C 184/22
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
25.5.2023
3.11.
The EESC stresses the importance of the New European Bauhaus in promoting high-quality climate-friendly building materials and thereby the use of timber in construction.
Currently, timber accounts for only 3 % of building materials in the EU, so the potential of wood construction for climate action is far from being exploited.
The EESC therefore considers support for R & D&I relating to alternative building materials under the NEB to be an important element in realising this potential.
3.12.
In many cases, users in the construction sector are not always sufficiently aware of the possibilities for using it.
A lack of knowledge often leads to only limited use of timber.
The EESC therefore considers the transfer of know-how within Europe — as envisaged in the NEB Academy — to be very important, while also recognising the need to ensure that sufficient education and training is provided, including at national level.
Training and development on the use of new sustainable construction methods and materials will be needed for all categories of workers involved in the construction process: planners, architects, engineers, technicians, IT specialists and construction workers.
It is only with properly trained people that the green transition can be achieved.
3.13.
The EESC welcomes the joint European social project RESILIENTWOOD, led by the European Confederation of Woodworking Industries (CEI-Bois) and the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW), which aims to develop recommendations and guidelines for businesses, vocational trainers and public authorities, in order to attract young people to the EU wood industry, adapt to technological changes, and develop workers.
3.14.
The EESC believes it is important to publish technical information in order to provide the state of the art in timber construction to all stakeholders and to set construction and structural standards to facilitate timber construction.
3.15.
The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is the main piece of EU legislation in the buildings sector.
It requires EU Member States to set performance levels for their buildings, to strategically plan the decarbonisation of their building stock through long-term renovation strategies, and to implement additional measures.
The EPBD is therefore the obvious policy tool for setting requirements and clear catalysts for the reduction of carbon emissions over a building’s life cycle.
3.16.
The provisions of the EPBD must be aligned with the objectives of climate neutrality and identify the most important and urgent measures to be taken by 2050.
While it is important to improve the energy performance of buildings, without a clear understanding of their integrated carbon footprint, there is a risk that the measures will be below par.
3.17.
The EESC welcomes the Ecodesign Regulation for Sustainable Products proposed in spring 2022 as an important step towards greener, circular products.
The establishment of minimum criteria, such as reducing products’ environmental and climate footprints, can also be fully applied to timber construction and create economic opportunities for innovation, although timber construction is not currently included in the Regulation.
3.18.
Mandatory life-cycle carbon reporting for the construction sector will facilitate data collection and benchmarking and enable the construction sector to develop the necessary skills and capacities.
Binding minimum standards for life-cycle carbon emissions need to be introduced and strengthened over time.
The EESC calls on the European Commission to develop a carbon certification scheme that takes full account of the role that wood products play in offsetting emissions.
3.19.
The EESC calls on the Member States to fully participate in the Austrian and Finnish Governments’ new Wood POP initiative, which is a platform to promote dialogue on wood-related policy aimed at mobilising key public and private players in the timber sector at national and regional level, while supporting the reorientation of investments towards sustainable bio-based solutions and wood-based value chains.