LREC - Regional Civil Engineering Laboratory and NONAGON - São Miguel Science and Technology Park signed today a protocol in Ponta Delgada. It intends to promote the implementation of initiatives aimed at enhancing cooperation in areas of common interest, namely research and technological development in Civil Engineering and the endogenous materials of the archipelago.
 
At the signing ceremony of this protocol, the Regional Secretary for Transport and Public Works stated that, with another initiative, "the Azorean Government continues to encourage partnerships between the most diverse entities with a view to providing resources and training in areas related to construction and public works."
 
Ana Cunha stressed that the NONAGON Association "has made the commitment in its vision and mission statement to foster entrepreneurship and technology-based innovation, so this is a partner we consider valuable and preferential in the implementation of this partnership strategy."
 
"With this protocol, NONAGON reinforces its crucial role in preparing the future of its partners and users," added the government official.
 
The Regional Secretary also pointed out that the "mission of LREC is to promote scientific research applied to regional specificities and technological development in civil engineering as well as to provide all public and private entities requesting it a series of laboratory and quality control, with the guarantee of reputability and impartiality."
 
Recently, cooperation has been established between LREC and other entities, such as the Regional Civil Engineering Laboratory of Madeira and the Passivhaus Portugal Association, among others.
 
"The Azorean Government attaches great importance to the establishment of these new forms of cooperation with a view to reciprocal enrichment, particularly in technical and scientific research, seminars, workshops, conferences, specific training courses and other actions considered relevant," said the Regional Secretary.
 
For Ana Cunha, "the dissemination of scientific and technological knowledge is a necessity of today's society also shared by the Regional Government, which becomes even more urgent given the geographical location of the archipelago."
 
The Regional Secretary also stated the Azores Creative Industry Platform will be presented shortly. It aims to "involve various agents in industrial design, product design, conceptual design, material engineering, among others as well as to apply the knowledge of these areas in the development of new products from endogenous materials."
 
As Ana Cunha stressed, this platform will contribute "to the use of these new products and material by the construction and housing rehabilitation sectors, namely by different types of tourism units. It will also generate more income for the building materials sector, thus establishing a unique differentiation for the supply of materials in the Azores and adding value to this economic activity; the latter has grown exponentially in the Region."
 
"Hence, it is important to continue the efforts of qualification and differentiation. In this context, the Government is available to continue collaborating and developing activities and partnerships, together with the entities wishing to do so," said Ana Cunha.