15 December 2001CEN Conference: Construction Products for the Single Market The view from industry: Open markets or additional bureaucracy? Dr. Gildas

CEN Conference: Construction Products for the Single Market 15 December 2001

The view from industry:Open markets or additional bureaucracy?

Dr. Gildas GuillevicConvenor of “Construction Products Directive” Working Group

CEPMC

CPD WG 01/093Rev.


• Construction Products Directive

• Our main wishes

• European market for construction products

Contents

– State of the art

– Positive issues

– Main stakes


European market for construction products

• Significant size– 1,000 billion €

• Diversified– over 25,000 different materials and products used in buildings and

infrastructure

• Product sales– mainly regional

– relatively low export / import ratio


RetailersInsuranceCompanies

Certification bodiesRegulations

Engineering and design departments

UsersOwners

Raw material suppliers


Construction material

producers

Specifiers

Complex relationship between construction actors, different from one country to an other

Distributors

BuildersContractors



• Building

– Housing

• New: Individual, Collective, Public

• Repair and Maintenance

– Non-residential

• New: Private, Public


– Industrial

• New


• Civil Engineering Works

– Infrastructure

• New

• Repair and maintenance

A complex segmentation



• With respect to different construction processes– in building structures

• e.g. steel versus concrete• e.g. concrete versus timber• e.g. columns / beams versus bearing walls

– in housing,• e.g. external versus internal insulation systems• e.g. floating versus bonded floors

• With respect to different climatic conditions / locations• e.g. frost or salt resistant concrete / early reduced shrinkage concrete• e.g. inland / coastal areas



– Different insurance systems• regarding all the construction actors

– e.g. 10 year-guarantees in France

– 5 year-guarantees in most other countries

• Strong National Regulations

– 19 National Standards Bodies:• several thousands of standards in every country for

– products

– tests methods

– product installations

• with significant differences from one country to another one • with different construction terminologies


Construction Products Directive State of the art

• Complex and sometimes unclear

– 2 routes to harmonised standards via CEN or EOTA:• much confusion

– 45 families of “products and/or kits” concerned by the CPD :• including 300 products• with 650 standards regarding the “product” only• “Systems” are not concerned


Construction Products DirectiveState of the art

– but not yet mandatory in the UK and some other Member States, such as Finland, Ireland, Portugal and Sweden

• Misunderstandings, especially for companies not interested in export

• CE-marking

– used by authorities for market surveillance purposes

– a must for construction products to be placed on the European market


Construction Products Directive State of the art

• Usage characteristics

– some concerns when performances for works transposed into requirements for products

– some problems about mutual recognition by regulators, for some “common” test methods

– not all covered by new harmonised European standards


Construction Products DirectiveState of the art

• Insurance companies

– one of the most important stake holders in some industries

– not satisfied with the results of SBI-tests and others as required by the standards


Construction Products Directive Positive issues

• Thanks to work under the CPD, a better understanding:

Experience acquired during these last ten years to be used for future works

– between manufacturers through their trade associations

– between the construction actors

– of construction processes


Construction Products Directive Positive issues

• Main direct benefits

Useful tools for producers, and mainly for small and medium ones, in developing exports

– Common test methods

– Common standards


Construction Products Directive Main stakes

• Transposition of harmonised European standards

A common methodology useful for all Members States

– In every country, existing rules need to be adapted:• by taking into account product installation into construction works• by respecting local construction processes,

in accordance with Eurocodes, where applicable

Considerable more work needed to re-discuss and improve national rules



• CE Marking, Quality marks, Keymark– CE Marking: only an authorisation for placing the product on the

European market

– Quality Marks: proof, through all usage characteristics, that products can be used into works

“Quality Marks”:• Key issue for producers’ customers

• Product quality reinforcement

• Take into account that:– a strong quality mark never easy to replace, and risky for the product image– a new European quality mark concept to be discussed case by case



• CE Marking, Quality marks, Keymark

To minimise extra costs, an unique “entrance gate” needed – great importance for all producers, and particularly for small and medium

ones

– New and/or additional controls • in most cases with additional costs (direct or indirect)


Construction Products DirectiveMain stakes

• Innovation

Studies done by people with a very good practical knowledge of the product

– innovative products and/or kits need particular consideration• to avoid a “standardised” architecture



• Market surveillance

A key issue providing• clear and applicable rules• good co-ordination between Member States

– Higher risks with attestation of conformity 3 or 4– Traceability through distribution channels: a good thing for customers



• Environment, Health and Safety

Determinant role of CEN TCs in the second generation of standards

– A requirement for minimum performances regarding environment, health and safety :

• a good approach with a general agreement

Strong co-ordination between various European entities needed– only in the product standards under the CPD, that is to say in works


Our main wishes

– First of all, CPD implementation to be done correctly

• For every new topic, think “Simple and Easy!”– Simple to understand

– Easy to use

• "Improve what we have!"

an active contribution of producers to the harmonised standards transposition process, as currently exists

many more opportunities expected for developing the construction market in Europe

critical for big companies, and even more critical for small and medium ones

Documents

15 December 2001CEN Conference: Construction Products for the Single Market The view from industry: Open markets or additional bureaucracy? Dr. Gildas