Residência Universitária Norte
The Casais Group was selected through a public tender for the design and construction of two student residences, located in Beja and Valença, utilizing its proprietary industrialized off-site construction solutions.
The project in Beja, situated next to the School of Technology and Management of the Polytechnic Institute, covers a construction area of nearly 11,000 square meters. It features a cloister-style inner courtyard and an open green space, encompassing the ground floor and approximately three upper floors. Construction began in early 2024 and follows a fully industrialized approach. The project has an expected execution period of 510 days and a contract value of approximately 17 million euros. It will accommodate 503 residents, distributed across 327 housing units, including both single and double rooms and studios.
The future residence in Valença will follow a similar structure to that in Beja and will be located on Avenida Pinto Mota. With a construction area of 1,200 square meters, this hybrid construction project has a planned design and construction period of 300 days. It will include double and single rooms, study rooms, a kitchen, dining areas, and social spaces. The residence will offer 24 double rooms and 8 single rooms, with a contract value of around 2 million euros.
“We are very proud to have been selected for a public works project utilizing this innovative construction solution—the hybrid system and the CREE Buildings method. This is the first time we are implementing this system and industrialized approach in a public project, and we are confident it will make a very positive impact on the community. These projects align perfectly with the values of the Casais Group, as we have been emphasizing innovation to contribute to a more sustainable construction sector.
We also believe that the solutions we develop are more efficient in terms of robustness, quality, and execution time, which positively contributes to housing development and has significant social impact—our ultimate goal,” says António Carlos Rodrigues, CEO of the Casais Group.
Industrialization and off-site solutions have been central to the company’s strategy, with a strong focus on innovation and digital tools such as BIM technology. This technology is also being applied to the two student residence projects for scenario simulations on durability and cost comparisons. A key objective is to sharpen focus on core building performance indicators and life cycle costs, leveraging technology to rethink sustainability and accelerate the green transition in construction.
The Group has implemented several projects using the CREE hybrid construction system in Portugal—such as The First in Guimarães, part of the Minho Innovation Technology Hub—as well as internationally, including the B&B Hotel Tres Cantos in Madrid.
