Collaboration in research, development and innovation in the construction sector

The construction sector is of crucial relevance to the European economy. It accounts for around € 2.3 million enterprises – predominantly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – which generate an annual turnover of almost € 1 billion, contributing an estimated 10% of the EU’s GDP. Thus, improving the collaboration among different actors in such a key industrial sector in order to improve the uptake of new technologies and innovations is of strategic importance to Europe. PRESTO finds its reasoning precisely in that background. PRESTO is a project aimed at facilitating the identification of priority research topics for associations of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEsAs) by establishing a close and sustainable dialogue with European Technology Platforms (ETPs). As part of PRESTO activities a series of analyses, studies, surveys and consultation panels with construction experts, ETPs and SMEsAs representatives were conducted. The present publication is enshrined within the above mentioned context and summarises some of the most relevant findings of the project.