Sustainable Construction Services
Sustainable construction offers a triple win: for building owners /users, for the environment and for industry. PU (PUR/PIR) insulation can play a vital role in achieving sustainable buildings - 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: Environmental – through climate change mitigation. Economic – reducing energy bills and import dependency. Social – local job creation and increased comfort.
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:
- Directive establishing a framework for the setting of eco-design requirements for energy-related products
- Directive on the indication by labelling and standard product information of the consumption of energy and other resources by energy-related products
- Eco-label for buildings
- Green public procurement initiative
- New Basic works requirement 7 of the future CPR
(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.