Concrete Perspectives June 2015
Internal News
BIBM General Assembly
On June 15-16, BIBM held its General Assembly in Leiden, Netherlands. BFBN, the Dutch member of BIBM, kindly organised a factory visit of Spanbeton (Consolis) and a city tour of the charming Leiden for the participants.
At the General Assembly meeting, the Russian Builders Confederation was a guest invitee.
Dr. Francesco Di Maio, from the Delft University of Technology gave a guest presentation on C2CA: the development of advanced technologies for turning demolition concrete into clean aggregates and cement (http://www.c2ca.eu).
Summer break
BIBM issues only one Newsletter for July- August, because the European Institutions are closed in August.
Construction Sector
CERIB’s Open Day in construction on 7 July 2015 – For further information please click here (only in French)
Concrete and clay industries advocating together for material-specific rules for drafting Environmental Product Declarations
Both the European Concrete Platform (ECP) and CERAMUNIE reacted in a form of independent letters to the draft publication of combined “Product Category Rules (PCR) for bricks, blocks, tiles, flagstone of cement, and concrete, artificial stone and siliceous heart”, published by ENVIRONDEC for the International EPD system.
In its letter, ECP asked ENVIRONDEC to withdraw the draft PCR and underlined the need to have a PCR specifically made for concrete and concrete elements. In its explanation, ECP added that the multiplied PCRs covering the same products, or worse covering different product families, will only create confusion on the market.
As for the development of the concrete PCR, the concrete industry has chosen the way of standardisation (15804 compliant PCR).
It is crucial to follow the above mentioned principal in order to ensure that all program operators will be able to follow the same rules across Europe. The reaction of the concrete and clay industries is good example how to defend this principal and assure a successful business for the future.
Letter of European Concrete Platform
BIBM drove both the masonry and concrete sectors to support investments in construction through the Junker’s plan
BIBM has a leading role in the European Masonry Alliance and an active player in The Concrete Initiative, BIBM aims at having an equal part of the pie for the masonry and concrete industry.
Earlier this year, BIBM co-signed the joint letter which was co-singed in total 40 European and national organisations linked to the construction sector, sent it to the European Commission in order to call the European executive to invest in the real estate and the build environment and to raise the awareness about the importance of the construction industry.
The main purpose of the letter was to present solutions for a sectorial strategy around five main axes: financial opportunities, job creation, sustainability, market and regulatory stability. This is in view of working with the new Commission and establishing a regular and long term dialogue to enable to respond, together, to the future challenges.
From an advocacy perspective, the purpose of the letter was to officially inform the European Commission that there is a lack of coherence and long-term strategic view when it comes to the several uncoordinated legislative initiatives affecting the construction sector. BIBM has echoed the importance of coherence and long-term view of the new European initiatives for a long time and now, in the framework of this letter the message became stronger and universal, backed by other European stakeholders.
With this letter, the Construction sector has demonstrated its coordinated wish to contribute to the European renaissance, with concrete solutions to the challenges of today. The sector is confident that the European decision makers will take their responsibilities and give a positive follow up.
Fire Safe Europe calls for EU common test methods for smoke toxicity
On 30 June, Fire Safe Europe organised a debate in the European Parliament (hosted by MEP Pavel Poc – S&D, Czech Republic)) titled “The Killing Fumes in Building Fires, Why Should Smoke Toxicity from Building Materials be Tested?”
The programme of the event is availabe on the wesbite of Fire Safe Europe.
For further information about the event, please contact the BIBM Secretariat.
Press Release – Fire Safe Europe
Live from the European Union
Close the loop – Circular economy: boosting businesses, reducing waste
On 25th June, the European Commission held a conference titled “Close the loop – Circular economy: boosting businesses, reducing waste”. The conference had several parallel sessions and it aimed at collecting ideas what should be absolutely included in the new circular economy proposal which is expected to be issued at the end of 2015.
A new study was officially launched, prepared by Ellen MacArthur Foundation and McKinsey titled Growth Within: a circular economy vision for a competitive Europe. According to the report, the sectors mobility, food and built environment have the biggest potential to change our current economy into a circular one. As for the circular scenario for the built environment, the study confirms that it means smart urban planning and modular & sharable buildings.
Commission appoints new Secretary-General and reshuffles its senior management
On 24th June, the European Commission appointed a new Secretary General, Alexander Italianer who will take over the duties of Catherine Day from 1st September.
Furthermore, the commission also reshuffled its senior management and several current senior managers will be taking on new responsibilities.
Press Release –Commission senior management from 1 September 2015
Case
Study: Balanced Office Building (Aachen)
The Balance Office Building is a four storey building with the particular feature that the designers are also the developers and users of the buildings, which enable the building to be optimised in an interdisciplinary manner.
It has been built based on the method of passive houses, with the aim to be cost-efficient (building and operation phase). The extensive floor plates without load-bearing interior walls allow flexible subdivision.
The building won the award of German Association of Architects (BDA Aachen).
For further information, the full report is available on the link below.
Case Study: Balance Office Building
News in brief
Agenda
JULY
8 July 2015
EMA meeting
Brussels, Belgium
AUGUST
24 August 2015
PCR for concrete – Editorial Panel
Brussels, Belgium
SEPTEMBER
8 September 2015
Board meeting
Bilbao, Spain
15 September 2015
BIBM Technical Commission
Brussels, Belgium
OCTOBER
6 October 2015
ECP TF Sustainable Concrete
Brussels, Belgium
7 October 2015
Environmental Commission
Brussels, Belgium
14 October 2015
CPE TG CPR implementation
Brussels, Belgium
20 October 2015
Communication Commission
Brussels, Belgium
To the Newsletter of Construction Products Europe (former CEPMC), please follow this link.
To read the Newsletter of CEMBUREAU, please follow this link. You can also subscribe directly following this link http://www.cembureau.eu/newsletter/subscriptions.
To read the Quarterly Newsletter of The Concrete Initiative, please follow this link.
List of Acronyms
CPE – Construction Product Europe
CPR – Construction Products Regulation
ECP – European Concrete Platform
EMA – European Masonry Alliance
JRC – Joint Research Centre of the European Commission
PCR – Product Category Rules
TF – Task Force
AhG – Ad-hoc Group