25.5.2023
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 184/19
1.9.
The EESC considers it essential to transfer know-how, as envisaged in the NEB Academy, and to provide appropriate training and development at national level.
Training and development on the use of new sustainable construction methods and materials is needed for all those involved in the construction process: planners, architects, engineers, technicians, IT specialists and construction workers.
1.10.
In the EESC’s view, quality-based procurement procedures, including sustainability and life-cycle criteria, as well as the choice of appropriate procurement procedures that allow innovative solutions, are a prerequisite for achieving climate objectives and promoting timber construction.
The EESC therefore calls for both a stronger legal obligation with respect to quality-based competition and climate-friendly public procurement as well as for measures to train contracting authorities accordingly.
1.11.
The EESC calls on the Member States to participate in the Austrian and Finnish Governments’ Wood POP initiative, which aims to mobilise public and private players in the timber sector at national and regional level and to support the reorientation of investments towards sustainable bio-based solutions and timber-based value chains.
2.
General comments 2.1.
The tradition of timber construction is rooted in a centuries-old history of innovation.
Among other things, the use of sustainable materials has been included in the thinking behind the New European Bauhaus (1).
2.2.
The EESC agrees with the Commission that innovative, bio-based and sustainable (construction) materials, made using low-carbon procedures, are key to the green transition.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) building report (2), buildings currently account for 33 % of global CO2 emissions (2021).
Most are due, directly and indirectly, to the operation of buildings, but 6,4 % (2021) are caused by construction and the production of building materials.
Transport, demolition and infrastructure are not included here.
Emissions resulting from transport are attributed to the transport sector.
It is fair to assume that actual emissions from construction are higher.
According to the Commission, buildings account for around 40 % of energy consumption and one third of greenhouse gas emissions across the EU.
Cuts to greenhouse gas emissions are mainly due to energy renovation measures, the growing share of renewable energy sources and the renewal of heating systems.
That said, the number of main residences is on the rise, and floor area per dwelling is increasing.
2.3.
The EESC stresses the huge importance of forests for the lives of people around the world.
For example, Europe’s 400 billion trees absorb almost 9 % of its greenhouse gas emissions.
The EESC is aware that deforestation is a huge global problem; however, forest resources within the EU are on the increase.
Between 1990 and 2020, forest area increased by 9 % and the volume of wood in European forests rose by 50 % (3).
The EESC fully supports all of the European Commission’s efforts to tackle this global problem and stresses the need to continue promoting healthy and growing forests in the EU.
An increase in the share of wood in construction to reduce carbon emissions should be promoted through active and sustainable forest management across the EU and should not be hampered by policy constraints.
2.4.
The EESC therefore notes that tapping the potential of both solid and non-solid timber construction in the context of climate action must be inextricably linked to sustainable forest management.
The Austrian CareforParis project (4), involving cooperation between the Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW), the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Wood K Plus and the Environment Agency Austria, has mapped out and analysed different scenarios for forest management.
The scenarios take different climate-related changes and adaptation strategies for Austrian forests as a basis, and show possible developments up to the year 2150.
The carbon footprint of forests and wood products and the prevention of CO2 emissions through the use of wood products were analysed in detail.
The combination of forest growth, timber use and prevention of greenhouse gas emissions through use of wood products will lead to a positive carbon
(1) (2) (3) (4)
OJ C 275, 18.7.2022, p. 73; OJ C 155, 30.4.2021, p. 73.
IEA (2022) building report at: https://www.iea.org/reports/buildings https://foresteurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SoEF_2020.pdf Weiss P., Braun M., Fritz D., Gschwantner T., Hesser F., Jandl R., Kindermann G., Koller T., Ledermann T., Ludvig A., Pölz W., Schadauer K., Schmid B.F., Schmid C., Schwarzbauer P., Weiss G. 2020: Endbericht zum Projekt CareforParis (Final report on the CareforParis project).
Climate and Energy Fund, Vienna.