P&G’s bright green future
November 27, 2010 at 1:08 pm | Posted in General | Leave a commentTags: Energy Efficiency, Green Building, Sustainable Development
On Thursday, the RoGBC hosted Procter & Gamble’s Technical Director, Mr. Jacques Euler and his colleague Mr. Ovidiu Dutu who were kind enough to provide details of the green features of the company’s green flagship manufacturing facility in Urlati, Romania.

P&G's Jacques Euler highlights the sustainable construction features of the company's new Urlati factory
The recently completed 100 Million USD project was designed from its inception by renown green architects McDonough Partners with sustainability and a necessary strong business case in mind. The addition of this factory will reduce the carbon miles of shipping its products throughout the Central Eastern European region.
The RoGBC members heard about features including:
– the modeling and design of the building orientation for maximizing the effects of passive solar and natural daylighting
– collection of rain water for use in its manufacturing processes
– a design that would allow future expansions / modifications to the building while minimize construction waste and ensure the retention of its originally designed features
– waste processing using natural means
– ventilation measures for improved indoor air quality and heat recovery
– geothermal heating and cooling
– sustainable construction materials selected and installed and
– local recruiting and shuttle buses to minimize the number of employee commuter miles
The RoGBC greatly appreciates P&G’s fantastic example and the efforts of Jacques and Ovidiu to share their experience of the project. I toured this factory a few months ago and was amazed to see such a nice design and the efforts made to make it comfortable and safe for the employees. As this factory will serve as a global model for the company’s future plants, we are certain it will drive considerable positive change for P&G and the industry.
– Steve
Big debates in Brussels over energy efficiency; buildings are on top of the list
November 5, 2010 at 6:16 pm | Posted in Legislative Outreach | Leave a commentTags: Energy Efficiency, Green Building, Legislation, white certificates
If 2009 was the year for lobbying for Energy Performance in Buildings Directive in the context of discussions and debates around its recast, 2011, 2012 will be dedicated for lobbying activities around energy efficiency. Buildings are still very high on the agenda.
In spring 2011, the European Commission is expected to issue the next Energy Effciency Action Plan. In the draft of the plan that was published earlier this year there were several measures that are supposed to have a high impact on the building industry. The most relevant measures:
- Buildings are a priority sector in the draft of the revised EEAP ; measures range from building renovation to policies meant to speed up the up-take of energy smart -meters
- Proposes a European Buildings Initiative to stimulate the renovation of 15 million buildings by 2020
- Set up of a mandatory National Energy Efficiency Fund (by all Member States) to support preferential loans or risk-sharing facilities
- Mandatory set up of a white certificate scheme at member states level to encourage energy efficiency in the power sector
- Formation of a network of smart cities that would pioneer new technologies
- European-training Strategy for energy-efficiency workforce
The draft is expected to be changed since the new Energy Commisioner that started the mandate this spring – Mr. Gunter Oetingger, has a more moderate approach. However, even if there will be changes, buildings will still be high on the agenda.
Next year, the European Commision will work also on the proposed recast of the Energy End-use Efficiency and Energy Service Directive. The idea is to broaden it’s scope and provide an enhanced framework for energy efficiency and savings policies of Member States, including targets, role of National Energy Efficiency Action Plans, exemplary role of public sector, financing, consumer information. It will also define instruments to develop the energy services market and the roles of energy companies in promoting energy savings throughout the energy supply chain, including supply to end-users. It will set framework conditions for increased generation, transmission and distribution efficiency, including strengthened measures for the promotion of cogeneration and district heating & cooling.
What is the message for the building industry? The high levels of energy efficiency in buildings will cease to be just optional in the near future, and just the sophisticated choice of some forward looking developers. If the white certificate schemes will start to be mandatory for each Member State, the stakeholders of the energy market will be mobilised an co-interested in contributing to higher levels of energy efficiency at the end user.
The sceptics may say that the discussions are just at the beginning and by the time we see some effective results at the national level some years will have to pass and a lot of buildings will be built or renovated as usual, in the meantime. However if we think that buildings are build for the next 50 to 100 years the few years of political debates appear to be peanuts compared to that….what we build and renovate now will have to compete with the buildings build and renovated 5 or 10 years from now.
Waste Directive – in the public debate
November 5, 2010 at 1:50 pm | Posted in Legislative Outreach, News from Members | Leave a commentTags: green, green construction material, Legislation, Legislative Outreach, Sustainable Construction
The 2008/98/CE Waste Framework Directive has to be transposed into the national legislation by the end of the year. This directive is important for the construction industry because it aims at recovering 70% of the construction waste by 2020.
More information about this directive and a brief analysis of the law project proposed by the Ministry of Environment are available here. This analysis was carried out by Luiza Manolea, lawyer member of RoGBC in the Legislative Outreach Group.
Anca
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