Energy upgrading existing buildings: a chance to overcome the crisis
The figures tell us that the decline in the construction industry in recent months are really worrying: in the first half of 2012, construction funds have counted 240 thousand jobs burned by the crisis, with 45,000 businesses that have closed their sites. Overall, it is estimated that by now the loss of jobs touches the 600 thousand units, to which must be added a large number of professionals now unemployed, who represent the armature.
The situation seems really black, but everything seems to be lost on companies that have managed to resist. In fact there are two areas within the building industry who have maintained a positive sign: energy conservation and green building.
It is estimated that the application of the incentives of 55% of the energy efficiency measures in existing buildings has developed in recent years a turnover of more than € 10 billion, creating 150 thousand new jobs and the voice of the housing maintenance is the only one to date records a positive forecast (+0.5%). The housing market should aim then of course on the redevelopment of existing buildings, investing in skills and experience.
Innovation and sustainability
A confirmation of the fact that the energy efficiency and green building represent the key areas on which to focus to reverse the decline of the industry has come in recent days from the first joint report on Innovation and sustainability in the building sector "Building the Future" presented recently by Fillea CGIL and Legambiente at SAIE in Bologna.
It is accompanied by an extensive analysis of the situation of the building on the Italian territory, which tells how a greater support to the sector could lead to an increase in employment of 600,000 new jobs over the next 10 years, which can get, considering the 'induced in the chain, at about one million.
Also interesting are the virtuous effects: an increase in the quality of life of citizens and an increase in their spending power, thanks to the reduction of costs for the management of their homes. Within the report is also presents an overview of the tools that local authorities have at their disposal to introduce new energy and environmental criteria, exceeding the limits set by the regulations now in force. A kit has been developed a series of global actions to be pursued to achieve the results proposed, which are:
1) The definition of a national direction able to give certainty about the future of energy innovation in the building industry and greater value to the instrument of energy certification
2) The minimum requirement to achieve Class A for new buildings in a shorter time than the deadline set by the EU for 2021.
3) A more decisive time to make permanent the incentives of 55% for upgrading the energy efficiency of the housing stock, which should also be extended to the structural safety of buildings
4) An intervention in favor of the redevelopment of public housing, which if addressed by local authorities in view of a major reduction in its operating costs should allow the supermento of the Stability Pact
5) The safety with regard to static and seismic of the building
6) The pursuit of a reduction of the environmental impact of the construction sector, to be achieved through greater attention to the origin of the materials and review the costs of landfilling
Bills
The suggestions contained in the report seem to be in line, at least in part, with two bills stuck in the government. The first is aimed at a reform of social and territorial government which aims to harmonize all existing provisions. The bill in question is to lay a new scenario for the construction industry, much more sustainable in both economic and environmental sense.
According to the draft, one of the main lines of the reorganization plan, there are the 'identification of technical regulations for the construction industry such as to guarantee the protection of the life and safety of the building public and private, new measures to further facilitate savings energy in buildings, the exploitation of renewable energy sources and the use of their green building construction techniques and new tax initiatives aimed at encouraging the redevelopment building.
The second bill in the program is intended to limit the use of land and proposes to differentiate the contribution of construction, Article 16 of the Housing Act (Presidential Decree 380/2001) in order to facilitate the restructuring and re-use of existing assets, as is already the case for some time in other European nations.
13/11/2012
----------------------------------------
Translated via software
----------------------------------------
Source:
Italian version of CercaGeometra.it