The Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) and STRABAG have agreed a research and development pact intended to foster greater innovation and sustainability in construction.
Signed by Klemens Haselsteiner, chief executive of STRABAG SE, and Jens Schneider, rector of TU Wien, the five-year research alliance will intensify a long-standing collaboration, and now places this partnership on a broader interdisciplinary foundation.
Haselsteiner said: “STRABAG has set itself the ambitious goal of achieving climate neutrality across the entire value chain by 2040. As a technology leader, we are working on this every day and at all levels.
“We are delighted that we have now gained one of Europe’s leading institutions for application-oriented research as a partner for this endeavour in the form of TU Wien. Our cooperation combines the concentrated scientific expertise of the TUW institutes and the innovative strength of STRABAG – systematically and to our mutual benefit.”
Schneider added: “Research and teaching at TU Wien are helping to tackle pressing global challenges such as climate change today and in the future – and to achieve the sustainability goals in all dimensions: Ecological, economic and social sustainability.
“We can only achieve this together in an innovation ecosystem of science and industry, taking into account the requirements of society. Competent partners are the prerequisite for guaranteeing joint progress and enabling innovations for the benefit of society.”
The signed cooperation agreement begins retroactively from 1 September 2024 and initially runs until 31 August 2029. It covers all eight faculties of TU Wien with a total of 51 institutes across all technical disciplines.
The aim is to develop innovative solutions in joint interdisciplinary R&D projects that will serve the sustainable and digital construction of tomorrow.
Findings from existing research activities of both partners are systematically combined and subsequently coordinated by central contact persons from STRABAG and TU Wien. The focal points of the R&D cooperation are determined through regular dialogue in joint committees. The centrepiece is also a regular tech dialogue between both partners in order to derive topics for joint projects with a view to future technological developments.
With more than 4,000 scientists in eight faculties and 26,000 students, the Vienna University of Technology is Austria’s largest research and educational institution in the field of technology and natural sciences. The innovation engine TU Wien strengthens Austria as a centre of business and science and contributes to the prosperity of society.
STRABAG SE is a European-based technology group for construction services. Its activities span all areas of the construction industry and cover the entire construction value chain.
Main image: STRABAG chief executive Klemens Haselsteiner and TU Wien rector Jens Schneider seal a comprehensive new cooperation agreement
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