Construct Innovate, Ireland's national research center for construction technology, has accomplished remarkable milestones in its first year of operation.
Through expanding its academic collaboration, the center is working to improve its expertise base for industry-driven innovation to push Ireland to the position of a global leader in sustainable construction.
(Photo : Pexels/Gustavo Fring)
Inaugural Year of Construct Innovate
Various funding opportunities are available to Construct Innovate members, and they can work with relevant stakeholders to address their particular and industry-wide challenges. These challenges can range from investigating new technologies or emerging industry trends to adapting existing technologies and processes to address specific construction-related challenges. As mentioned, the modernization and increased sustainability of the Irish construction industry present advantageous prospects.
A wide variety of tools and opportunities for training are also made available by the center to enhance industry awareness and education on subjects that are associated with research and innovation. As an illustration, consider the continuing webinar series called Construct Innovate. It has been hosting weekly online webinars on the most critical issues facing the construction sector; these seminars have been running since September 2023, with help from Engineers Ireland West Region.
Moreover, the incorporation of 60 companies and eight research-performing organizations, the acquisition of €2 million or more the $2.1 million in equipment funding from Enterprise Ireland to assist with industry research needs, the completion of 10 research projects, and the awarding of 18 project contracts to industry-academic partnerships in response to the Centre's inaugural Seed Fund Call with nearly €1 million total value or almost $1.1 million are all outcomes of Construct Innovate's first twelve months of operation.
Through a partnership with the Center's research shareholders, Construct Innovate offers advantages to industry members to get involved with and participate in research, development, and innovation (RD&I). These possibilities are organized according to efficiency, cost-effectiveness and price, safety and quality, sustainability, skills and training, and collaboration.
On the other hand, the Construct Innovate academic-industry meeting day events, also known as AIMdays, are essential in determining areas for research and development. The Irish construction and built environment sector is confronted with industry-led challenges discussed and workshopped during AIMdays. These days, they bring together key stakeholders from the construction industry, academia, and research institutes.
At Trinity College in Dublin, Construct Innovate hosted its second AIMday event, which took place in October of 2023. Over seventy people attended the event and participated in eight different workshops. Through their participation, they were able to identify a great deal of new research prospects.
Ireland's Goal to Have a Sustainable Future
Construct Innovate is Ireland's national construction technology center, which is currently administered by the University of Galway and receiving support from Enterprise Ireland. The country aims to become a global leader in research and innovation for environmentally responsible building practices and technologies related to the built environment. Through the collaboration of 22 diverse research groups from five partner institutions, Construct Innovate brings together more than 300 academics currently researching subjects connected to buildings and the built environment.
By leveraging the active participation of its members and a European network of innovation clusters, the organization unifies the entire value chain to shift towards an environmentally friendly economy and society through human-centric creative thinking in construction and the built environment. Everyone interested in improving their knowledge of construction technology in Ireland is reportedly eligible to join Construct Innovate, which includes stakeholders in the construction and built environment industries.
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