What are the challenges related to the adoption of digital technologies for SMEs in the construction industry? How are they implementing digital twins and AI? We talk about it with the Secretary General at the European Builders Confederation (EBC).
The impact of digital technologies on the construction value chain is profound, reshaping traditional practices and workflows. Integrating human-centric design with BIM, IoT, Digital Twins, and additive manufacturing marks a transformative era in construction, enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and adaptability. The article delves into how the fusion of these technologies with human expertise redefines building design, construction, and management, facing challenges in data management and interoperability.
Digital technologies represent a huge untapped potential to revolutionise the building and construction industry. Buildings are evolving into intelligent and interconnected structures, adapting to the changing needs of occupants while also optimising energy efficiency. How is Europe addressing this digital shift, and how are building professionals changing the way they work?
The marine waters around France are a mosaic of habitats. The LIFE project MarHa is helping the French marine Natura 2000 network protect them and reach favourable conservation status.
Take action for a water-resilient Europe by organising your own event from 29 May to 1 September 2024. Submit your proposal before 20 March.
Planning a big or small Maritime themed event for the public from April 1 to October 31, 2024? Join the 'EMD in My Country' campaign with EU-wide promotion!
In April, the EU Policy Lab (Joint Research Centre, European Commission) will collect citizens' and stakeholders' real-life experiences in relation to water, in all its aspects. They will share a weblink with you and highly encourage you to participate in this 15- min innovative survey, via the European MSP Platform. This will help gather insights from all 27 member states and a variety of stakeholders on the way which water matters most to them. The text analysis of the stories will inform an awareness campaign by DG Environment and the policymakers of the next Commission more generally.
After receiving 2,500 entries, the Green-Schools Marine Spatial Planning Poster Competition: "What I'd like to see for the sea" have awarded twelve students for their exceptional posters depicting their vision for the future of Ireland’s ocean and coast. In partnership with the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage, students were tasked with illustrating their aspirations for the future use of Ireland's seas, aligning with the National Marine Planning Framework's goals.
In April, the EU Policy Lab (Joint Research Centre, European Commission) will collect citizens' and stakeholders' real-life experiences in relation to water, in all its aspects. They will share a weblink with you and highly encourage you to participate in this 15- min innovative survey, via the European MSP Platform. This will help gather insights from all 27 member states and a variety of stakeholders on the way which water matters most to them. The text analysis of the stories will inform an awareness campaign by DG Environment and the policymakers of the next Commission more generally. More information coming soon!
Since the establishment of the Technical Expert Group, the voluntary members have identified priority areas where intervention was required and established a number of dedicated technical sub-groups to develop either guidance, standards or in some cases data models to address these challenges. The objective of this public workshop is to simultaneously provide an opportunity for the outputs of the TEG to be presented, providing visibility to their authors and contributors, whilst at the same time sharing them with member states’ planners and wider MSP practitioners in a practical and useable way, illustrated where possible with examples. The workshop will be hybrid, allowing online participation. Due to limited physical space, on-site attendance will be granted on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Maritime Spatial Plan of Cyprus was approved by the Council of Ministers on 20th December 2023 and published in the Official Gazette of the Republic on 29th December 2023 (Gazette No. 5844, Supplement III (I), P.I. 427/2023). It consists of text, maps per special area and sectoral-thematic maps. The Plan takes into account the main priorities, goals and strategic guidelines for the marine waters of the Republic, as defined in the Policy Statement on MSP which was adopted by the Council of Ministers on 21 December 2021.
HELCOM has officially launched its first data call for PROTECT BALTIC, inviting stakeholders to share crucial biotic, abiotic, and supporting data on the Baltic region. This initiative aims to boost protection efforts and improve spatial planning.
The National Commission for Public Debate (CNDP) is organising a wide-ranging public debate on maritime planning: on the future of the sea, the coast, marine biodiversity and offshore wind power. This national debate will take place on the territory of the maritime coasts of metropolitan France. The national consultation on the revision of the DSF will run from 20th November 2023 until April 2024, in particular to identify new areas for Offshore Wind, but also to agree on strict marine protected areas to meet the 2030 objectives.
On 20th November 2023 nine North Sea countries undertook significant steps towards the deployment of offshore wind energy. During the annual North Sea conference, the European Union, 8 Member States and Norway agreed on a shared Action Agenda for an integrated energy system by 2050. This Action Agenda includes more specifically the publication of joint NSEC offshore wind energy tender planning, enabling investments in supply chains, including infrastructure.
The Greater North Sea Basin Initiative (GNSBI) was officially established in November 2023, setting the framework for collaboration between 9 countries from the North Sea (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom), to strengthen cooperation on maritime spatial planning. The GNSBI aims to provide a regional platform for spatial integration of all uses by making proposals for better alignment of MSP, efficient management processes, and coordinating sectoral interests across boundaries - to tackle the spatial and ecological challenges of the Greater North Sea Basin.
The European MSP Platform just launched its brand-new Multi-Use Compendium! This initiative is a response to the growing volume of discussions and interest in the topic of multi-use. It represents an evolution from the heavily used 'Sectors and Conflicts' Pages on the MSP Platform. Tailored for Member States’ Planners and MSP Practitioners, the compendium aims to consolidate information from diverse sources, offering a comprehensive view of the opportunities, challenges, and enablers associated with the integration of various maritime economic activities at sea. However, the true value of the Compendium lies in collation of case studies – and this is where we seek your invaluable assistance!! While the combination of multiple maritime activities in a shared sea space is not a novel concept, the concrete examples from which lessons can be drawn are more prevalent at the local and regional scale. To capture this information, we have developed a simple template where you can provide us with any examples you might know of. Your contribution to this initiative will play a significant role in enriching our collective understanding and the creation of a resource that we hope will be an indispensable tool for planners and practitioners navigating the intricate landscape of multi-use scenarios at sea.
Scientists and infant health experts have warned for some time that breastmilk can contain damaging microplastics. Now new finding from LIFE MILCH reveals the presence of other hazardous chemicals - and how to avoid them.
Experts from the WestMED Initiative assistance mechanism shared their experiences applicable to the whole sea basin and moderated some of the workshops during this major UfM Stakeholder Conference that took place in Athens on February 19 and 20.
The WestMED 2023 factsheet is out listing its major achievements. Goals, priorities, governance, stories, number of projects supported and much more in one quick overview.
On December 18, 2023, WestMED’s National Hub Spain hosted a webinar titled “Opportunities and experiences for decarbonizing recreational and fishing vessels and ports”.
