Concrete Perspectives September 2015
Construction Sector
Fitness Check for the Construction Sector
The second mirror group meeting took place on 21 September and a study commissioned by the European Commission identified eight EU legislations on Internal Market and Energy efficiency (2004-2014) for further analysis:
- Construction Product Regulation
- Professional Qualifications Directive
- Services Directive
- Late Payment Directive
- Energy Efficiency Directive
- Energy Performance of Building Directive
- Ecodesign Directive
- Energy Labelling Directive
The next, second fitness check study will focus on environmental and health & safety legislations.
The fitness check of the construction sector was launched in 2012 by the REFIT programme of the European Commission and it aims at reducing regulatory burden in order to support the recovery of the construction sector.
Thermal mass: The smart approach to energy performance
The finalised Thermal Mass factsheet was published by The Concrete Initiative.
The Concrete Initiative – Publications
The Concrete Initiative – Thermal Mass Factsheet
NEPSI
The aim of the NEPSI project (acronym for the European Network for Silica) is to increase the safety of workers in contact with respirable crystalline silica whilst ensuring its use at industrial level.
NEPSI project – BIBM one pager
Hungarian Concrete Festival
On 30 September 2015, the Hungarian Precast Concrete Association (MABESZ) and the Hungarian Cement, Concrete and Masonry Association (CeMBeton) organised the first Concrete Festival in Budapest with an impressive conference and workshop programme. The conference had several presentations about the latest developments of architectural concrete and latest technological developments. BIBM gave a presentation about The Concrete Initiative and the daily work behind BIBM advocacy.
Among the presentations were the Szövetség ’39 (S’39), a hybrid design manufacture creative team whose primary focus is artistic design of large scale projects. The S’39 presented their very successful educational project for design and applied arts students, called ‘BETON Workshop’. At the conference, a small exhibition was also held where the attendees could have a look at the several creative projects prepared by the students for the “love of concrete”.
BETON Workshop project Hungarian Concrete Festival
Live from the European Union
European Environmental Agency issues new report on green infrastructure
On 21 September 2015, the European Environmental Agency published a new report entitled “Exploring nature-based solutions – The role of green infrastructure in mitigating the impacts of weather- and climate change-related natural hazards”.
Weather- and climate-related hazards, including extreme precipitation, floods, wet mass movement and storm surges are among the most serious climate related hazards. The new report tries to find out how the green infrastructure can help to get prepared for such extreme events.
European Environmental Agency – Press Release
European Environmental Agency – the Report
European Parliament’s resolution on the European Commission’s Work Programme 2016
On 16 September, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the European Commission Work Programme for 2016.
In its resolution, the Parliament pushes for a new proposal for circular economy package, for the revision of the energy efficiency policy including the energy performance of buildings.
Currently, the public consultation on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is open and the European Concrete Platform is developing a common answer of the concrete sector.
The revision of the EPBD is due by the end of 2016, as required under Article 19 of the directive.
The European Commission will present its Work Programme for 2016 in Strasbourg on 29 October.
European Parliament’s resolution
News in Brief
Agenda
OCTOBER
2 October 2015
INGRESS meeting
Brussels, Belgium
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
15 October 2015
COHERENO final conference
Brussels, Belgium
20 October 2015
Communication Commission
Brussels, Belgium
28 October 2015
CEN/TC 229/WG 5 meeting (tbc)
Brussels, Belgium
NOVEMBER
10 November 2015
CEN/TC 229/WG 4 meeting
Brussels, Belgium
17 November 2015
BIBM General Assembly
Brussels, Belgium
19 November 2015 (upon invitations only)
The Concrete Initiative: Citizens at the heart of sustainably-built environment
Brussels, Belgium
19 November 2015
ECP TF Fire & Eurocodes
Brussels, Belgium
20 November 2015
ECP Board
Brussels, Belgium
23 November 2015
CPE CPR meeting
Brussels, Belgium
25 November 2015
BIBM Technical Commission (tbc)
Brussels, Belgium
26-27 November 2015
JRC SafeSust workshop
Ispra, Italy
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
C&D waste – construction and demolition waste
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