The research challenges related to the involvement of the construction industry in the preservation of cultural heritage are focussed at the intersection of technology and environment. Socio-economic impacts need to be assessed in order to reach the goals of a consequence based approach to heritage protection.

The number of challenges - preservation, rehabilitation, integration in urban and natural, environment, increase of life quality, economic promotion, multicultural tolerance, spreading of awareness, knowledge transfer, and impact assessment - will be responded to by the activities of different working groups.

The main topics, forming the foundations of heritage preservation, are: assesment, monitoring & diagnosis, materials, intervention techniques, environment & energy management, exploitation & maintenance together with city & land aspects.

The above are integrated with need for the development of knowledge, and its transfer through education and training. The implementation of sustainability principles in the protection of cultural heritage together with constant care for socio-economic aspects are also of vital importance. The latter will help to drive the development of relevant European directives, codes and standards particualry in relation to readiness and consequences related to natural hazards.

The active engagement of the European construction industry in the preservation of cultural heritage is crucially important for future generations and offers very significant RTD challenges.