European Virtual Institute for Integrated Risk Management (EU-VRi)
 
 

The European Virtual Institute for Integrated Risk Management (EU-VRi) is the European organization which provides professional services, consulting, information and education needed in the broad area of modern integrated risk management and, in particular, management of emerging risks. EU-VRi has been legally established in Nov. 2006 by 5 founding members (BZF, INERIS, Steinbeis, Technologica, and University of Stuttgart). EU-VRi is organized as a European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG) and its purpose is to facilitate or develop the economic activities of its members by a pooling of resources, activities or skills. The activities of the EEIG are related to the economic activities of its members and the main goal of the EEIG is to add value to the businesses of the EU-VRi members. In addition, EU-VRi facilitates the mobility of researchers between research and industry, and it acts as a vehicle to create efficient consortia to address the R&D needs and other needs of industry. In 2009 about 40 companies from the EU and other countries are associated members. They come from industry, R&D organizations and academia, governmental and non-governmental/international organizations and SMEs (small and medium enterprises). From 2009, EU-VRi has increased its participation in projects dealing with emerging technologies, such as nanomaterials and new energies, and the associated risk management.
 
   
 
 
Steinbeis Advanced Risk Technologies GMBH (R-Tech)
 
 

Steinbeis Advanced Risk Technologies GmbH (R-Tech) is a private SME established in 2007. It provides services, R&D and products related to risk technologies and risk management in the areas of petrochemical, process and power industries, material technologies and new/alternative technologies (such as nano-technologies, CO2 storage and sequestration, advanced coating technologies, etc.). It has in-depth expertise in risk-based inspection (RBI), reliability-centered maintenance (RCM), root-cause failure analysis (RCFA) and health, safety/security and environment (HAZOP/HSE/HSSE). R-Tech is currently an independent member of the following organizations: (1) Steinbeis Advanced Risk Technologies Group, (2) http://www.steinbeis.de/Steinbeis GmbH & Co. KG für Technologietransfer, (3) European Virtual Institute for Integrated Risk Management (EU-VRi) and (4) European Virtual Institute on Knowledge-based Multifunctional Materials AISBL (KMM-VIN). Its main expertise and competencies lie in the areas of analysis, assessment and management of technical risks and in integrating all of these aspects into other aspects such as business, financial, organizational, IT and human behavior related ones.
 
   
 
 
Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS)
 
 
The Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques (INERIS) is a public research body of an industrial and commercial character, under the supervision of the French Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. INERIS’s mission is to assess and prevent accidental and chronic risks to people and the environment originating from industrial activities, chemical substances and underground works. INERIS engages in two main sorts of research and studies: a) Characterization and understanding of the phenomena that underline the risks affecting the safety or property, people, health and the environment as a result of economic activities; b) Improvement of the identification and evaluation of such risks in order to enable decision-makers in the public and private sectors to adopt the most appropriate measures to improve environmental safety.
 
   
 
 
Fundacion Tecnalia Research & Innovation (Tecnalia)
 
 

TECNALIA is a private non-profit organization that was set up in 2010 from the merger of 8 existing technology research centres. TECNALIA is the leading private and independent research and technology entity in Spain, fifth largest in Europe. TECNALIA employs more than 1,500 people (almost 170 PhDs) and its turnover is 121Me, it filled 53 patents, had 3800 clients and created 8 spin-offs (2009). It is very active in the FP7 having already gained more than 170 projects, coordinating 34 of them.

The activities within this proposal will be carried out by: the two Bussines Units of Rehabilitation and Infrastructures, within the Sustainable Construction Division and with the support of the Programmes Unit, by Javier Larrañeta, who is Secretary General of PESI (Spanish Platform of Industrial Safety), and elected member of the Executive Board at ETPIS, coordinating the SafeInfrastructures initiative.

 
   
 
 
Stichting Deltare (Deltares)
 
 

Deltares is an independent Dutch institute for applied research and consultancy. It has been established in 2008 by merging existing institutes: GeoDelft, WL | Delft Hydraulics, TNO Built Environment and Geosciences and parts of the Department of Transport Public Works and Water Management). The institute employs more than 800 people.

The Deltares' strategic principle is 'Enabling Delta Life' focusing on knowledge and technology development to provide innovative solutions to make living and working in deltas, coastal areas and river basins safe, clean and sustainable. Deltares offers for this purpose a unique combination of knowledge, experience and facilities in the field of water, soil and infrastructure. Deltares works for and cooperates with Dutch government, provinces and water boards, international governments, universities, research institutes and private parties. The institute is located in two cities in the Netherlands: Delft and Utrecht.

Deltares has a host of experimental facilities available for fundamental and applied research, as well as for consultancy projects. In FP7-Enviroment Deltares coordinates FLOODPROBE: Flood protection for the build environment and participates among many other projects in REFRESH: Adaptive strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change on European freshwater and THESEUS: Innovative technologies for safer European coasts in a changing climate. Deltares is also involved in FP7-Security as work package leader in CIPRNet: Critical infrastructure preparedness and resilience research network (under negotiation).
 
   
 
 
Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus (VTT)
 
 

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) is an impartial non-profit multi-technological research organization of about 3000 people, established by law and operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, to provide technology and innovation services for public and private clients. The focus areas of VTT include applied materials, energy, process and industrial systems technologies, also encompassing development and application of new technology in managing aging and life of industrial and process facilities, and associated European R&D activities for asset management.
 
   
 
 
Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories (FEHRL)
 
 

Formed in 1989 as the Forum of European National Highway Research Laboratories, FEHRL provides a structure for the coordination of road and transport infrastructure research.  Comprising members from over thirty European nations and international affiliates from USA, Australia, Israel and South Africa, FEHRL’s aim is to encourage collaborative research and knowledge transfer as well as to provide relevant knowledge and advice to governments, the European Commission, the road industry and road users on related technologies and policies. Through the national groups established in many countries, the national research centres are complemented by a dozen universities and RTOs.  FEHRL has a permanent presence in Brussels for the coordination of activities with other organisations, communications, dissemination, training and events.

FEHRL is also a member of ECCREDI (The European Council for Construction Research, Development and Innovation), of the European Construction Technology Platform (ECTP) and the European Road Transport Research Advisory Council (ERTRAC). 

In support of its objectives to encourage the better prioritization of research activities and research, since 1992 FEHRL has published a series of Strategic European Road Research Programmes (SERRP), the last of which was published in 2011.  These documents were developed in conjunction with the principal organization involved in highway operation in Europe, including the Conference of European Directors of Roads (CEDR).
 
   
 
 
Electricite De France S.A. (EDF)
 
 
EDF, Electricité de France, is represented in the project through its Research and Development Branch. As EDF has to manage its industrial risks, knowledge is developed on environmental risk anticipation, technical risks reduction related to components of its complex systems and these risks considered over the whole industrial system, other types of risks as those driven by human and organizational factors; these risks are managed; reduction and mitigation barriers are defined and decision making is implemented in order to decide to install them. Beyond improved risk analysis methods developed to ensure nuclear power plants safety, new methods are developed to integrate other types of risks (technical but also human and organizational aspects, and contextual features as well). Furthermore, integration intends to cover both vulnerability and resilience issues.
 
   
 
 
EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg: Strom, Gas sowie Energie- und Umweltdienstleistungen (EnBW)
 
 

With revenue in excess of € 18 billion in 2011 and some 20,000 employees, EnBW is one of the largest energy companies in Germany and Europe.

We generate, trade in, transport and sell energy and operate in the fields of electricity and gas as well as energy and environmental services. We want to achieve sustainable and profitable growth with a balanced business portfolio and smart energy solutions – to the benefit of our partners, customers, employees and owners. Our home market is Baden-Württemberg and Germany, but we also operate in other European markets. Even in a changing energy market, our primary objectives remain the same: supply reliability, environmental protection and profitability. This is the basis for the optimum energy mix that we strive for. In addition to the use of conventional energies, the increase in energy efficiency and expansion of renewable energies play an important role here.

 EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg: Strom, Gas sowie Energie- und Umweltdienstleistungen (EnBW) with more than 3.800 employees operates the majority of the EnBW power plants and is one of EnBW’s core companies and responsible for the generation in the business segment electricity. With our own power plants and shares of power plants, investments and long-term power purchase agreements work we ensure efficient and environmentally friendly energy mix of nuclear, coal, gas, water and other renewable energy sources. Together with the EnBW Kernkraft GmbH we leverage the expertise of planning, construction, operation, maintenance and optimization of EnBW power plants.
 
   
 
 
Vce Vienna Consulting Engineers ZT GMBH (VCE)
 
 

VCE is an independent, high tech and development oriented consulting firm with its head office in Austria (203 employees, 18% RTD). The company operates in three principal lines of business:

  • the building and industrial sector (general design and management as well as process development and technological expertise)
  • and the development sector (from research and development to feasibility and environmental studies, financial engineering, to development aid).
  • the transportation sector, infrastructures in general, particular bridges, tunnels and railways
VCE has major operations in Austria, Taiwan, Korea, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. To date, over 2200 contracts have been successfully completed in 62 countries world-wide with larger, more exciting projects currently underway. The key personnel at VCE consist of experts in many highly specialized fields with long experience records. Close cooperation by the firm with major European and overseas universities provides additional expertise to the company when required. VCE has a proud heritage. The firm was founded by Professor K. Wenzel, and has made a major contribution to the technical advancement and aesthetic evolution and refinement of modern bridge design in Austria, and around the world. And since the formation in 1980 of VCE that contribution has expanded to an international level.
 
   
 
 
Stuttgart Research Center for Interdisciplinary Risk and Innovation Studies (ZIRIUS) - Third party
 
 

 In line with the other interdisciplinary research centers ZIRIUS - Stuttgart Research Center for Interdisciplinary Risk and Innovation Studies acts as a bridge between the departments and disciplines. Its major goal is to conduct problem-oriented research projects and to pursue a transdisciplinary approach to tackle complex research challenges.

The center was founded in 2012 by the University of Stuttgart. The previous Research Unit on Risk Governance and Sustainable Technology Development (ZIRN) has been integrated into the center.
ZIRIUS envisions technical and social change such as the energy transitions towards sustainable practices as a dynamic interaction of interdependent systems consisting of:
  • Technology
  • Governance
  • Organization
  • Behavior
The understanding of the interaction of these components requires the cooperation of:
  • Natural and technical sciences to explore the technological characteristics and their interaction with natural processes;
  • Economics (for the efficient design of the change process);
  • Social and cultural studies (to understand the behavior of individuals and groups regarding the change processes and the preconditions of an effective transition governance).
ZIRIUS aims at contributing to a better understanding of the complex interaction between technology, governance, organization and behavior in the context of technological and social change.