As part of the European Construction Forum, RICS and other leaders representing the European construction industry call for a new inspiring EU policy framework for the future of the sector, presenting a joint initiative to the European Commission: “Construction 2050: Building tomorrow’s Europe today”.
To support the adaptation of the sector to key emerging challenges and promote the sustainable competitiveness of the European industry this new framework will extend and reinforce the existing EU Construction 2020 programme.
According to RICS and its partners, by optimising the way construction works thanks to the development of a new relevant policy framework, the lives of European citizens will improve by providing higher value with fewer natural resources; and higher quality assets for owners and users. On average, the construction sector accounts for approximately 10% of European Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and about 7% of all employment, representing approximately 30% of industrial employment. European citizens spend over 90% of their time indoors, meaning that our health and well-being strongly depends on how our buildings are built, maintained and renovated.
RICS contribution as a thought leader in the built environment:
In a joint proposal, RICS and various leaders of the European construction sector have identified the main challenges the sector is facing and have suggested concrete solutions.
RICS has also contributed to the European Commission survey for stakeholders’ views on the current EU programme: Construction 2020 and beyond, highlighting the need to promote International Standards.
“Without cross-border consistency, when applied to professional services and data collection, substantial inefficiencies will remain and hinder the development of digital and sustainable construction. ” points out Sander Scheurwater, RICS Director Corporate Affairs Europe.
The contribution of RICS to the survey stresses:
- the importance of construction measurement standards such as International Construction Measurement Standards (ICMS). These help construction costs be consistently and transparently benchmarked thereby ensuring properly informed decisions which will ultimately address inefficiencies;
- the relevance of initiatives like the Building logbook to provide markets with a standardised set of information and reduced investment risks;
- the urgency to strengthen the life cycle assessment;
- the interest to keep the work on Level(s), the reporting framework to improve the sustainability of buildings by providing a common EU approach to the assessment of environmental performance.
RICS contribution reflects the organisation’s commitment to improve the public interest, contributing to the sustainable future of the European construction industry.
“Construction 2050: Building tomorrow’s Europe today”
This comprehensive framework should be fully embraced by all actors in the construction ecosystem, Member States and European institutions. Building on the results of the current Construction 2020 initiative, this new framework should be based on the following principles:
- A specific targeted approach to construction because the sector is at the crossroads of different value chains and its unique nature requires a unique approach
- An adaptable policy framework to address the evolving construction ecosystem and the transformation of the industry
- A holistic approach towards policy making in order to implement coherent and balanced policies and legislation
- A strong partnership between the European institutions, the Member States and construction social partners and stakeholders to steer the transformation of the sector with the most adequate policies and tools.
Eugenio Quintieri, EBC Secretary General stated: “The construction sector needs a strengthened policy framework to build the sustainable Europe of tomorrow. Our joint proposals are key for the future of the sector by ensuring a better coordination between public institutions and private stakeholders as well as guaranteeing an extended uptake of EU policy initiatives at the national, regional and local levels”.
