Concrete Perspectives March 2022
1. CONCRETE NEWS
EU Green Week 2022
EU Green Week (30 May to 5 June 2022) is an annual opportunity to debate European environmental policy with policymakers, leading environmentalists and stakeholders from Europe and beyond. This year’s edition focuses on the European Green Deal – the EU’s sustainable and transformative growth strategy for a resource-efficient and climate-neutral Europe by 2050.
The main hybrid event on 31 May puts three important aspects of the transformation in the spotlight – circular economy, zero pollution, and biodiversity. Throughout the week, partner events will be taking place across Europe and beyond.
Check the agenda here.
2nd CIBEn Conference
The 2nd International Conference on Circularity in the Built Environment (CIBEn) in the Netherlands (at TU Delft’s Aula Conference Centre) has been postponed to 13-15 July, 2022. CiBEn, organised by Delft University, aims at becoming a major point of contact between researchers, engineers and practitioners in the area of construction and demolition waste (C&DW) processing and valorization. You can register here.
The topics of CiBEn Conference include:
- CDW Recycling Technologies;
- Sustainable Construction Materials;
- Digitalization & Circularity;
- Circular Design and Management;
- Circular Deisgn from Product to Cities;
- Social Circular Economy;
- Standards, Policy Legislations;
- Case Studies.
Fresh Concrete online series
This online series of talks showcases some of the innovative practice and new types of concrete emerging to address climate mitigation and adaptation. Fresh Concrete is intended to be a platform for knowledge sharing for all construction professionals, bringing a fresh approach and fresh thinking for concrete.
Find out more about each event below:
23 March: Fresh Concrete: Carbon sequestering concrete
27 April: Fresh Concrete: Innovative concrete construction
25 May: Fresh Concrete, 1pm – 2pm GMT
22 June: Fresh Concrete, 1pm – 2pm GMT
Fresh Concrete is produced in partnership between The Concrete Centre and and the Building Centre and is free to attend.
2. BIBM NEWS
Public consultation and feedback
Stakeholder consultation on the Staff Working Document: “Scenarios for a transition pathway for a more resilient, greener and more digital construction ecosystem “environment”.
The Commission services have prepared a Staff Working Document to outline possible scenarios for a transition pathway for a more resilient, green and digital construction ecosystem. For the creation of this Staff Working Document, the service responsible engaged in dialogue with the construction ecosystem.
BIBM input can be found here.
Environmental protection – LIFE Programme 2014-2020 (evaluation)
The LIFE programme co-finances environment and climate-action projects in the EU. This evaluation will assess: whether the programme is working as intended; the extent to which the programme’s objectives have been realised. Although most actions funded under LIFE are still underway, this evaluation will give some insight into the programme’s early impact and added value for the communities involved.
Feedback deadline: 13 April 2022.
Chemicals legislation – revision of REACH Regulation to help achieve a toxic-free environment
The European Green Deal sets out the ambition to reach zero pollution for a toxic-free environment. As part of this ambition, the chemicals strategy for sustainability announces actions to better protect people and the environment against hazardous chemicals and to encourage innovation to develop safe and sustainable alternatives. Achieving these goals requires revising the rules governing the registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals in the EU.
Feedback deadline: 15 April 2022.
Certification of carbon removals – EU rules
This initiative will propose EU rules on certifying carbon removals. It will develop the necessary rules to monitor, report and verify the authenticity of these removals. The aim is to expand sustainable carbon removals and encourage the use of innovative solutions to capture, recycle and store CO2 by farmers, foresters and industries. This represents a necessary and significant step towards integrating carbon removals into EU climate policies.
Public consultation and feedback deadline: 02 May 2022.
Microplastics pollution – measures to reduce its impact on the environment
This initiative aims to tackle microplastics unintentionally released into the environment. It will focus on labelling, standardisation, certification and regulatory measures for the main sources of these plastics.
Public consultation deadline: 17 May 2022.
3. BIBM AGENDA
| APRIL 2022 | MAY 2022 | JUNE 2022 |
| 04-05/04: CEN/TC 229 Plenary meeting Confcall | 03/05 (tbc): ECP TF Sustainable Concrete Confcall | 03/06: The Concrete Initiative Concrete Dialogue, Workshop 2 Brussels, Belgium |
| 06/04: CEN/TC 104 WG19 – Decarbonisation Confcall | 06/05: The Concrete Initiative Concrete Dialogue, Workshop 1 Brussels, Belgium | 09/06: CEN/TC 229 WG4 – Horizontal Confcall |
| 07/04: BIBM Board Brussels, Belgium | 10/05: ECP Board Brussels, Belgium | 16/06: CPE General Assembly Brussels, Belgium |
| 21/04: The Concrete Initiative Confcall | 16/05: BIBM Communication Commission Confcall | 27/06: ECP General Assembly Brussels, Belgium |
| 28/04: CPE CPR revision Confcal | 23/05: BIBM Technical Commission Confcall | 29/06: CEN/TC 229 WG1 – Structural Confcall |
| 30-31/05: BIBM General Assembly Epernon, France | 29/06-01/07: CEN/TC 104 SC and Plenary Zurich (CH) |
4. WEBINARS / ONLINE EVENTS
| DATE | ORGANISER | INFORMATION |
| 1 April | New European Bauhaus | Presentation of the New European Bauhaus Lab (for NEB members only) |
| 4 April | The Concrete Centre | Visual Concrete: Formwork Registration |
| 5 April | European Policy Centre | Sustainable Products Initiative: What novelties does it bring? Registration |
| 6 April | High Level Construction Forum | Co-creating a transition pathway for a resilient, greener and more digital construction ecosystem Registration (for HLCF members only) |
| 19 April | GCCA | Concrete Future 2050 Net Zero Roadmap – Co-processing (for GCCA members only) |
| 22 April | The Concrete Centre | Structural Concrete Competition 2022: Q&A session Registration |
| 25 April | The Concrete Centre | Overheating and Part O Registration |
| 26 April | RAMBOLL | Embodied Carbon: What gets measured gets done Registration |
| 28 April | GCCA | 3rd Global GCCA Health & Safety Forum 2022 Registration |
| 28 April | Euractiv | Carbon removals – How best to implement and validate? Registration |
5. BIBM PARTNERS NEWS
C2050 Alliance webinar on sustainable access to raw materials – messages
On 24 March, the Construction 2050 Alliance gathered experts and the European Commission to discuss views of the sector about the current and foreseeable challenges regarding raw materials supply, and to present suggestions on what is needed to contribute towards a digital and green recovery leading to climate neutrality by 2050.
The members of the Alliance agreed that the raw materials and construction products sectors supplying the construction industry are an integral part of the EU construction ecosystem. A reliable and sustainable supply of raw materials and products for construction is required to achieve the objectives set in the European Green Deal, including the Renovation Wave, climate change adaptation and a green and resilient infrastructure.
Read the C2050 messages here.
NEB Festival – Call for expressions of interest for Side Events
The NEB Festival will take place from 9 to 12 June 2022 as a hybrid event. The core activities will take place in Brussels, with side events across the EU and beyond. The Festival brings together different stakeholders to debate and shape the EU Bauhaus. A future that is sustainable, inclusive and beautiful.
Events and initiatives in line with the New European Bauhaus values organised between 9 and 12 June 2022 can become part of the Festival as side events. The events can take place in Brussels, the EU or anywhere in the world. Apply here till 18 April 2022.
Your event should reflect the New European Bauhaus core values:
- Sustainability in environmental terms, from climate goals to circularity, zero pollution, and protecting nature/improving biodiversity; Aesthetics, including quality of experience and style, beyond functionality; Inclusion, valorising diversity, equality for all, accessibility, and affordability.
Your event should relate to at least one of the thematic axes: Reconnecting with nature; Regaining a sense of belonging; Prioritizing the places and people that need it most; Fostering long term, life cycle and integrated thinking in the industrial ecosystem.
2022 NEPSI KPIs reporting – deadline extended to 15 April
The implementation of the NEPSI Social Dialogue Agreement and the NEPSI commitment to improve the health and safety of workers continues in 2022, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2022 reporting of NEPSI Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of the 2 last years (2020, 2021) starts on 17 January 2022 and the deadline is extended to 15 April 2022.
Guidance documents for Associations and companies/sites are available on the website.
For more information, pleae have a look at the UEPG video tutorial for companies and national associations, or contact the NEPSI helpdesk: helpdesk@nepsidata.com.
The Executive Summary of the NEPSI 2020 Report is available here.
6. LIVE FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION
CPR Revision Proposal published
On 30 March, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a revised Construction Products Regulation (CPR), which is set to simplify rules for construction products on the EU market. The proposal was announced as part of the Circular Economy Package, next to a proposal for a Regulation on Eco-design for Sustainable Products and an Eco-design and Energy Labelling Working Plan 2022-2024, all aiming to make all products in the EU market more sustainable.
The CPR aims to set harmonised rules for construction products on the EU market so that they can circulate freely. The revision, which had been in place since 2013, aims to tackle the following aspects:
- Improve the circularity of construction products and facilitate their re-use, recycling and repair;
- Further harmonise the standardisation of construction products and improve the assessment process (the current legislative framework provides harmonised rules on the CE marking of construction products);
- Include 3D printing services of construction products into its scope;
- Strengthen application of digital tools and data requirements on construction products and link it to the Digital Product Passports;
- Improve data collection & assessment on life-cycle performance.
Proposal for a new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation unveiled
On 30 March, the European Commission presented the EU Green Deal proposals to make sustainable products the norm and boost Europe’s resource independence.
One of the proposals in the package is the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation. This sets new requirements to make products more durable, reliable, reusable, upgradable, reparable, easier to maintain, refurbish and recycle, and energy and resource efficient. The proposal also extends the existing Ecodesign framework by covering the broadest possible range of products and broadening the scope of the requirements with which products are to comply.
The proposal incentivises sustainable products and enables mandatory green public procurement criteria to be set, making use of contracting authorities’ economic power.
The Commission has also adopted an Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Working Plan 2022-2024 to cover new energy-related products.
The Commission has identified that product categories such as textiles, furniture, mattresses, tyres, detergents, paints, lubricants, as well as intermediate products like iron, steel and aluminium, have high environmental impact and potential for improvement, and may thus be suitable candidates for the first workplan.
Final Report on Taxonomy Extension Options
On 30 March, the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance in its Final Report on Taxonomy extension options presented the new technical screening criteria for all six taxonomy objectives – climate change mitigation. climate change adaptation, sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources, transition to a circular economy, waste prevention and recycling, pollution prevention and control and protection of healthy ecosystems.
This is the first step leading to a further 2nd delegated act supposed to complement the Climate Delegated Act. The criteria have been developed by the Platform’s Technical Working Group and its sector teams, including one on construction composed of different types of stakeholders with FIEC being one of them (read FIEC’s press release).
EU-wide whole life carbon roadmap
The European Commission (EC) initiated a study aimed at developing an EU-wide whole life carbon roadmap, outlining how all building-related emissions can be mitigated by 2050. The study, led by EC’s DG ENV, is conducted by a consortium led by Ramboll in collaboration with KU Leuven and BPIE.
The purpose of the study is to support the development of an EU roadmap for the reduction of whole life carbon, for embodied and operational carbon separately and combined. It will establish a baseline for embodied carbon emissions of buildings across European regions, set out how the levels of embodied carbon for a representative selection of building types and typologies can be expected to evolve by 2050, set out the trajectory towards climate objectives for operational carbon in various scenarios, and identify and assess the impact of whole life carbon emissions reduction solutions.
The study will rely on the collaboration with stakeholders within the building and construction ecosystem. For this reason, it includes a broad stakeholder engagement programme that foresees the consultation of relevant actors at different stages of the project.
7. OUTSTANDING PRECAST CONCRETE PROJECTS
The Concrete Society 2021 Awards Winner
The Concrete Society’s Awards for Excellence in Concrete took place in 17 November 2021. The outright winnes is: Crossrail Farringdon Station East and West Ticket Halls, London.
Farringdon Station East and West incorporates three visually stunning soffit elements. The upper and lower apse ceilings are constructed from precast concrete and hybrid precast/in-situ concrete respectively, the east ticket hall coffered ceiling being in-situ concrete. The project displays the unique potential and diversity of concrete and the innovation, collaboration and mutual advocacy of the team who made it happen. Passengers at the new Farringdon Crossrail station are amazed by a sequence of stunning concrete ceilings.
(Pictures below are featured in CQ Summer 2021, pg 14-20)
Project architect and civil/structural engineer: Atkins
Concept designer (civil/structural engineer): AECOM
Main contractors – BFK-BAM (BFK Joint Venture)
Visual Concrete Finishing: GreyMatter Concrete
Specialist Precast Subcontractor: Evans Concrete