LIFETIME
Within the Fifth Framework Programme of the European Union, the project for a thematic network "Lifetime Engineering of Buildings and Civil Infrastructures" has been running since June 2002 and is expected to run until June 2005. 98 project partners from a wide range of public and private institutions, companies and institutes from a total of 26 nations are participating in the network.
The Institute for Management in Construction/ Facility Management of the University of Karlsruhe is responsible for the first of five work packages in the project, and has also assumed the role of national representation for Germany.
Motivation
First of all, the state of knowledge, knowledge transfer and practice among the participants with regard to life cycle orientation is to be investigated. Benchmarking of the results should provide information about knowledge gaps and competence centres within the network. In a second step, this approach will be applied beyond the participants of the project. The focus is on closing the gaps between research and practice and to be able to implement "best practice" as comprehensively as possible. The third work package concentrates on technical and methodical contents of Lifetime Engineering. A further focus is on the consideration and comparison or reconciliation of data sources on the topic of life cycle consideration.
Finally, an attempt is made to distribute and make use of the collected knowledge and findings in a comprehensive way.
Objective
The aim of the thematic network is to record and coordinate European and global developments in the construction industry and to improve them in the direction of environmental sustainability. The construction industry not only includes the construction and management of buildings, but also all engineering works, infrastructure supply and mining. The focus of the thematic network is on stimulating discussions, initiating and supporting national, European and global development processes and cooperation and establishing this development in the long term.
