Concrete Perspectives November 2017

Construction Sector

Concrete Dialogue 2017[1]

On 21 November, the Concrete Initiative held its third annual Concrete Dialogue with stakeholders of the construction sector, this time focusing on the infrastructure challenge: Renewing Europe’s infrastructure.

The scene was set by Gwenole Cozigou, Director at DG GROW, European Commission who shared his views on the importance of investing in infrastructure, seen as ‘An enabling instrument for industrial development’.

Speakers then provided their views on:

· ‘The Infrastructure renewal challenge’: needs, opportunities and solutions
· ‘Leading on sustainable infrastructure’: how can the concrete industry contribute to the ‘sustainability mix’*

Presentations:

Download the agenda here, for more information about the panels and speakers.

The floor was then handed to participants, with roundtables debates allowing each and everyone to discuss and reflect on what they feel we need to do to encourage infrastructure decision-makers. The outcomes from these roundtables will feed into the work which The Concrete Initiative, in conjunction with the wider construction industry, plans to take forward in 2018 and beyond.

The exhibition was a tremendous success, showing the benefits of concrete in terms of innovation, sustainability, carbon and energy efficiency. It gave us the opportunity to share with everyone how concrete keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer, and how it protects you in the event of a storm, flooding or a fire.

Photos from the event are available here.

Energy Intensive Industries call for the safeguard of competitiveness dimension of the Energy Union

On 13 November, the Alliance of Energy Intensive Industries issued a press release to call for the protection of competitiveness of the Energy Union.

Please find the full paper here.

European Ceramic Days

On November 21-22, Ceramunie the European Ceramic Industry Association held a two day event for ceramic days. In the framework of these two days, the Ceramic Forum took in the European Parliament.

The conference reflected the current trends in research & innovation in ceramics at European level, taking stock of the progress made over the last years under Horizon 2020 and discussing the key obstacles to increased cooperation in a sector with great potential for innovation but largely composed of SMEs.

For further information on the programme and presentations, please follow this link.

[1] Source: https://theconcreteinitiative.eu/newsroom/events/230-concrete-dialogue-2017-renewing-europe-s-infrastructure-needs-challenges-and-opportunities

Live from the European Union

Energy Committee votes on Clean Energy Package

On 28 November, the European Parliament’s Energy Committee voted on the adoption of draft reports on Promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (recast) and on the Energy Efficiency Directive.

An ambitious binding energy efficiency target of 40 % and national targets for 2030 was voted which is indispensable to comply with Paris agreement to keep the global temperature increase below 1.5 °C.

The draft report also aims to strengthen the annual 1.5% savings obligation in Article 7 that will help to eliminate loopholes in the old Directive while keeping the flexibility of Member States to choose among measures.

Energy efficiency first principle is reflected in the vote, meaning that the cleanest energy that we don’t consume.

As for the Renewable Energy Directive, MEPs supported increasing the Commission’s proposed 27% target to 35% without imposing binding national targets. The original version of the Rapporteur Blanco Lopez (S&D, Spain) was 40% binding target, therefore the report has already been labelled a “missed opportunity” for EU climate policy.

Furthermore, a 10% flexibility margin was voted as well, which means that member states will be able to fall short of their targets in “exceptional and duly justified circumstances”.

Smart CE marking

CEN, the European Committee for Standardisation will hold the kick-off meeting on Smart CE-marking on 8 December in Brussels. Construction Product Europe has been working on smart CE-marking for years and they initiated the work. The digitalised format will follow a general approach based on the legal documents and some standard specific content to properly serve to the declaration purposes.

National Award Winner Project

Belgium – Louvain

The Belgian Precast Concrete Federation held its annual award ceremony on 28 November and in this edition, we present the winner of the category “Precast in building”.

WOODS Student housing[1]

[1] Source: http://www.crepainbinst.be/projects/group-housing/

Pictures are the courtesy of Crepain Binst Architecture and Dyls NV

Description: Student housing

Architecte : Crepain Binst Architecture
Manufacturer : Verheyen betonproducten nv

Client: Dyls NV

Location: B-Leuven (Kessel-Lo)

Project Manager: Edwin Remmerie

Collaborators: Anke Vandenbempt, Wim Heyninck

Stability: Arcade Ingenieursbureau

Engineering: SB Heedfeld

General Contractor: Dyls NV

WOODS is an architectural eye-catcher: trendy student rooms in the heart of a brand-new city park in Leuven. A place where students stay, relax and study in an exceptionally green environment with the lively city centre within easy reach.

The new building on the head of the new Belle-vue park between rail and Kessel-Lo.

The “nods” in the building create an elegant sharply volume, with the rhythmically striking facade elements. Built-in terraces on the side of the road bring depth into the facade, while large windows on the building ensure openness.

Each of four facades has its own character while connected by the rhythm of the panels. The finely detailed green acidified concrete combines with bronze joinery to a stylish whole that matches the green park.

On each floor there are about twenty-one high-grade student rooms, 157 in total, and on the top, there are the common areas (kitchen and living room for example). All windows are full-length and reach the floor to make it open, light and bring the nature in.

News in brief 

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Agenda 

DECEMBER

4 December

Level(s) pilot workshop

Brussels, Belgium

4 December

Plenary meeting Joint Industry4Europe

Brussels, Belgium

7 December

CPE – CPR working group

Brussels, Belgium

8 December

CEN workshop on Smart CE-marking

Brussels, Belgium

8 December

AhG Concrete Initiative

Brussels, Belgium

11 December

EU pave anniversary

Brussels, Belgium

21 December

Smart Readiness Indicator

Brussels, Belgium

JANUARY

10 January

BIBM Technical Commission

Brussels, Belgium

11-12 January

ECO-Binder General Assembly

Madrid, Spain

23 January

EMA meeting

Brussels, Belgium

25 January

TF Eurocode 2

Confcall

29 January (provisional)

PEF for Buildings workshop

Brussels, Belgium

To the Newsletter of Construction Products Europe 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

CSC – Concrete Sustainability Council

DG GROW – Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs

ECP – European Concrete Platform

EMA – European Masonry Alliance

IPHA – International Pre-stressed Hollowcore Association

TF – Task Force