Cementing Europe's Future: Buildings for a Net Zero Age
The European Commission has recently launched a number of initiatives to decarbonise European buildings (Construction Products Regulation, Energy Performance in Buildings Directive, Transition Pathway for the Construction Ecosystem, etc.), which are currently being discussed by the EU institutions. In addition, the debate on the role of embodied carbon – the carbon footprint of construction materials – is stronger than ever. The Commission is due to present its Whole Life Carbon Roadmap, looking at CO2 reduction along the lifecycle of buildings, in the course of autumn 2023.
The European cement industry aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and published its Carbon Neutrality Roadmap in 2020. Its previous annual event in October 2022 focused on innovation, the decarbonisation of cement production and the regulatory framework to support these investments (EU ETS, Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism).
This year's conference in Brussels on 24 October will focus on the rest of our value chain: how can we improve the sustainability of cement/concrete when using it in the building? How can we reduce the carbon footprint of buildings throughout their lifecycle? How can circularity act as a key lever for decarbonisation?
The conference will discuss how policy frameworks can support the decarbonisation of European buildings between now and 2050.
Agenda
- 09.30 – Coffee
- 10.00 – Introduction by the moderator, Sonja van Renssen
- 10.05 – Welcome and opening remarks from Ken McKnight, CEMBUREAU president
- 10.10 – Interview on EU climate policy with Kurt Vandenberghe, Director-General, DG CLIMA
- 10.40 – Panel discussion - Decarbonising EU buildings: towards a fully circular approach. Moderated by Sonja van Renssen
- Dr Josefina Lindblom, Senior Policy Officer, Unit Circular Economy, Sustainable Production & Consumption (ENV.B.1), DG ENV
- Marcos Ros Sempere MEP, S&D, European Parliament
- Kate Geraghty, Sustainable Development, Head of Circular Economy, Holcim
- Sorcha Edwards, Secretary-General, Housing Europe
- Johannes Kreißig, Chief Executive Officer, German Sustainable Building Council
- 11.55 – Q&A session
- 12.10 – Closing remarks from Koen Coppenholle, CEMBUREAU CEO
- 12.15 – Networking lunch