
Cementing Europe’s Future: Buildings for a Net Zero Age
Section
Event Location
Event Description
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…), which are currently being discussed by the EU institutions. In addition, the debate over 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.
As the European cement industry, we have started our journey towards carbon neutrality by 2050 and published our Carbon Neutrality Roadmap in 2020. Our 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). The intention of this year’s conference is to 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?
This conference will discuss how policy frameworks can support the decarbonisation of European buildings between now and 2050.
Agenda
09.30 – Welcome 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 the 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
For further information:
communications@cembureau.eu
Related Events
All stakeholders with an interest in EU energy policy are invited on 21 June to a high level workshop hosted by Cefic - the EU chemicals industry - at the Brussels Press Club on “
CERRE EXECUTIVE SEMINAR
See the highlight video of this event at this link, and read our related story: "
WORKSHOP
Building namely on a policy proposal made by the Jacques Delors Institute, the European Commission tabled its ‘Energy Union Strategy’ on February 25th 2015.
The American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union (AmCham EU)
is pleased to invite you to the launch of a new study
When: Thurs. 14 January, 10.30
Where: European Parliament press room, PHS building Room 0A50
Elisabetta Gardini MEP (IT, EPP) and GasNaturally will host a discussion on the complementarity of gas and renewables.
Hosted by Repsol, This half-day event will focus on the long-term future of Europe’s energy policy paying special attention to resource access and competitiveness. Is the EU ready to face increasingly pressing energy challenges coming up in the next few decades?
Pages
Events of the week
Jobs
EURACTIV News
- Netherlands gathers opposition front to EU cloud certification scheme
- EU Council leaves mandatory driving licence medical tests up to member states
- EU court lowers requirements for imposing fines for data protection breaches
- 30 countries commit to mutual recognition of clean hydrogen certificates
- The Brief – Germany’s three-party problem