Centro Ceramico Bologna

General information:
TRA PROJECT OVERVIEW:
The main objective of the TRA on 'Environmentally Friendly Construction Technologies' is to establish a well organised and efficient interface between the various construction related RTD projects supported by the EC. In particular the TRA aims at:
- providing a European forum for the development, dissemination and exchange of scientific and technological knowledge and of ideas relating to all aspects of construction;
- accelerating dissemination and exploitation of research results;
- improving the synergy and coordination of research being carried out in EC programmesl;
- informing RTD programme planners of the research needs and priorities of tomorrow. In the context of this proposal construction is understood to cover all economic activities which involve assembling or erecting fixed structures, plants or equipment, or earth movement on site.

Construction thus includes: building construction, civil engineering (roads, railways, ports, waterways, bridges, towers, dams, tunnels, pipelaying, etc.) underground excavation, process plant and general steelwork construction , offshore structures, landscaping and land reclamation. Construction related topics embrace the total construction cycle, ranging from construction materials manufacturing to demolition and recycling of structures.

EUROPEAN DIMENSION AND PARTNERSHIP
The expected added value for implementing the network can be classified in three categories: benefits for the research consortia, for the programme and for the Community;
- For the research consortia real time exchange of mutually relevant information on technological aspects for increased future exploitation will be achieved, as well as increased motivation to achieve objectives and deliverables on time and cost, widening the scope of specific activities of the individual projects and enlarging the scientific and technical framework towards a more global technological solution for the concerned area; increased awareness of future technology trends among different sectors serving specific industrial objectives;
- For the programme a better coherence between running projects will be obtained and an improved coordination of the contractual aspects, encouragement for improved project excellence, improved global and comparative vision of the perspective impact on a specific area; having all a positive impact on creating technology and business networks for excellence;
- For the European Community in general strengthening of industrial competitiveness will result in the development of sound and proven scientific and technological frameworks, and increased dissemination of quality information to the European construction industry for enhanced productivity and manufacturing. The TRA on Environmentally Friendly Construction Technologies is a truly trans-European initiative. Partners from all 15 European countries are involved and the prime proposer ECCREDI (European Council for Construction Research, Development and Innovation) is in itself a European Associations.

POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
The network will ensure that information dissemination is effectively assured through the Newsletters, the Homepage and the Workshop Proceedings. Additionally press contacts will be made with editors of construction journals and reviews. a presence policy will be followed with regard to scheduled international seminars and international seminars and international conferences. The strategic position currently occupied by ECCREDI members as observers in CEN and EOTA, will be exploited to achieve a rapid take up of research results in Standards and Codes. Beneficiaries from the TRA will be all actors involved in the construction research.