sustainable

2030 agenda – sustainable development goals

A vision and commitment

The ISQ group, as a leader in Technology and Innovation, is committed and prepared to support the industry as it moves towards carbon neutrality. In this sense, it has been strongly committed to developing solutions in different areas of Industrial Sustainability, specifically in Low Carbon and Resource Efficiency strategies.

E SDG logo UN emblem square trans WEB
The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is one of ISQ’s guidelines.

The program focuses on the 17 sustainable development goals, which convey a basic idea: ensure that development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Following these guidelines, in the different sectors where ISQ operates, there is a concern with applying the most suitable sustainable development goals.

E WEB Goal 04
Education

Ensuring access to quality and equitable inclusive education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all

ISQ OFFERS NEW MODULAR QUALIFICATIONS OF EUROPEAN LEVEL IN RESPONSE TO THE NEEDS OF THE LABOUR MARKET.

The diversity of the offer is one of the drivers of isq’s performance, evidencing the scope of the training area and the qualifications directed to the most diverse audiences and sectors of activity.

SOCIAL INCLUSION | LIFT – Ladies Code Their Future

The LIFT project aims to help eliminate the main barriers in women’s access to quality training in the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector, with a focus on programming and coding. Based on a program focused on the principles of mentoring and mentoring, its main target group has women with low levels of knowledge in digital areas. It promotes digital literacy and basic programming/coding skills for women in situations of social disfavor.

| SAM – Sector Skills Strategy in Additive Manufacturing

The SAM project aims to develop technical skills to qualify young people interested in working in the additive manufacturing sector in Europe. The project aims to define a strategy of qualifications for this sector, including techniques such as 3D printing.

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES | CIR-ECO – Towards a Circualr Economy

The CIR-ECO project aims to identify, define and describe the professional profile of workers of the activities of repair, reconditioning and recycling of equipment at the end of life. It is aimed at professionals in the appliance maintenance sector and aims to reduce the use of raw materials, minimize waste production and prolong the use of products, in the new transition to a circular economy.

E WEB Goal 06
clean water

Ensuring the availability and sustainable management of drinking water and sanitation for all

In a GLOBALIZED MARKET, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO PRESENT DIFFERENTIATING FACTORS WITH INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS, AS ISQ has done.

We have integrated several consortia of national and international projects with leadership roles.

ENERGY | LIFE SWSS – Smart Water Supply System

– Led by ISQ, the project aims to demonstrate an innovative digital management and decision-making platform that, through simulation, forecasting and optimization models, supports the operation of Water Supply Systems (SDA). LIFE SWSS aims to address the problem of water supply network efficiency, which causes significant impacts due to the huge amount of energy consumed, associated GHG emissions and water leaks.

E WEB Goal 07
renewable energy

Ensuring access to reliable, sustainable and modern energy sources for all

ENERGY EFFICIENCY IS A CONSTANT CONCERN.

ISQ has developed methods and tools to improve energy efficiency and promote risk mitigation.

ENERGY | CLIMACT – Better energy performance in schools

The project aims to improve the energy performance of schools by reducing the carbon footprint, through the development of tools and training methodologies. CLIMACT assesses the current state of schools and develops tools that allow transit to a low carbon energy.

ENERGY | MOEEBIUS – European research for optimisation of consumption in buildings

The EOMIS is a European research to optimise consumption in buildings. The research aims to create innovative indoor air quality models in buildings and business models for energy efficiency in buildings, through the development of a holistic energy optimization framework .

ENERGY | ECOTERMIP – Innovative solutions, leveraging renewable energy

The project aims to promote the Ecoefficiency of Thermal Processes for competitiveness and sustainability of Portuguese industry, in the metallurgical, ceramic, dairy and meat products manufacturing sectors, with the development of innovative solutions, using renewable energies.

E WEB Goal 09
industry innovation

Building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and fostering innovation

ISQ’S STRATEGY TO STRENGTHEN TECHNICAL-SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE AND SUPPORT COMPANIES has been TO DEVELOP NEW KNOWLEDGE AND DEMONSTRATE The RESULTS OF I&DI IN INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS.

ISQ has four decades of experience in technological development, involving national and international partners.

|  SIM4.0 – Intelligent Monitoring Systems

 The SIM4.0 project aims to transfer scientific and technological knowledge on Intelligent Monitoring Systems (SIM) to SMEs in the national industrial fabric, with an focus on three traditional target sectors: equipment goods, components and agri-food. The main objective is to contribute to accelerate the training of SMEs in the adoption of the i4.0 paradigm, from the transfer of knowledge obtained in the development of national and European R&D projects.

| PRODUTECH SIF – Solutions for the Industry of the Future

The PRODUTECH SIF project is a mobilizing project that aims to develop and demonstrate new concepts of intelligent, flexible and adaptive manufacturing in different industrial scenarios based on the Industry 4.0 paradigm.

|  HI2TRUST– Weldinspection System

Hi2TRUST consists of an advanced system for inspection and monitoring of critical components in service (pipes, boilers), in high temperature operating conditions, up to 550ºC. It brings as advantages to the industry the performance of faster maintenance, with less invasive techniques.

E WEB Goal 11
sustainable cities

Making cities and communities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

ISQ DEVELOPS METHODS AND TOOLS FOR THE EVALUATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF RESOURCE UTILIZATION.

Collaboration with multiple players from the various sectors of activity helps ISQ create new, safer and more efficient technological solutions.

AGROALIMENTAR | GERVALOR – Reducing food waste

Gervalor promotes the circular economy in the value chain of GERTAL, the largest operator in the area of collective restoration in Portugal, through the reduction of food waste and the recovery of organic waste.

TRANSPORT | PASSARO – Safer and smarter aircraft

This project aims to develop multifunctional and intelligent aerostructures and self-imcarize the production processes and technologies associated with maintenance in an i4.0 approach.

ENERGY | EETUR – Energy Efficiency in tourist resorts

The objective of this project is to promote the transfer of scientific and technological knowledge in the areas of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies. It is intended to unlock the potential of energy efficiency in the algarve’s tourist developments and achieve energy saving targets in buildings.

E WEB Goal 14
sea life

Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

THE BET ON TECHNOLOGY PASSES THROUGH THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO IMPROVE THE WAY WE CONSUME WHAT THE PLANET OFFERS US.

The development of solutions for integrated pollution prevention and control, life cycle analysis or resource efficiency are topics that R&D has been dedicated to.

ENVIRONMENT | SAGRES – Technology discovers what’s at the bottom of the sea

This project aims to develop an innovative service to support the decision to propetle mineral deposits on the ocean floor (Deep Sea Mining), based on remote detection and big data analytics, which collects information from Earth observation satellites of the European Space Agency (ESA).

E WEB Goal 15
land life

Protecting, restoring and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably managing forests, combating desertification, halting and reversing land degradation and halting biodiversity loss

PRODUCING WITH LESS RESOURCE CONSUMPTION AND CLEANER ARE THE IDEAS THAT HAVE UNDERed ISQ’s R&D PROJECT.

ISQ has worked with universities, producer associations and industry support organizations.

ENVIRONMENT | ALENTEJO CIRCULAR – Promoting circularity in the wine, olive oil and swine sectors

 Promoting the Circular Economy in the Alentejo region is the objective of this project that consists in the dissemination of good practices in the efficient use of resources and in the recovery of waste in the wine, olive oil and swine sectors.

 ENVIRONMENT |  URSA – Transform by-products into organic fertilizer

The project aims to create the first of a constellation of organic fertilizer production units to be implemented in the Alqueva region, as a circular solution for waste and by-products generated in local agricultural and agri-food activity. Innovation lies in the business model, based on a logic of exchange with farmers of agricultural by-products for organic fertilizer for application in their crops.

 AGROALIMENTAR | MILKEE – Technology applied to dairy production

The research focuses on the training and mobilization of dairy farms for resource efficiency and promotion of the bioeconomy. The project reaches about 3,000 dairy farmers nationwide.

E WEB Goal 17
partnerships

Strengthen ways of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

PRIMACY HAS BEEN GIVEN TO A LEADING ROLE OF ISQ, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT SEEKS TO DEVELOP NEW SOLUTIONS.

With an accumulated experience of several years, ISQ integrates an international network of strategic partners that allows not only to participate, but also to ensure the coordination of projects of national and European scope.

| MAESTRI – In search of total efficiency

MAESTRI – Energy and Resource Management Systems for Improved Efficiency in the Process Industries – is a European research and development project aimed at creating an integrated energy and resource management system, with the aim of developing and applying methodologies to promote eco-efficiency in industry: to do more (value) with less (resources). ISQ coordinates a consortium of 15 European partners from 5 Member States (Portugal, Germany, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom).

 ENVIRONMENT | SCALER – Companies cooperate to save resources

The project aims to scale the adoption of Industrial Symbiosis in Europe. Innovation consists in the production of tools, methods and recommendations directed to the various stakeholders (industry , authorities, legislators) in order to facilitate the identification of potential, feasibility analysis and implementation of synergies that allow collective management of resources and waste. ISQ coordinates the project, attended by the University of Cambridge, University of Chalmers, Climate KIC, STRANE Innovation and Quantis.

 ENVIRONMENT | TRUST – Most efficient industry

Project that aims to train in a technical-scientific way the area of industrial sustainability, more specifically in emerging methodologies in the areas of resource efficiency, energy efficiency, circular economy, sustainable business models. ISQ coordinates the research involving the universities of Cambridge (UK) and Chalmers (Sweden).

More ISQ R&D partnerships and projects:

Resource Efficiency has been a major focus of ISQ in recent years, particularly the Circular Economy and Industrial Symbiosis – when applied to Industry. In this area, ISQ, through national and European projects such as Maestri, Scaler, Produtech SIF, has been developing several tools and methodologies to assess the maturity, potential and implementation of Industrial Symbiosis in industries.

Recently, in the context of the “Sustainable and Circular Produtech” project, ISQ has also been focusing on tools for the identification, selection and implementation of new circular models in industry. Also as part of the scope of Resource Efficiency, one of ISQ’s recent commitments is to the Bioeconomy, which also aims to boost the circular economy by combining the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle with the production, use and conservation of biological resources, with a view to achieving a sustainable economy. With a view to enhancing new competences and solutions for the market in this area, ISQ integrated the recently approved European project SEA2LAND that aims to provide solutions to overcome challenges related to food production, climate change and waste reuse.

The SEA2LAND project meets these challenges by improving and adapting nutrient recovery technologies for the production of bio-based fertilisers from fish processing and aquaculture by-products.

This therefore promotes large-scale fertiliser production in the European Union from its own raw materials, based on the circular economy model, transforming by-products into crop nutrients.

ISQ will actively contribute to the “Regulatory Assessment” and “Compliance with legislation” aspects of this project, given its vast experience and particularly the consultancy work it provides at a national and international level. It will also contribute to the “Sustainability Assessment”, and the “Environmental Impact Assessment” in view of its extensive experience and leadership of these tasks in several previous projects.

In addition, as a way to improve its competences, it will participate in “Life cycle assessment from a social perspective” activities and it will lead the “Development of a Decision-making support system” as well as “Business models, operations and reproducibility”.
In the Low Carbon area, the solutions are mostly related to energy efficiency, both for industry and buildings, the latter with a particular focus on thermal energy efficiency.

In the area of buildings, following on from the Moebius and ClimAct European projects, ISQ is currently coordinating the Surefit Project, in which it is strengthening its competences in the area of building refurbishment and the development of new business areas, which are a crucial part of providing a response to this priority EU line. This project consortium mostly includes European SMEs that manufacture innovative building refurbishment technologies (e.g. building heating and cooling). The aim is to boost and speed up the refurbishment of buildings in Europe, by reducing refurbishment times by 40% and guaranteeing a 60% reduction in energy consumption. The success of this project will lead to the production of new commercial products to enhance the EU’s competitiveness and the growth of SMEs.