a costly, time consuming and sometimes
risky operation. The TUNCONSTRUCT
project is bringing together activity-wide
innovations in an all-embracing Under-
ground Construction Integrated Platform.
Tunnel boring machine with monitored cutters
and screen display in the operator’s cabin.
Road traffic, particularly freight, is a major cause of pol-
lution and inconvenience for citizens, and a significant
contributor to greenhouse gas emissions across Europe
as a whole. Moving it below ground can alleviate local
problems, while also freeing surface space for other
uses such as recreation. But the costs and risks involved
in constructing underground infrastructure are consider-
ably higher than those of conventional road-building.
With presently available techniques, there remains
a degree of uncertainty in predicting how the ground
will react to excavation activities, and in optimising
equipment performance under changing geological
conditions. This makes budgeting difficult, and in worst-
case scenarios can lead to catastrophic incidents. In the
TUNCONSTRUCT Integrated Project, 41 participants
from 11 Member States are addressing these issues
with an approach that encompasses every aspect of the
underground construction life-cycle – from design to
technologies and processes to maintenance and repair
of tunnels in service.
Information systems rationalised
To provide a better basis for decision-making, the part-
ners are drawing together a range of formerly disparate
ICT tools, including techniques not previously applied
to tunnelling, into two complementary information sys-
tems. For the design phase, an Integrated Optimisation
Platform (IOPT) combines computer simulation, expert
knowledge and artificial intelligence to provide the best
design of the construction sequence and method. Sim-
ilarly, improved and instant access to monitoring and
simulation data during construction is being realised in
an Underground Construction Information System (UCIS),
assisting the tunnel engineer in decision making and
allowing the storage of information valuable to future
projects.
8

A helmet with built-in data display gives a tunnel
engineer up-to-date information on geology and
displacements in his location.
Cost and risk limitation
The integrated process development examines such fac-
tors as influences of the soil, materials used for the
tunnel lining and overall quality control. Among many
notable breakthroughs is the replacement of discrete
TUNCONSTRUCT • Technology innovation in underground
construction.
Total cost | €25 711 580
EC contribution | €14 000 000
Project duration | September 2005-November 2009 (51 months)
Coordinator | Prof. Gernot Beer, Graz University of Technology, Austria
More information | http://www.tunconstruct.org/
measurement devices installed in bore holes by a con-
tinuous fibre-optic cable installed above the tunnel
liner to give more reliable early warning of excessive
settlement.
Numerous developments in excavation hardware will
also have significant impacts on cost and time. One par-
ticular objective of the industry is to increase tunnel
diameters beyond the present maximum of around
15 m, in order to accommodate more lanes of traffic.
Responding to this demand, project partner Her-
renknecht has designed the world’s first 18 m tunnel
boring machine (TBM). Further TBM enhancements
include advances in cutting tool materials and design,
as well as a monitoring system to safeguard against
damage and thus minimise downtime.
New automated roadheaders with precise profile
control, and integrated data processing systems will
further reduce costs and risks, as will novel robotic
inspection and repair devices.
Commercial potential
Even before the conclusion of TUNCONSTRUCT, the
work has given rise to 8 patents, several prototypes
with promise for early commercialisation, plus advanced
training and demonstration aids to facilitate dissemi-
nation of the new technologies.
I NN OVAT IVE TE CH NO LO G IE S FO R BU ILDI NGS
9

Industrialised concepts
promise huge savings
Industrialised production of building
components with integrated services and
intelligence could replace current working
practices of custom design and craft-made
delivery by a more rational and cost-cutting
approach. The I3CON Integrated Project is
developing business models, industrialised
components and processes whereby
specialised SMEs working in streamlined
supply chains can profit from this approach.
Overview of the I3CON concept.
Radical innovation in all phases of the creation and use
of buildings is required to meet future challenges of
sustainability, energy conservation and industrial com-
petitiveness in Europe. I3CON is therefore researching
industrialised construction concepts that will permit
efficient and economical operation over the whole
building life cycle.
In this four-year initiative, 26 partners from 14 coun-
tries are implementing a model-based design approach
to meet the information requirements of the built envi-
ronment when the focus is in the building lifecycle and
not just in the construction phase. A business model
selection tool, finalised in the second year, and on-going
work on value-based reference metrics enables con-
structors to make an early choice of the most appropriate
business model, which can lead to more resource-
efficient and performance-based projects.
A common architecture for building systems is also
being defined, together with intelligent catalogues of
standard components and sensors that are intero-
perable via a shared wireless network. With all sensors
being accessible to monitor functional status, an
enhanced ability to carry out remote preventive main-
tenance will be an important cost-saving factor.
I3CON Lifecycle Services
I3CON envisions advanced lifecycle services for the
building stakeholders by sharing the wealth of informa-
tion from the building in an open way by means of its
open building systems architecture. By re-using the same
model of information from the building, I3CON is devel-
oping an intelligent component catalogue and a service
configuration tool, as well as a thermal simulation of
the built environment. Furthermore, the same model
is enhanced to be used by building management systems
(BMS) and the mobile productivity tools under develop-
ment. All these can be used to provide advanced
services such as remote maintenance and energy mana-
gement. These services can be provided in an open
market by independent contractors.
10
New components and tools
Production technologies for smart components and sys-
tems have been evaluated, as has the manufacture of
integrated systems in a factory environment. Among
specific elements under development are different types
of facade panels, the thermoshield concept to provide
thermal comfort along the building envelope, control-
lable electro-chromic windows and a novel multi-services
trunking system that could provide a cost-effective
answer to the vertical and horizontal distribution of
essential services throughout multi-storey buildings.
In addition, work on a modular service engineering
model and its supporting toolbox is well advanced.
The I3CON prefabricated
demonstration module.
For example, a prototype configurator tool enables
service provision to be optimised and allows far more
accurate long-term forecasting of maintenance costs
than has hitherto been possible.
Novel demonstrator
As well as producing a virtual demonstrator and a pre-
fabricated module incorporating the developed
components, the partners plan a novel side-by-side
comparison of actual inhabited dwelling houses with
and without the new facilities.
Although some aspects of the I3CON vision will face
regulatory hurdles, it could ultimately deliver safer, more
comfortable and affordable buildings 50% faster and
25% more cheaply, with greatly reduced maintenance
and life-cycle cost savings of more than 40%.

I NN OVAT IVE TE CH NO LO G IE S FO R BU ILDI NGS

I3CON • Industrialised, integrated, intelligent construction.

Total cost | €17 356 561
EC contribution | €9 496 975
Project duration | October 2006-September 2010 (48 months)
Coordinator | Dr. Eng. Miguel José Segarra Martínez, Dragados, Spain
More information | http://www.i3con.org/

11

‘Open Building’ strides
beyond prefabrication
The MANUBUILD project has devised an
approach that marries creative architectu-
ral design to the industrialised production
and delivery of customisable components.
Its Open Building Manufacturing System
represents a new paradigm for construc-
tion, applying the efficiencies of sectors
such as the automotive and aerospace
industries, while still offering the end-user
diversity of choice.
MANUBUILD on show at the FutureBuild
exhibition, London.
The MANUBUILD concept of ‘open building manufac-
turing’ answers the need for fundamental change in
the construction sector: from craft-based practices to
efficient yet flexible knowledge-based industrial manu-
facture. As well as allowing significant reductions in
construction and maintenance costs, it will lead to
fewer errors and less re-work, reduce the risk of on-site
accidents and provide customers with more choices and
greater value.
In this four-year initiative, 22 participants from eight EU
countries collaborated in a programme that lays the
foundation for a total revision of the construction sup-
ply chain. Its holistic approach embraced building
concepts, business processes, production technologies
and ICT support, while also addressing the training and
education necessary to prepare designers and builders
for the new realities.
Principles defined
Rather than seeking to create specific products, MAN-
UBUILD has defined a set of underlying principles and
rules for an open building manufacturing world going
far beyond present-day prefabrication techniques that
simply ‘bring construction indoors’. For the first time, it
envisages buildings designed specifically for manufac-
ture and customisation, using agile production of
pre-manufactured products and components (e.g. wall
panels with pre-installed services) that are easy to
assemble and readily adaptable to customers’ wishes.
While many parts would be made off-site and trans-
ported to a building’s location, one interesting idea that
emerged is the use of on-site ‘mobile factories’ – espe-
cially for the production of costly or fragile elements
that could be prone to damage in transit.
The emphasis throughout is on increasing value for all
stakeholders, and on reaching real customer orientation
by involving the end-user intimately in the process. Given
that a building is a complex product, with a far greater
12
latitude in the choice of features and materials than, say,
a car, this demands much more interactive decision-
making. A key aspect of the project was therefore to
establish an integrated ICT framework for progressive
replacement of the fragmented collection of tools that
has grown up with the traditional industry.
Reaching out to industry
While the Open Building Manufacturing System is appli-
cable to virtually any kind of construction, the project
itself chose to focus its demonstration activities on
residential accommodation in four- to seven-story
buildings. Apart from lab-scale prototypes and virtual
presentations, multi-story dwellings using MANUBUILD
MANUBUILD • Open building manufacturing.
Total cost | €19 569 025
EC contribution | €10 000 000
Project duration | April 2005-March 2009 (48 months)
Coordinator | Dr. Samir Boudjabeur, Corus, United Kingdom
More information | http://www.manubuild.org/
concepts and learning have been demonstrated in
Sweden and are also currently under construction
in Spain. These will also be showcased in another
construction project in the UK in 2010. In order to
encourage industry take-up, the partners have also pub-
lished widely and participated in a number of showcase
events, including the FutureBuild exhibition in London
on two successive years.
A variety of training aids has been produced, and the
educational effort has begun with the launch of an MSc
programme in Construction Manufacturing. Linked to
this, coordinator Corus has developed the framework
for a ‘teaching factory’ where course content and dura-
tion can be targeted precisely according to the target
audience.
Software simulation
of a pre-engineered factory unit.
I NN OVAT IVE TE CH NO LO G IE S FO R BU ILDI NGS
13

Strategy for stone
strengthens EU position
In order to face growing competition from
Far Eastern and South American suppliers,
the European stone sector needs to deliver
lower cost products of improved quality
and higher added value. The I-STONE
project sought to re-engineer the whole
production chain, to improve efficiency,
reduce waste and develop a new genera-
tion of multifunctional by-products.
Holes are accurately drilled with a new
hammerless system that minimises waste.
The superior technical and aesthetic properties of nat-
ural stone lead to its widespread use in both structural
and decorative aspects of construction. World consump-
tion has increased by more than 200% over the past
two decades, and continues to rise. Around 35% of
the total demand is met by EU countries – notably Italy,
Greece, Spain and Portugal – giving employment to
over 500,000 people in some 50,000 companies,
mainly SMEs.
In recent years, however, Europe has been losing mar-
ket share to Far Eastern and South American rivals. To
face this problem, the I-STONE project sought to
improve the efficiency of the overall production chain,
enabling it to market products of lower cost, higher
quality and greater added value.
Innovating the process chain
A consortium comprising 42 partners from Europe,
Ukraine and Argentina has realised innovations cover-
ing all stages of stone extraction and conversion. These
include:
• a high-speed hammerless drilling system that
improves productivity, accuracy and cleanliness at
the quarry face;
• non-destructive testing methodology based on
sonic and ultrasonic waves, to classify blocks await-
ing sawing as acceptable or potentially flawed by
fractures;
• a consolidation system employing water-soluble
organic agents applied under vacuum to repair
defective blocks before further processing, thus
reducing reject rates that can otherwise reach up
to 35%;
• ultra-thin ( 3 mm) slab/strip-cutting discs, based on
nano-diamonds bonded without the use of heavy
metals – which operate at higher speeds than con-
ventional discs, extend lifetimes and generate less
waste;
14
Prototype system for an automated scanning
high-resolution method (ASHRM) to locate the
orientation and position of weak planes and
damages in stone blocks.
• inorganic consolidation of slabs, strips and tiles
with materials that are chemically similar to the
semi-finished products themselves, thus restoring
full marketable quality.
Negotiations for the commercial exploitation of a
number of these developments are now underway.
Environmental strategy
As well as minimising wastes from extraction and
processing, I-STONE’s strategy to promote sustainable
and ecological management of resources embraced a
search for new waste-based products, applications in
other industrial sectors, and methods for controlled dis-
posal.
One interesting avenue pursued in the Netherlands is the
incorporation of marble and granite powders into func-
tionalised concrete road paving able to absorb pollutants
from vehicle exhausts by photocatalytic oxidisation, with
self-cleaning by the action of rainfall.
I NN OVAT IVE TE CH NO LO G IE S FO R BU ILDI NGS
15
 Overall view of the slab/tile consolidation
Modernising moves system prototype.

Another aspect of the project was to provide stone

users with a web-based information system for the
selection of available products, aided by realistic visual
images. This could stimulate on-line dialogue between
producers and potential customers, making a signifi-
cant step towards e-commerce in what has so far been
a very traditional activity.

In order to disseminate information about the outcomes

of I-STONE, particularly to the sector’s many SME busi-
nesses, a series of training course modules is now
downloadable from the project website.

I-STONE • Re-engineering of natural stone production chain

through knowledge based processes, eco-innovation and new
organisational paradigms.
Total cost | €11 229 622
EC contribution | €6 759 934
Project duration | March 2005-November 2008 (45 months)
Coordinator | Ing. Giuseppe Gandolfi, Pedrini, Italy
More information | http://www.istone.ntua.gr/

16

Textiles tailored
for innovative buildings
New textile materials and innovative
techniques for their deployment offer huge
potential in the construction of eco-friendly
buildings that combine great design
freedom with lightness and economy.
CONTEX-T, an Integrated Project for SMEs,
is researching the underlying technologies.
Floating covered swimming pool
on the river Spree in Berlin.
Today, textiles are perceived by the construction indus-
try mainly as being appropriate for temporary structures.
However, with emerging materials and modern meth-
ods, they become equally applicable to more permanent
buildings. They not only offer architects the possibility
to create unusual and beautiful structures, but also
score highly in terms of minimal consumption of
resources and rapid, low-cost erection.
The CONTEXT-T project, a consortium of 30 partners
from 10 countries, led by the Belgian research institute
Centexbel, is exploring new multi-functional materials
and their intelligent use in lightweight, secure, eco-
friendly and economic buildings whose structures
should last for up to 60 years.
Three elements
Textile-based buildings essentially comprise three ele-
ments: membranes, supporting structures and tensioning
devices. Currently, typical membranes are simple coated
polyester or glass fibre fabrics. These provide only a pas-
sive shell, with limited barrier properties and durability.
The supporting structure is usually steel, aluminium or
wood, tensioned by means of steel cables.
The new research involves the development of mem-
branes with additional functionalities, as well as
supporting structures made from composites including
textile reinforcement, offering added value in both tech-
nical and aesthetic terms.
I NN OVAT IVE TE CH NO LO G IE S FO R BU ILDI NGS
17
New coatings and fillers, some derived from nanotech-
nology, are being tested to produce membranes
combining improved acoustic and thermal insulation,
efficient energy management and controlled light trans-
mission combined with easy cleaning and deconta-
mination qualities. A further aim is to allow energy
harvesting by photovoltaic approaches.
Replacing steel cables with textile belts and ropes for
tensioning and load transfer will eliminate corrosion
problems and facilitate installation. New textile rein-
forced composites and other hybrid structures will also
form essential elements of the supporting structures.
New glass-fibre-reinforced cement compositions are
showing great promise for incombustible and lightweight
beams and arches, which are also more environmentally-
friendly than traditional resin-based materials involving
A pvc-coated polyester bandstand canopy erected
in 2006 is a landmark feature of Norway’s annual
Kongsberg Jazz Festival.
solvents and dangerous waste. A combination of pul-
trusion and braiding produces plate composites that can
be bent and tensioned to form a variety of shapes.
Smart design
The integration of all these elements will create pleas-
ing, safe and comfortable environments for living and
working, even under extreme weather conditions. Smart
design and architecture, taking full advantage of the
new membranes and supporting structures will be
reflected in a series of demonstrators at the end of the
funded period. This will include new concepts for
retractable roofs and kinetic structures conferring out-
standing flexibility in use.
At the mid-point of CONTEX-T, five patent applications
had already been filed covering various aspects of the
technology. Spin-off applications in areas such as pro-
tective clothing, furnishing, vehicle covers, inflatable
boats and emergency slides are also foreseen.
18
Floating covered swimming pool and sauna on the river Spree in Berlin.

CONTEX-T • Textile architecture – textile structures and the

I NN OVAT IVE TE CH NO LO G IE S FO R BU ILDI NGS

buildings of the future.

Total cost | €10 498 007
EC contribution | €6 188 920
Project duration | September 2006-August 2010 (48 months)
Coordinator | Jan Laperre, Centexbel, Belgium
More information | www.contex-t.eu

19
Outlook

Synergy is strength

National agendas drive the erection of most buildings,

while their design is inevitably shaped by national
cultures and local conditions. But, with a pressing need
to transform the construction industry in line with
the Lisbon strategy, research by individual countries
alone is not enough.

There are many imperatives for radical reform of the

construction industry. Traditional practices and the
inertia of regulation have so far tended to inhibit the
introduction of more efficient methods. A recent
study carried out in Sweden showed that, over the
period 1993-2003, productivity grew at only 1/10 the
rate of that in the wider manufacturing sector.

Wasteful use of natural materials remains a serious

problem. And a dramatic reduction in energy consump-
tion is essential to achieve the objectives established
at European level in the Energy and Climate Change
Policy.

Today, a separation of the design and construction

disciplines, plus the lack of an overall systems ap-
proach, means that the majority of new efficient
buildings are effectively prototype projects. This situ-
ation can only be remedied by addressing the overall
process.

Given the level of research investment required to

achieve rapid progress, every effort must be made
to optimise the use of finance, equipment, know-how
and human talent. As the EU-funded projects described
in this brochure show, transnational cooperation is a
logical way ahead. Member States should also ensure
that their national recovery plans are coordinated
with each other, and with the European Economic
Recovery Plan.

20
Public-private partnership
for Energy-efficient Buildings

The European Economic Recovery Plan endorsed by

the European Council in December 2008 includes
Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to support research
into sustainable technologies for the EU construction
sector as well as for the manufacturing and automo-
tive industries. The ‘Energy-efficient Buildings’ (EeB)
PPP will devote €1 billion of public-private funding
to the development of energy-efficient systems and
materials in new and renovated buildings with a view
to reducing radically their energy consumption and
CO2 emissions.

In order to achieve the necessary fast start-up, the

EeB PPP will initially make use of existing FP7 instru-
ments. The cross-thematic Coordinated Call launched
in July 2009 under the Work Programme 2010 will
allow the first research projects to begin in the spring
of 2010. In parallel, a dialogue is going on between
the Commission services and the Ad-hoc Industrial
Advisory Group for the construction sector to develop
a multi-annual roadmap of research priorities for the
period up to the end of FP7 in 2013.

I NN OVAT IVE TE CH NO LO G IE S FO R BU ILDI NGS

21
Acknowledgements

Special thanks are expressed to the coordinators and the programme officers
of the projects for their contribution, and in particular to Christophe Lesniak
for the coordination work. Furthermore, the collaboration of Mike Parry,
Margarita Rodríguez Prada, Pascale Dupont and Bingen Urquijo Garay
is acknowledged.

J.L. Vallés, Head of Unit RTD-G2 ‘New generation of products’

European Commission

EUR 24023 EN – Innovative technologies for buildings – EU-funded research

to transform the construction sector

Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities

2009 — 24 pp. — 17 x 24 cm

ISBN 978-92-79-12609-3
DOI 10.2777/33303

23
 KI-NA-24023-EN-C
The construction sector is central to the overall economy of the EU, accounting for more than 10 % of
GDP, employing more than 16 million people in large, medium and small enterprises, providing accom-
modation and infrastructure, and playing a prominent role in the global marketplace. Continued research
and development is vital to provide a sound basis for recovery from the effects of economic downturn
and to address the global problems of climate change and population growth. The European Construc-
tion Technology Platform developed a Strategic Research Agenda which identified three main goals:
meeting clients’ and users’ requirements, dramatically improving sustainability and energy efficiency,
and achieving a transformation from traditional craft practices to modern and efficient knowledge-based
methods employing intelligent new materials and environmentally-friendly processes. This publication
briefly presents six examples of outstanding transnational collaborative projects for the construction
sector supported by the EU under its RTD Framework Programmes. By taking innovative approaches to
the development and application of building and infrastructural technologies, all are helping to ensure
a viable future for the construction industry and contributing to the well-being of every citizen.