1. The Impact of EU Legislation on
Insulation in Buildings
Stephen Long
April 20th 2012

2. Contents
• The Broad EU Perspective
• Specific Legislation
– An overview
– Construction Products Directive
– Eco Design Directive
– Eco Label Regulation
• Energy Efficiency
• Waste Management
• The Opportunity for EPS
• Applications for EPS

3. EU Political Concerns
• The Economy
– Employment Trade barriers
Harmonised internal markets
– International trade Lisbon Treaty
– Internal EU trade Incentives
– Global competivity
• The Environment Enviromental profiles
Kyoto
– Sustainability Resource Efficiency
UNEP Waste Management
– Global commitments UNECE Emissions
– Resource efficiency Financial Incentives
• Energy supply
Energy efficiency
– More self sufficient
Renewable energy sources
• Society
– Standard of living REACH
– Safety Indoor Air Quality

4. EU 20/20/20 Package
The EU environmental policy, agreed in 2009, is summarised in the so-
called “20/20/20 Package”:
– Cutting greenhouse gases by at least 20% of 1990 levels by 2020
– Increasing use of renewables to 20% of energy production by 2020
– Cutting energy use by 20% of projected 2020 levels
+ Less dependence upon energy sources from outside the EU
+ “the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the
world, capable of sustainable, economic growth with more and better jobs
and greater social cohesion”

5. EU Energy Demand
EU Energy Demand Buildings
EU Energy Demand by Sector
ca. 60% for Space Heating
300
Electricity
250
Cooking
Million tonnes oil equivalent
Water heating
Transportation Space heating
200
30%
150
Buildings
42% 100 180
Industry
28% 102
50
Residential Tertiary Buildings
Source: DG TREN

6. Specific Legislation

7. Coherence of EU Legislation
Chart from European Commission - Enterprise and Industry

8. Construction Products Regulation
Products
Essential characteristics Works
(Harmonized Standards &
European Technical Assessments) 7 Basic Requirements
 1. Mechanical resistance and stability
 2. Safety in case of fire
 3. Hygiene, health and the environment
 4. Safety and accessibility in use
 5. Protection against noise
Declaration of Performance  6. Energy economy and heat retention
+ Information on hazardous substances  7. Sustainable use of natural resources
+ Information accompanying
the CE Marking
8

9. Construction Products Regulation
 The CPR is the development of the earlier Construction Products Directive
(CPD), 1989, to enable free trade of construction products within the EU, via
harmonised standards and CE marking
 The Regulation will be fully applicable ca. 2 years after publication in the
Official Journal (April 2011), by July 1st 2013
 Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are emerging as the means to
confirm the environmental properties of building products and systems. The
content is governed by pr-EN 15084 and the execution by ISO 14025.
 Future developments of the Basic Requirements for Construction Works
(BRCW):
• The extension of BRCW 3 and 6 to the complete life cycle
• The new BRCW 7 will lead to develop new provisions in hENs

10. Eco Design Directive
• Eco Design Directive 2009/125/EC
– Entered into force on 20.11.2009. Member States had until 20.11.2010
to transpose into national law
– Extension of the scope to Energy-related-Products (ErP)
• Priority construction products initially targeted, but thermal insulation not yet
covered.
• Eco-Design and Energy Labelling are complementary and share evaluation
and decision mechanisms

11. Eco Label Regulation
• Only awarded to the 10-20% of the best environmental performance products
• Covers the entire lifecycle of the product
• The European Commission aims at developing an EU Ecolabel for the
Buildings product group, with initial focus on office buildings.
• Criteria are still under development. Updates available on:
http://susproc.jrc.ec.europa.eu/buildings/whatsnew.html

12. Energy Efficiency

13. EU Energy Efficiency Action Plan
• First introduced in 2007, updated 2011
• Covers many areas, including:
– To ensure safe, secure, sustainable and affordable energy for all
– Renewable Energy Directive
– Emissions Trading System
– Nuclear Safety Directive
– Strategic Energy Technology Plan
– Financial mechanisms
– Energy Performance in Buildings Directive
– Energy Solidarity and Security
• Future focus will include :
– Improve implementation of European energy legislation Increased use of the energy
savings potential
– Public awareness-raising and acceptance
– Greater emphasis on investments and financial mechanisms.

14. Energy Efficiency
• New Energy Efficiency Directive proposed 22.06.2011
– Must cut energy consumption by 20% by 2020
– Legal obligation to establish energy saving schemes in all Member States via
NEEAPs
– Public sector to lead by example, a required 3% renovation rate into top 10% of
energy efficient buildings nationally
– Binding national targets in 2014 if EU is not likely to achieve the 20% target.
• The recast Energy Efficiency in Buildings Directive (2010/31/EU) was
published on June 18th 2010. Some of the main themes are:
– New buildings to be passive by 2020 and public buildings by 2018
– Renovation of existing buildings to meet defined energy standards
– Energy performance assessment and labelling of all buildings
– Financial measures from Member States for energy efficiency
– Cost optimal methododolgy

15. National Energy Efficiency Action Plans
• The NEEAP requires Member States to set targets on energy efficiency
and define measures on how to reach the targets.
• The NEEAP gives an overview of all energy efficiency measures and links
between measures.
• Leads to explicitly improved coordination on energy efficiency at a national
level.
• Allows a structure for monitoring and evaluation in regulatory and
implementing organisations to be established.
• The NEEAP is an official document, which binds stakeholders and
government to an energy efficiency strategy.

16. Waste Management

17. Waste Framework Directive

18. End of Life
Zero landfill of plastics waste
No waste by 2050
World Business Council
for Sustainable Development

19. EPS Recycling – Many Examples

20. The Opportunity for Insulation

21. Better Insulation Makes Sense!
• Buildings use > 40% of Europe’s energy
• Insulation accounts for >50% of the total energy reduction
potential from buildings
• A significant contribution to the EU commitment for the
2020, 20% reduction of energy commitment
• Reduces carbon dioxide emission and recognised as one of
the most cost-effective measures
• Creates local jobs
• The economics are good for everyone!

22. EU Market for EPS Insulation in Buildings
kT New Buildings 2009 2020
4000 EPBD: All new buildings will be
“near zero” energy from 2020
3000
2000 Housing Market Increase
30% increase
1000
Housing Market Decrease
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070 2080 2090 2100 2110

23. EU Market for EPS Insulation in Buildings
2020
kT
Renovation Ca. 200 million homes in Europe, renovated
over 30 years, implies 6.7 million homes
4000
per year. 3.3 times more than new build
30 year renovation cycle
3000
Assume legislation to renovate
for optimum energy efficiency
2000
from 2020
1000
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070 2080 2090 2100 2110

24. EU Market for EPS Insulation in Buildings
kT 2020 2080
4000
3000
>3x growth potential
in 20 years!
Renovation
2000 peak
New Build
(new steady state)
1000
New Build
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030 2040 2050 2060 2070 2080 2090 2100 2110

25. EPS and Construction

26. EPS Performance - Health and Safety
• No need for personal protective equipment or protective clothing for
workers
• No irritation of skin or lungs from released fibres or dust during
installation and use
• No chemical binders with potential hazard
• No exposure to harmful substances during service life
• Lightweight, low load for workers during installation

27. EPS Benefits are Widely Recognised
Environmental Product BRE Green Guide (UK)
Declarations A+
GUA (A) Büro fur Umweltchemie (CH)
Frost & Sullivan Denkstatt GmbH (A)

28. Weight Efficiency of Plastic Foams
Insulation Weight for U = 0.1 W/m2K
18
16
14
12
Kg/m2
10
8
6
4
2
0
EPS XPS PUR MW
Based on data from GUA, Plastics Products and Resources Efficiency, 2005

29. EPS – The Versatile Insulation
Floors
Internal Walls
Ceilings
Seismic Insulation
EPS is effective for a wide range of applications

30. Applications of EPS

31. Structural Insulated Panel System
…to Antarctica!
Modular building, from
Aachen….

32. SIPS – Roofing Elements
Easy to install: fast, clean, dry
>500mm insulation

33. Frost Protection
Easy to install Cost-effective insulation

34. Perimeter Insulation
Safe and easy to cut to size Low water absorption

35. Roofs and Between Floors
Rapid building of large floor
areas
Integral metal re-enforcement

36. Roofs and Between Floors
Built-in insulation

37. Roofs and Floors
From flat roofs to panels for heated flooring with
enhanced acoustic properties

38. Cavity Loose Fill
For conventional white EPS or low lambda grey EPS

39. Walls
External façade: for new buildings and renovation

40. Insulated Concrete Forms
Rapid building, excellent insulation.

41. Civil Engineering
Excellent load bearing and reduced time for soil stabilisation

42. Civil Engineering
Light, rigid, safe - easy to use

43. Seismic Insulation
Isolation efficiency of
50% with only 5% of
wall height
Withstands seismic and
static pressures

44. Lightweight, Insulated Brick
….in all shapes and sizes

45. Further Reading
www.meps.hu
www.eumeps.org
www.plasticseurope.org