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As I write these lines, we all probably have our eyes and minds looking towards the summer recess and a pleasant holiday break. After the stressful and extra-ordinary months we have all been through, it is quite understandable and a break can only help us recharge batteries. Recharged batteries are precisely what we are going to need in the coming months and, in fact, weeks...
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As Europe turns the page of the COVID-19 health crisis, a new crisis is unfolding: the economic one, likely to have profound impacts on the flat glass value-chain. Our industry has been hit very hard during the confinement periods as both automotive production came to a halt and the construction industry heavily reduced activity during the confinement periods. What’s more worrying are the middle / long-term impacts of a reduced economic activity: Will the automotive market recover quickly? Will European citizens’ consumer confidence rise so as to invest in real estate and building renovation works, such as upgrading windows? Raising the questions is enough to express doubts and fear the worst. Without a quick recovery of the window and glazing replacement market, many actors in the industry, from flat glass manufacturers, processors, transporters, IGU makers and glaziers could find themselves in very delicate situations with high risks of bankruptcy.
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As stakeholders of the flat glass industry, it is our duty to alert authorities about these risks but, foremost, to come forward with concrete proposals to prevent such a situation from unfolding. Glass for Europe has worked hard over the last weeks to establish these proposals and relay them to the European Union authorities. We must continue tirelessly and all the industry needs to be mobilised across Europe to relay these proposals to Paris, Madrid, Rome, Warsaw and all other capital cities. Check out this newsletter and all its articles on a Recovery Package, an EU renovation Wave, etc. to find all information and materials available to engage in your country as of this summer.
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Autumn will be decisive so we look forward meeting you in October for our annual meeting between national glass and glazing associations and Glass for Europe. Make sure to respond to the survey that was sent to you some days ago so that a date can be set rapidly.
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Thanks you and in the meantime, enjoy a nice summer and stay safe!
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The Renovation Wave
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An activable Renovation Wave to meet the EU’s climate ambition and relaunch the construction sector
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The European flat glass industry welcomes the European Union’s desire to engage in a Renovation Wave of public and private buildings, as announced in the European Green Deal, and is ready to deliver the high-performance glazing EU buildings need to become carbon-neutral by 2050. Europe’s building stock is not fit for carbon neutrality and, more worryingly, current trends in terms of building renovation clearly indicate that it will not be fit in 2050 nor in one hundred years if Europe does not review the policy it has pursued for the last decade and does not scale up financial resources.
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Europe’s buildings are aged and high energy consuming, despite a broad range of products available to cut their energy demand. For example, high-performance glazing could save around 37% of energy consumed in buildings in 2050 with a total contribution potentially higher when innovative products such as switchable/electrochromic glazing, hyper-insulating glazing or glazing-integrated photovoltaics become mainstream.
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In the recent years, progress has been made to increase the energy and CO2 performance of new buildings thanks to EU legislation, yet this is merely the tree that hides the forest. 97% of today’s building will have to be renovated by 2050 to achieve climate neutrality, while less than 1% of buildings are renovated in Europe every year. Renovation is not happening in sufficient quantity and when it does take place, sub-optimal products are often used due to a lack of legal or financial incentive and/or information to consumers.
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The state of the EU building stock and current renovation levels are a clear signal that the first deep renovation Europe needs is legislative. The European Union cannot limit itself to a mere communication, limited and complex financial mechanisms and the continuation of legislations that have demonstrated to be inefficient for most of the building stock. This paper proposes several concrete actions to give substance to the renovation wave to cut emissions and relaunch the economy.
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Glass for Europe answers to the Consultation on the Renovation Wave
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Yesterday, 8 July, Glass for Europe answered to the Consultation on the Renovation Wave initiative for public and private buildings. By way of the renovation wave, the European Commission aims at increasing the low decarbonisation and renovation rates for improving the energy efficiency of the EU building stock. In its answer, Glass for Europe stressed the key role of renovation …
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Windows replacement in National Recovery Plans
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Windows replacement ticks all the boxes of the recovery fund: relaunching the economy in a sector deeply impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, creating jobs, delivering energy efficiency e CO2 cuts, improving EU citizen lives (e.g. energy poverty). Member States should be encouraged to allocate part of the Recovery Fund to finance building renovation and window replacement. To prevent business from …
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Brexit: harmonised standards as the only regulatory reference for construction products
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As part of the ongoing negotiations on Brexit, the UK and EU are seeking to agree on a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) on conformity assessment covering the results of third-party conformity notified bodies (CPR – Construction Product Regulation). Without such an agreement, UK Notified Bodies will lose their status as EU Notified Bodies as of 2021 and products currently certified …
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How to boost recovery in Europe’s flat glass sector
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The economic impacts of the COVID19 crisis in Europe are already evident although some may completely reveal in a few months. It is clear that several industrial sectors such as the flat glass industry will be hit hard and weakened by this crisis. While we witness a timid restarting of the economy, the level of activity in flat glass remains …
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Glass for Europe answers to the consultation on EU 2030 target
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Glass for Europe answered today to the European Commission consultation on of how to increase the EU 2030 emission reduction ambition. As anticipated in the EU Green Deal, the European Commission will release in September its plan to increase the EU’s 2030 GHG reductions goal from 40% to at least 50% - and towards -55%. In its answer to the …
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Philippe Bastien is the new chairman of Glass for Europe
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On 19 March, during the last General Assembly of Glass for Europe, Philippe Bastien, Regional President, Building & Industrial Division of AGC Glass Europe, was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of Glass for Europe. After joining AGC Glass Europe, formerly Glaverbel, in 1992, Philippe …
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Post COVID19 new industrial strategy for Europe
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On 10 March, the European Commission presented a New Industrial Strategy for Europe which Glass for Europe welcomed as a promising start to operationalize the carbon-neutrality agenda. Sadly, it became immediately clear that the strategy was outdated right after seeing the light. Without further delay, the EU should start considering to design an efficient and climate-compatible post crisis recovery package …
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