21 September 2020, 13:07
The European Rental Association (ERA), the voice of the equipment rental industry, welcomes the adoption of the European Parliament Report on maximising the energy efficiency potential of EU building stock. ERA calls on decision-makers to use the Renovation Wave as an opportunity to encourage low carbon practices in the construction sector and to incorporate circularity principles in public procurement.
Today, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have highlighted how a circular construction sector should be viewed as a key pillar of the Renovation Wave. With the adoption of this own-initiative report, MEPs recognised that the objectives of the Renovation Wave can only be met if emissions are drastically reduced in the construction, renovation, and demolition phases of the building lifecycle.
This can be achieved by promoting the reuse of building materials to reduce the waste generated by construction and demolition. However, CO2 emissions stemming from such work can be cut even further by addressing emissions from the construction equipment used. A recent independent study shows that renting construction equipment leads to emissions reductions of at least 30% over the full lifecycle of the product, with reductions up to 50% attained when renting is coupled with optimised use of the product.
ERA supports promoting circular economy principles in the context of public procurement. We also urge the EU to take a similar stance on construction equipment to encourage circular construction practices across the board and reap the full emissions reduction potential of the Renovation Wave.
At the same time, ERA’s recently published Sustainable Supplier Framework helps construction equipment manufacturers and the rental industry supply chain play their part by defining minimum sustainability requirements and aspirations for all suppliers to rental companies, including resource efficiency and energy consumption, emissions and waste management, sustainable packaging, product sustainability performance and responsible sourcing of components and raw materials.
ERA Secretary General, Michel Petitjean, said: “Rental models not only help lower carbon emissions in the construction sector - they also close the investment gap that MEPs have highlighted in this report.
“By renting equipment, we avoid the excessive investment burden and maintenance costs, both of which increase the overall cost of renovation. Such potential reductions in the costs of renovation are particularly relevant in of the COVID-19 recovery.”
Source: European Rental Association (ERA)