Sustainable construction

Promoters of end-use efficiency

Technical contractors have become major promoters of end-use efficiency of both energy and water. Unlike other partners in the supply chain, technical contractors have a commercial interest in reducing resource consumption. Thanks to their direct contacts to private and commercial clients, they are in a position to actively promote energy efficient equipment and to maintain its performance level through regular inspection and maintenance. In most Member States, technical contractors are qualified to do energy checks of buildings and advise end-users on the most economical solution.

Promoters of renewable sources of energy

Technical contractors also have become important players in the field of renewable sources of energy. Again their direct contacts with end-users and their capacity to assess the energy performance of buildings, enables them to raise the awareness of end-users on renewable sources of energy and public incentive programmes. Today, technical contractors install and maintain photovoltaic and solar thermal systems, biomass boilers, heat pumps and others. Moreover, they are actively involved in pilot projects for fuel cells.

The CEETB actively promotes the role of specialist engineering contractors in this area. In particular, the CEETB

	Contributes to the implementation and revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive;
	Contributes to the drafting of European action to stimulate energy efficiency; ,
	Supports European rules promoting renewable sources of energy;
	Accompanies the implementation of the directive on energy-using products.
	Contributes in the implementation of the Environmental technologies action plan through the participation in several technology platforms.

Recent position papers:

• CEETB presents proposals for the recast of the Buildings directive (2002/91/EC).
• Considerations of CEETB on tradable guarantees of origin for renewable electricity
• Comments of CEETB on the Draft Report of the European Parliament on A Roadmap for Renewable Energy in Europe (2007/2090(INI)
• Position of CEETB on the Communication “An energy policy for Europe”
• Comments of CEETB on Article 10 of Directive 2002/91/EC on the Energy Performance of Buildings
• CEETB comments on the public consultation of the European Commission "Promotion of Heating and Cooling from Renewable Energies ”
• Comments of CEETB on the Green paper on energy efficiency
• Position of CEETB regarding the public consultation on the EU biomass action plan
• Comments of CEETB on the Draft motion for a European Parliament Resolution with recommendations to the Commission on heating and cooling from renewable sources of energy
• Position of CEETB regarding the proposal for a Deployment Strategy tabled by the European Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Platform
• Comments of CEETB regarding the communication from the Commission "Stimulating Technologies for Sustainable Development: An Environmental Technologies" - COM(2004) 38 final

Participation in European advisory bodies:

• Energy demand management committee (DG Transport and Energy)
• EU Sustainable Energy Forum (DG Transport and Energy)
• European climate change programme – phase II (DG Environment)
• Energy performance of buildings directive: Buildings Platform
• Expert group on the sustainable urban environment (DG Environment)
• Consultation Forum under Art. 18 of the Eco-Design Framework Directive (DG Enterprise & Industry)
• SME Energy (European Parliament)
• Hydrogen and fuel cells technology platform (DG Research)
• Photovoltaic technology platform (DG Research)
• Water and Sanitation technology platform (DG Research)
• Construction technology platform (DG Research)