Construction is one of Europe's most important industrial ecosystems, with a significant economic, environmental and social impact. In the Construction Working Group, we focus on creating a Data Space for construction, aligned with the principles of Gaia-X, which promotes secure, interoperable and sustainable data sharing between all players in the sector (developers, designers, contractors, asset managers, regulators, among others).
Why a Working Group for Construction?
• The construction sector is one of the largest industrial sectors in the EU and faces urgent challenges in terms of sustainability, energy efficiency and CO₂ emissions reduction.
• Digital innovation, especially through BIM, Digital Twins, IoT, and artificial intelligence, can accelerate the transition to greener and more resilient construction.
• There is currently a gap in data governance and standardisation between different stakeholders, and a common framework is needed for reliable data exchange throughout the construction lifecycle.
• The Digital TER-X 2050 initiative, which has already been recognised as a ‘Lighthouse Project’ by Gaia-X, has been carrying out this work in the European context, with this group mirroring it at national level.
Working Group Objectives
1. Develop specifications for a future Construction Data Space, aligned with Gaia-X principles, that supports data sovereignty and trust between participants.
2. Promote interoperability through the adoption of open standards such as OpenBIM, OpenGIS and norms such as ISO 19650, ensuring that information can circulate between different tools, platforms and agents in the sector.
3. Define governance and business models for data services in the construction sector: service catalogues, open governance, data-based contracts, among others.
4. Ensure regulatory compliance, especially for public contracts, integrating European and national requirements related to privacy and transparency.
5. Create a collaborative ecosystem involving industry players at the national level, raising awareness of the importance of data spaces in construction.
Benefits for Participants
• Data sovereignty: industry entities will have more control over their data, ensuring confidentiality and security.
• Operational efficiency: with interoperable data models, it is possible to reduce duplication, avoid rework and speed up construction processes.
• Innovation: the common framework opens up space for new services, solutions and businesses.
• Trust and transparency: a Data Space based on Gaia-X principles builds greater trust among industry players, enabling more ethical and responsible business practices.
• Alignment with European policies: the group contributes to the EU's Twin Transition (Green and Digital) objectives.
Planned activities
• Organisation of workshops and webinars to define requirements, use cases and roadmap for the Construction Data Space.
• Collaboration in the development of technical specifications and implementation guides (e.g. information containers for project models, digital contracts, governance rules).
• Pilots and proofs of concept (PoCs) with different types of stakeholders (contractors, municipalities, owners) to test data exchange via the Data Space.
• Production of position papers (such as papers, white papers) to raise awareness of the need for a Construction Data Space and promote good practices.
• Active participation in Gaia-X communities to align efforts and scale the initiative.
Coordination and Participation
• The Working Group will be coordinated by members of Gaia-X Hub Portugal who are already involved in the Digital TER-X initiative.
• Membership will be open to agents from across the entire construction value chain: developers, architects, engineers, construction companies, software suppliers, public entities, innovation centres, among others.
• There will be communication channels (email, regular meetings, specific working groups) and a collaborative platform for the exchange of ideas, documents and prototypes.
Coordinator:
