For any kind of construction building materials are needed. The total amount of materials required for construction purposes in Europe exceeds 2 billion tonnes per year, making it the largest raw material consuming industry. The materials form an essential part of the buildings we live and work in; the roads, in bridges and tunnels we use to move around and in the networks of drinking and waste water etc. Materials, and their combinations, create the aesthetic expression and provide structural strength and durability to all buildings and structures.

Construction materials have an important role to play in sustainable development through their energy performance and durability, as this determines the energy demand of buildings through the lifetime. By developing the use of materials and their combinations, significant improvements of the environment and quality of life can be achieved. Together with the energy and the raw materials used during their manufacturing it becomes obvious that the production of building materials has a significant environmental impact due to the sheer quantities involved.

Results

Given the fact that Austria does not yet have any national communication partners for the focus areas ICT (IT) and building and construction industry, in-depth research to this effect was undertaken at the outset of the project. The procedure described in more detail below made it possible to identify an appropriate number of people working or having already been involved in developments in the interface area between ICT (IT) and the building and construction sector. As a next step, future research projects and/or themes, designated as “project ideas” in this context, were identified. Further attention was devoted to collecting and processing this information and matching it with the simultaneous modifications of the twelve (eight, resp.) theme-focused roadmaps. Processing of project ideas and targeted contacts with suitable representatives of interests aimed at underpinning the visions described in the roadmaps with tangible references and validating them within the framework of meetings and workshops in support of the projects.