The Centre for Territory, Environment and Construction (CTAC) is a R&D unit of the School of Engineering of University of Minho, recognised by the “FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia” (Foundation for Science and Technology), dedicated to research in the field of civil engineering, integrating as members 32 faculty staff from the department of civil engineering, as well as postdoctoral staff, externally funded researchers and postgraduate students.

The scientific organisation of CTAC includes five Research Areas of Competence (RAC): a) Ecomaterials; b) Sustainable Construction; c) Water Resources and Environment; c) Transport Systems and Infrastructures; d) Territorial Planning and Governance, each one supported by specific laboratories, contributing to the vision of the Strategic Programme for 2015-2020 (link): “S4cities – sustainable, smart, safe and smiling cities”. The link between research and society will constitute the driving force of an intervention where the citizenship will play the central role, in order to contribute to the life quality.

Concerning the implementation of the Strategic Programme for 2015-2020, CTAC adopt a strategy based on a collaborative approach, towards the development of multidisciplinary projects supporting the vision of the centre – S4cities, strengthening its activities on the development of new knowledge and innovative solutions for the built environment, infrastructures and governance for the cities of tomorrow. This general objective will be formulated, constructed and achieved over this period in cooperation with other research centres, namely acting in the field of TICE and also of Social Sciences, in close interaction with all decision makers, government, enterprises and municipal authorities.

A framework to address the challenges put forward by the vision of CTAC will be structured in a series of “S4Cities conferences”, intended to attract influencing skills from academia, representatives from central, regional and local government and leaders of public and private companies.