Sustainable constructionSustainable construction offers a triple win: for building owners /users, for the environment, and for industry. Polyurethane insulation can play a vital role in achieving sustainable construction – it is highly thermally efficient and extremely durable, saving more than 100 times more energy in use than was needed for its production, and it can offer multiple benefits in all three ‘pillars’ of sustainability:
Actions that promote sustainable construction are fully supported by PU Europe, including greater transparency through the development of environmental product declarations. However, there is currently a risk of over-complication and duplication in the content of the directives and other initiatives coming out of Europe to achieve this, and PU Europe plays an important role in flagging up areas where this can be avoided and in challenging the thinking behind some of the initiatives. To this end position papers have been produced on the following:
(See also CESB 2010 (1 July 2010) “Sustainability of Polyurethane Thermal Insulation – Performance Assessment at building and component level in low energy buildings” and UTECH 2012 (17-19 April 2012) “The Role of PU (PUR/PIR) Insulation in Achieving Sustainable Buildings”) It should be noted that the life cycle performance of construction products such as insulation can only be assessed at the building level, and should never be treated as stand-alone products. Position papers:
PU Europe factsheets:
PU Europe reports:
Other reports: |
16 April 2013: The Commission’s Product Environmental Footprint Method Should Explicitly Exclude Construction Products
PU Europe calls for a clear statement that the PEF method will not apply to construction products.
15 March 2013: European Parliament endorses Renovate Europe’s long-term target on building renovations
The European Parliament’s Report on the Energy Roadmap 2050 stresses the importance of reducing energy use in buildings.
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