With the aim of further implementing the principles of the Green Deal, SMEunited, EBC and the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) have collaborated to collect good practices of green construction carried out by SMEs in the buildings sector. The result is a leaflet outlining success stories of construction SMEs active in sustainable materials, waste management and green skills, for the purpose of informing and raising awareness about the current and future contribution of the construction sector to an environmentally sustainable Europe.
The European building stock is responsible for about 40% of final energy consumption and about 36% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the European Union. Conscious of their environmental and social responsibilities, construction SMEs are continuing their efforts to reduce the environmental impact of their activities by becoming more sustainable through the adoption of new innovative methods and environmentally friendly materials.
Micro and small enterprises in the buildings sector are particularly aware of this fact since they must also deal with the factor of competitiveness with respect to large-scale industry. Opting for an eco-responsible approach is proving to be a financially viable business strategy that customers appreciate and fits better into the current regulatory and political framework. To this end, construction SMEs need however to receive targeted information and become sufficiently equipped to make changes.
It is in this context that SMEunited and EBC, supported by CINEA’s LIFE programme, have compiled a series of good practices for green construction in the leaflet ” Green best practices for construction SMEs and how the EU can support”. Aimed at craft manufacturers, as well as installers, construction companies and building services, this booklet brings together practical ideas in three key sections (sustainable materials, end-of-life and waste management, and processes and skills) to shed light on sometimes little-known initiatives and inspire others.
“Closer ties, such as those that have resulted in a pragmatic and useful brochure for construction SMEs, are necessary to achieve the ambitious objectives of the Green Deal for the built environment sector. However, these efforts will be limited without increased, proportionate and systematic financial and logistical support from the European institutions for construction SMEs. EU financing, as well as national and regional incentives, will be crucial to the contribution of construction SMEs to the overall environmental objectives,” highlights Eugenio Quintieri, EBC Secretary General.
“SMEs in the construction sector are key actors to meet EU climate targets, by renovating and retrofitting buildings, as well as putting in place all the latest technologies. Integrating these sustainable practices requires the provision of information, access to networks and technical knowledge to take on board those developments. It is also necessary to provide SME organisations with the capacity to support SMEs in their green transition,” stressed Véronique Willems, SMEunited Secretary General.
 | To download the SMEunited-EBC-LIFE programme leaflet “Green best practices for construction SMEs and how the European Union can support”, click here! |
 | This leaflet was publicly presented yesterday during a webinar where ideas for making construction businesses even more environmentally friendly were also discussed by SMEunited, EBC, CINEA, DG Energy and an audience of around 50 participants. To WATCH the WEBINAR RECORDING by SMEunited and EBC, click here! |