Carbon Accounting
4
Building Materials
The CA4BM Study
The Motivation
The objectives of the European Commission’s “Green Deal” is for the EU by 2050 to become climate-neutral and friendlier for the environment in an inclusive manner, while decoupling economic growth from resource use.
Collectively, buildings in the EU are responsible for 36% of greenhouse gas emissions, which mainly stem from construction, usage, renovation and demolition. In relation to the built environment, it sometimes seems that promoting an increased use of biobased products is the simple solution, a short-cut route for transforming the construction sector. This thinking is partly based on claims that growing, transporting, and processing biobased materials into construction products has a lesser impact on the environment than other materials. These claims suggest that using biobased products is at least CO2 neutral if not negative, by sequestrating CO2 permanently in the products.
But do these arguments stand up to an independent, scientific examination?
This question describes the motivation of a consortium to contract the consultancy and engineering firms LBP|SIGHT and Royal HaskoningDHV to conduct a peer reviewed scientific study.
The Consortium
The following associations formed a consortium to co-fund the study
Cerame-Unie is the voice of the European ceramic industry to the EU institutions. The European ceramic industry covers a wide range of products including construction products such as clay bricks and roof tiles, wall & floor tiles, sanitaryware and clay pavers.
The European Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Association promotes the interests of producers of autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) and their national associations across all of Europe.
The European Calcium Silicate Producers Association represents national organisations and producers of calcium silicate masonry bricks, blocks and elements in Europe
Concrete Europe - formerly known as the European Concrete Platform - comprises BIBM (European Federation for Precast Concrete), CEMBUREAU, EFCA (European Federation of Concrete Admixtures Associations), and ERMCO (European Ready Mixed Concrete Organisation). With its members Concrete Europe covers concrete related issues at European level.
The European Mortar Industry Organisation is the voice of the European factory made mortar industry, comprising masonry & repair mortars, plaster & renders, adhesives, screeds. A large part of our industry also designs and provides thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS) for renovation and new building.
The Global Cement and Concrete Association is an industry initiative committed to sustainability – reducing the impacts of cement production and promoting the unique properties of concrete as a sustainable, durable and resilient building material.
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