|
|
|
Fall now coming to an end has kept us all busy. For anyone working on energy and climate issues, our agendas and work have been all governed by the debate and discussions on the Fit for 55 package, presented by the European Commission last July. The revision of several legislations brought forward all at once by the European Commission is not a new trend but the sheer size of this policy package makes it unique: twelve legislations, including flagship ones such as the EU ETS, the Energy Efficiency Directive, etc. and new legislations proposed such as a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism! For the flat glass sector, nearly all its policy priorities are now under revision in EU institutions.
|
|
|
|
It is an under-statement to express that Glass for Europe has been very busy in the last months. The team in Brussels has been working hard to answer to the numerous EC public consultations, to refine its advocacy and lobbying tools and to integrate the several fora where debates will shape the future of the EU’s energy and climate policy. We are well prepared for the advocacy and lobbying challenges of 2022.
|
This is made possible by a restructured team, which is now fully operational. It has been reinforced late October with the arrival of our new colleague Justin. Justin now works as Technical Regulations and Project Officer and is already managing the activities of the Standardization and Automotive committees, as well as several other projects in the field of stillages and e-marking. With his engineering background, his previous experience in R&D and in photovoltaic and solar glass, I am confident he will bring a lot of expertise to our team. He is the team’s referent for all technical projects.
|
2022 will be an exceptional year for Glass for Europe.
|
Happy 2022 International Year of Glass!
|
|
Secretary General, Glass for Europe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To decarbonise the EU building stock and boost its sustainability, the European Commission is on right tracks, but it needs to accelerate
|
|
Brussels, 16 December 2021: Glass for Europe welcomes the European Commission’s proposal for a revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) in so far that it goes in the right direction. In a video statement, Bertrand Cazes, Secretary General of Glass for Europe, warns that the European Commission ‘needs to accelerate’to deliverthe expected energy and CO2 emissions savings by 2030.
|
To Glass for Europe, the proposal is future proof and aligned with carbon emission reduction ambitions when it comes to its provisions on new buildings. Glass for Europe supports for instance:
|
- The proposed requirement that all new buildings are zero-emission buildings in 2030 and as of 2027 for public buildings.
- The maintained focus on energy efficiency while Member States are invited to give more prominence to healthy indoor climate conditions in buildings, including the availability of daylight that is uniquely provided by glazing.
- The mandatory calculation and disclosure of the whole-life cycle Global Warming Potential (GWP) of new buildings as of 2030.
Provisions on building renovation are essential to the success of the policy framework since most buildings that will be used in 2050 are already constructed. Glass for Europe has placed most expectations on this critical aspect and Bertrand Cazes notes that: ‘The EC proposal has the merits of trying to bring into the legislation some of the concepts that were part of the Renovation Wave strategy’.Among these welcomed concepts are:
|
- the introduction of Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS),
- the creation of renovation passports to equip building owners with works recommendations, possibly including on windows retrofitting, when planning a staged renovation of their building.
- the new and more detailed national renovation plans.
|
Glass for Europe believes that these measures need to be fine-tuned and added substance so that they can deliver their full impact and drive upward both the quantity and depth of building renovation. An earlier time limit for the MEPS to upgrade worst-performing buildings would be desirable, while the introduction of the renovation passport should be made mandatory.
|
|
Finally, Glass for Europe regrets that the cost-optimality methodology used to define building components’ minimum energy performance requirements, among other things, will not be reviewed before 2026. It is a missed opportunity to improve the assessment of the energy performance of windows, thanks to the energy balance approach.
|
|
The flat glass industry is already delivering on the ground with its low-carbon solutions: high performance glazing to save energy from buildings and solar glass to contribute to on-site renewables. To make sure the flat glass and glazing industry can maximise its contributions to a decarbonised and sustainable building stock, Glass for Europe will work with policy makers to help finalise a robust revision of the EPBD.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EU ETS for buildings needs careful design
|
Glass for Europe releases today its position paper on the extension of the EU ETS system to buildings and transport. The European association of the flat glass value chain is not convinced of the expected effectiveness of an ETS system for buildings and believes that such a mechanism needs very careful design. In the recent years, progress has been made …
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Energy savings and renewables to decarbonise EU buildings
|
High-tech glazing are essential to reduce buildings’ energy consumption and related CO2 emissions. In 2030, they could save around 29% of energy consumed in buildings thus leading to annual savings of over 94 Mt CO2. But flat glass is not only about saving energy. Solar energy glass is an essential component of renewable energy technologies such as photovoltaics modules and …
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For a resilient, innovative, sustainable and digital energy-intensive industries ecosystem
|
Glass Alliance Europe answered to the stakeholder consultation on the Staff Working Document “For a resilient, innovative, sustainable and digital energy-intensive industries ecosystem: Scenarios for a transition pathway", to which Glass for Europe actively contributed. By way of Glass for Europe’s chairman, Philippe Bastien from AGC Glass Europe, and Glass for Europe’s Secretary General, Bertrand Cazes, Glass Alliance Europe participates …
|
|
|
Energy Efficiency Directive recast: answer to the consultation
|
High-tech glazing play a crucial role to make buildings more energy efficient, but flat glass technologies are also essential to the clean mobility transition and to renewable solar energy production. In the answer to the public consultation on the recast of the Energy efficiency Directive, Glass for Europe emphasised the need of drastic reductions in buildings’ energy consumption to achieve 55% …
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Glass for Europe answers to the consultation on the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
|
The European flat glass sector takes it as its role to produce the materials essential for renovating Europe’s buildings, for supporting the clean mobility transition and for increasing the share of renewable solar energy in Europe. While already providing net carbon-avoidance products, the flat glass sector is looking into ways to massively scale up its contributions to the EU’s climate …
|
|
|
Updating the EU Emissions Trading System: answer to public consultations
|
The flat glass sector is energetically exploring novel ways to lower its industrial emissions and massively scale up its contributions to the EU’s climate neutrality objective. In its answer to the recent public consultations on updating the EU emissions trading system (EU ETS) and strengthening the market stability mechanism (MSR), Glass for Europe highlighted the need to ensure the EU’s …
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
EESC plenary approves the opinion on European Glass Industry
|
The EESC – European Economic and Social Forum has approved today the opinion “Glass in Europe at a crossroads: delivering a greener, energy-efficient industry, while enhancing competitiveness and maintaining quality jobs”. The EU is the world's biggest producer of glass and Europe needs to maintain the production while supporting innovation. “Glass products are indispensable to the transition towards a climate-neutral …
|
|
|
EU industry calls for action to address the rise of energy prices
|
As member of Glass Alliance Europe, Glass for Europe supports the EU industry’s calls for immediate action to address the steep rise of energy prices and for the adoption of policy measures ensuring access to abundant and affordable renewable energy in the long-term. By way of two statements released today, the European energy-intensive industries draw the attention of Member States …
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fall meeting of the National Partners Group
|
Glass and glazing national associations met yesterday for the fall meeting of the National Partners Group (NPG). The National Partners Group meets twice a year as an open forum bridging the European and national perspectives and activities. The extension of the ETS to buildings and the impact on the flat glass value chain of the rise of energy prices were the main topics …
|
|
|
Glass for Europe at Vitrum Milan to talk about sustainability of flat glass
|
Glass for Europe was at Vitrum Milan to talk about “Circular economy in the European building glass sector” and to meet with the colleagues of the International Community of Glass Associations. Glass for Europe took part in the panel on sustainability and flat glass recycling. “I was glad to speak on the state of flat glass recycling at Vitrum on …
|
|
|
|
|
|
How transformational are the national recovery plans for buildings renovation?
|
Renovate Europe launched the study Renovate2Recover, a rich analysis of the impact of the National Recovery and Resilience Plans (NRRPs) …
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
