TAGS: Sustainability / Natural Adhesives Sealants
FEICA, the Association of the European Adhesive & Sealant Industry, hosted a webinar titled 'Adhesives & sealants in the transition pathway for the construction ecosystem', with the participation of Ms Ilektra Papadaki, Team Coordinator at the European Commission (DG GROW) and Dr Dennis Bankmann, independent scientific consultant on the circular economy.
Green & Digital Construction Ecosystem
Ms Papadaki explained about the transition pathway for a resilient, greener and more digital construction ecosystem. Dr Bankmann elaborated on energy efficiency, material efficiency and the
role of debonding adhesives and sealants in the construction sector.
Mr Dimitrios Soutzoukis, Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager at FEICA addressed how adhesives and sealants help to meet the challenges of a green transition pathway in construction during the Q&A session.
Adhesives and sealants present numerous sustainability benefits to the construction sector. When used in the manufacture of construction products, or in the construction of a building, they help improve energy efficiency and enable material efficiency through material reduction and the use of more sustainable materials.
During the lifetime of the building, they support maintenance, repair and renovation and can thereby increase building lifetime. As evidenced by the high recycling rates already achieved for many types of demolition waste, with the right design, adhesives and sealants do also allow for and enable circularity at end-of-life.
Sustainability in Construction Sector Gaining Attention in EU
Sustainability in the construction sector is receiving substantial attention in the European Union (EU) as a consequence of both the absolute scale of this sector and its share of materials usage and greenhouse gas emissions in Europe.
Recent legislative initiatives, such as the EU Green Deal, cover the construction sector with specific provisions, addressing all levels from entire buildings to construction elements and to the materials used for their production and installation. The environmental performance of adhesives and sealants used in the construction sector is therefore of high interest.
The construction sector exhibits unique properties that influence sustainability considerations. For instance, lifetimes of products are exceptionally long, compared to other sectors. The use phase of a building or construction product therefore typically has a significant impact on the overall environmental footprint.
Ms Papadaki stated that “
the objective of the European Commission is to collaborate with industry via building synergies like the FEICA Webinar, to ensure the best way forward for a successful and sustainable construction sector in Europe. ’Dr Dennis Bankmann added ‘it is important to note that adhesives and sealants can provide benefits both in new construction as well as in energy renovation projects.”
In 2022 FEICA commissioned a report that presents an extensive analysis on the environmental sustainability performance of adhesives and sealants. It will soon be available for members via the FEICA Extranet. A summary of the report is already available on the FEICA public website.
Source: FEICA