Publications

Scientific publications depict science as an orderly endeavour and the epitome of rationality. In contrast, scientific practice is messy and not strictly rational. Here, I analyze this inconsistency, which is recurrent, and try to clarify its meaning for the functioning of science. The discussion is based on a review of relevant literature and detailed analysis of the role of each of the three intervening elements, the scientist, his/her practice and the scientific publication, with an emphasis on the circular mode of the latter

Sustainability aims to integrate environmental and social considerations into decision making, alongside purely economic factors, in a balanced manner. Here, a concise critical review of policy instruments concerning the definition and implementation of this concept is presented. The sources were selected as the most relevant to capturing the origins and evolution of the idea of sustainability from the 1960s to the present day. The analysis narrows down to the construction sector within the European Union (EU), of which the perspective guides the work. As it emerges, the historical path led to the materialization of the sustainability concept into the UN

This recommendation is devoted to testing the resistance of natural stone and fired-clay brickunits against salt crystallization. The procedure was developed by the RILEM TC 271-ASC to evaluate thedurability of porous building materials against salt crystallization through a laboratory method thatallows for accelerated testing without compromising the reliability of the results. The new procedure isdesigned to replicate salt damage caused by crystallization near the surface of materials as a result ofcapillary transport and evaporation. A new approach is proposed that considers the presence of two stages inthe salt crystallization test. In the first, the accumulation stage, salts gradually accumulate on or near thesurface of the material due to evaporation. In the second, the propagation stage, damage initiates anddevelops due to changes in moisture content and relative humidity that trigger salt dissolution andcrystallization cycles. To achieve this, two types of salt were tested, namely sodium chloride and sodiumsulphate, with each salt tested separately. A methodology for assessing the salt-induced damage isproposed, which includes visual and photographical observations and measurement of material loss. The procedure has been preliminarily validated in round robin tests.

Qualificação de Gestor Geral da Qualidade no âmbito da Marca de Qualidade LNEC

Presentation of LNEC's activity in support of innovative products for construction

Sustainability is the desirable attribute of an ideal economic system, where development stems from a balanced integration of economic factors, namely economic growth, with considerations for environmental preservation and social fairness. This sort of development is called sustainable. The idea is frequently illustrated through diagrams such as the well-known three overlapping circles (Figure 1).The concept arose largely in response to questioning of the prevailing economic order, which prioritizes economic growth while treating environmental and social issues as externalities. Opposition to that economic model intensified in the 1960s, led by civil movements concerned with environmental problems, as well as with social issues.One of the first documents to appear as a response, in the early 1970s, was MIT's report The Limits to Growth [1]. This proposed to replace the economic concept of growth with that of equilibrium, in a new type of economic system that was coined as "sustainable".The idea of sustainable development was popularized fifteen years later, in 1987, through the United Nations (UN) report Our Common Future [2]. While considering economic growth a necessary driver to development, the report emphasizes the need to manage growth to avoid excessive pressure on environmental resources, the biosphere, and social equity, that is, to achieve sustainability.Since then, several initiatives have been launched to implement the concept. In 1992, a global plan of action for sustainable development, known as Agenda 21, was put forward at the United Nations Rio 92 Conference [3]. Agenda 21 emphasizes the social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development and reiterates they should be considered alongside purely economic issues. Nine years, later, in 2011, the UN report Towards a Green Economy introduces the concept of a so-called Green Economy [4]. This was intended as a reaction to the recurrent market crises and the increasing disillusionment with an economic system that continued to favour growth at the expense of social disparities and environmental destruction. The construction sector is considered one of those with the greatest potential for change. Finally, in 2015, the United Nations launched the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, which introduced 17 sustainable development goals (SDG) to be achieved by 2030 [5]. The SDGs address pressing environmental, economic, and social issues, from poverty and inequality to protection of the planet.These initiatives, among others, created the backdrop for several developments at European level. Still in 2015, the European Commission (EC) released the concept of a Circular Economy, a model of production and consumption that promotes sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling [6]. In 2019, a strategic plan entitled the European Green Deal was launched by the EC, which is aimed at making the EU climate neutral by 2050 while promoting a circular economy to reduce both resource usage and energy dependency [7].Recently, the EC decided to take action to address the problem of greenwashing too, through an update to EU consumer rules. Greenwashing is a concept that gained popularity in the early 1990's and occurs when organizations falsely project an image of environmental friendliness for their products or practices [8]. This deceptive behaviour misleads people and undermines efforts to protect the environment.In the European Union, the translation of sustainability principles into the construction sector is also underway. At first, it was largely based on the set of standards produced by CEN/TC 350 [9]. Then, the EC launched Level(s), a simplified framework for assessing the sustainability of buildings, their parts and materials, which is still partially under development [10]. Another important step is the revision of the Construction Products Regulation, which establishes the requirements for construction products to circulate freely within the European Single Market. This is currently ongoing and will incorporate sustainability criteria. In addition, the EC is proposing a new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, aimed at making sustainable products the norm in the EU market.In this presentation, we will take an integrated approach to analysing the concept of sustainability and the evolution it has undergone over time and in its application to the construction sector in the European Union. We will also discuss the internal consistency of the concept, as well as chief distortions that may arise, such as greenwashing.

Salt crystallization is among the most harmful deterioration mechanisms impacting the preservation of porous building materials worldwide. Therefore, predicting the materials

O actual regime jurídico da urbanização e da construção prevê que, até à codificação das normas técnicas da construção, compete ao Ministério das Obras Públicas, Transportes e Comunicações e ao Ministério do Ambiente, do Ordenamento do Território e do Desenvolvimento Regional a promoção da publicação da relação das disposições legais e regulamentares a observar pelos técnicos nos projectos de obras e na respectiva execução. Para o feito, o projecto Sistematização da Legislação da Construção, integrado no Plano de Investigação Programada do LNEC para o quadriénio 2009-2012, tem por objectivo assegurar a compilação das disposições legais e regulamentares, publicadas em cada ano, que disciplinam a realização dos empreendimentos da construção. O presente relatório lista e divulga os diplomas legislativos oficialmente publicados no ano de 2008, apresentando em anexo uma ficha bibliográfica de cada diploma.

O actual regime jurídico da urbanização e da construção prevê que, até à codificação das normas técnicas da construção, compete ao Ministério das Obras Públicas, Transportes e Comunicações e ao Ministério do Ambiente, do Ordenamento do Território e do Desenvolvimento Regional a promoção da publicação da relação das disposições legais e regulamentares a observar pelos técnicos nos projectos de obras e na respectiva execução. Para o feito, o projecto Sistematização da Legislação da Construção, integrado no Plano de Investigação Programada do LNEC para o quadriénio 2009-2012, tem por objectivo assegurar a compilação das disposições legais e regulamentares, publicadas em cada ano, que disciplinam a realização dos empreendimentos da construção. O presente relatório lista e divulga os diplomas legislativos oficialmente publicados no ano de 2009, apresentando em anexo uma ficha bibliográfica de cada diploma.

O presente relatório apresenta a actividade de normalização do LNEC no ano de 2008, com destaque para as acções de coordenação e as funções de Elemento de Ligação LNEC-IPQ do Núcleo de Normalização e Regulamentação, do Centro da Qualidade na Construção, especialmente nos domínios em que o LNEC é reconhecido como organismo de Normalização Sectorial (ONS).

O presente relatório apresenta a actividade de normalização do LNEC no de 2007,com destaque para as acções de coordenação e as funções de Elemento de Ligação LNEC-IPQ do Núcleo de Normalização e Regulamentação,do Centro da Qualidade na construção, especialmente nos domínios em que o LNEC é reconhecido como organismo de Normalização Sectorial (ONS).

O actual regime jurídico da urbanização e da construção prevê que, até à codificação das normas técnicas da construção, compete ao Ministério das Obras Públicas, Transportes e Comunicações e ao Ministério do Ambiente, do Ordenamento do Território e do Desenvolvimento Regional a promoção da publicação da relação das disposições legais e regulamentares a observar pelos técnicos nos projectos de obras e na respectiva execução. Para o feito, este documento de informação técnica tem por objectivo assegurar a divulgação dos diplomas legislativos publicados no ano 2010, que disciplinam a realização dos empreendimentos da construção, apresentando em anexo uma ficha bibliográfica de cada diploma.

O actual regime jurídico da urbanização e da construção prevê que, até à codificação das normas técnicas da construção, compete ao Ministério das Obras Públicas, Transportes e Comunicações e ao Ministério do Ambiente, do Ordenamento do Território e do Desenvolvimento Regional a promoção da publicação da relação das disposições legais e regulamentares a observar pelos técnicos nos projectos de obras e na respectiva execução. Para o efeito, este documento de informação técnica tem por objectivo assegurar a divulgação dos diplomas legislativos publicados no período 2007-2009, que disciplinam a realização dos empreendimentos da construção, apresentando em anexo uma ficha bibliográfica de cada diploma.

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