Sustainable Building and Construction within the European Union

DIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY AND ECONOMICS Drivers for SBC within EU  Integration of social and environmental protection into EU policies is mandatory  Effects on employment  Europe’s largest employer  Multiplier effect  One job  2 jobs in economy as a whole

DIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY AND ECONOMICS Process vDevelopment of Action Plan  Tripartite  EC, Member States, Construction industry  Focus  priority actions for improving competitiveness of the construction industry  Agreed to May 1999

DIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY AND ECONOMICS Structure  Goal:  create an “Agenda for Sustainable Construction in Europe”  promote European agenda  minimize disparate, un-coordinated development plans  Objective:  develop a strategy for the use and promotion of:  environmentally friendly construction materials  energy efficiency in buildings  construction and demolition waste management

DIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY AND ECONOMICS Strategy vImplementing two-pronged approach to ensure:  highly competitive construction industry  environmentally focused strategies for sector  Understanding complex relationship between:  construction activities  built environment  sustainable development vEnsuring multi-stakeholder involvement  Acknowledging importance of social aspects

DIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY AND ECONOMICS Key Directives promoting SBC vEvEnergy Performance of Buildings DDrivers: MMeet EU obligation under Kyoto Protocol IImprove long-term energy supply security AApplicable to new and existing buildings RRequirements: ddevelopment of building energy performance methodology aapplication of minimal energy performance requirements iimplementation of certification and inspections

Key Directives promoting SBC vConstruction Products  Driver:  Need to harmonize standards at EU level for construction products  Applicable to over 300 products from not less than 45 families of products  Requirements:  Products and result of application of products are assessed according to:  building safety, health, durability, energy economy, protection of environment, economic considerations

DIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY AND ECONOMICS Key Directives promoting SBC vEC Landfill  Drivers:  Reduction of available and appropriate land  Increased cost of disposal  Outlines operational and technical requirements on waste and landfill

DIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY AND ECONOMICS Other EU Initiatives vExpert Group of the Urban Environment  Working Groups:  sustainable construction methods and techniques  sustainable urban transport  urban management and sustainable construction vDevelopment of agenda for sustainable construction

DIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY AND ECONOMICS Other EU Initiatives vE-CORE: European Construction Research Network:  "umbrella network" to specifically address environmental and sustainability issues vExamples of established networks:  ETN Recy.net - The use of recycled materials as aggregates in the construction industry  PRESCO - practical recommendations for sustainable construction

DIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY AND ECONOMICS E-CORE contd.  DURANET - supports the development and application of performance based durability design and assessment of concrete structures  TENSINET - upgrading the built environment in Europe through tensile structures  ENERBUILD - energy in the built environment.  CRISP - construction and city related sustainability indicators

DIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY AND ECONOMICS E-CORE contd. vProposed networks:  PeBBu: performance based building  LIFETIME: lifetime engineering of buildings and civil infrastructures

DIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY AND ECONOMICS Other European Initiatives v“Rethinking Construction”  UK government initiative composed of industry, government, clients  Focus - improving UK construction performance  Showcases innovations in products and performance  Highlights best practices

DIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY AND ECONOMICS Other European Initiatives v“Environmental Technology in Construction”  Finnish government initiative composed of Finnish enterprises, institutions, and research institutes  Focus - ecologically sustainable construction via development of construction methods and techniques, products and services  Key area: environmental assessment to verify sustainability  Next step: construction and facility management sector to jointly defined environmental goals and indicators

DIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY AND ECONOMICS Other European Initiatives vEU “Environmental Technology Action Plan”  The stimulation of and development of new technologies for the building and construction sectors is a priority area. vEU Sixth Framework and Asia Pro Eco Programmes  Sustainable Building and Construction is an area for receipt funding and prioritization

DIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, INDUSTRY AND ECONOMICS Thank you for your attention! Website:

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