Environmental benchmarks for buildings

The research project EFIResources: Resource Efficient Construction towards Sustainable Design, aims to support European policies related to the efficient use of resources in construction and its major goal is the development of a performance based approach for sustainable design, enabling to assess resource efficiency of buildings in the stage of design. In the proposed model for sustainability design, the performance of the building, focussing on resource use, is benchmarked against standard and/or best practices. This report focusses on the framework for the development of benchmarks for life cycle performance of buildings and provides a preliminary set of reference values for residential and office buildings.JRC.E.4-Safety and Security of Building

Model for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of buildings

The project EFIResources: Resource Efficient Construction towards Sustainable Design, focusses on the development of a performance based approach for sustainable design, enabling to assess resource efficiency of buildings, in the early stages of building design, and supporting European policies related to the efficient use of resources in construction. The proposed approach aims for the harmonization between environmental criteria and structural criteria in the design of buildings and thus, it provides the chance for structural engineers to foster a more efficient use of resources throughout the life cycle of buildings and reduce the environmental impacts of construction works. The work plan of the project is organized into the following main tasks: • Task 1: Development of a life cycle model for the assessment of buildings, which will enable the benchmarking; • Task 2: Identification of best practices and development of a set of benchmarks for residential and office buildings; • Task 3: Development of an approach for sustainable design consistent with the reliability approach of the Eurocodes; • Task 4: Recommendations for standardization and guidelines for sustainable design. This report focuses on the development of the model for life cycle analysis (LCA) and on its implementation into a software tool. This model will be used for the benchmarking of the environmental life cycle performance of the structural system of buildings. The model is applied to common construction materials, at the material level, and structural systems, at the building level, to provide additional guidance in its application and to identify main limitations. Therefore, some limitations are identified but these affect mainly other building components rather than the structural system of the building, which is the main focus of the developed model.JRC.E.4-Safety and Security of Building

Pre-Normative Research Needs to Achieve Improved Design Guidelines for Seismic Protection

The document provides description of the pre-normative research needs to achieve improved design guidelines for seismic protection, research priorities and possible strategies for financing the research needs identified. The EU policy context is defined in the view of the Commission Recommendation to Member States on the implementation and use of the EN Eurocodes concerning the research needs to facilitate the integration into the Eurocodes of the latest developments in scientific and technological knowledge. The background activities which headed the preparation of the document, such as the organization and participation in relevant European workshops and projects, as well as consultations with experts in the field of Earthquake Engineering, are summarized. Two background documents which have been prepared as a consequence of these activities are summarized and analyzed. The research priorities are presented in terms of the necessary time span, effort and priority of to include the results of the research into the EN Eurocodes. Possible strategies for financing the identified research needs are discussed centering on the European Institutions, as these are the most concerned in benefiting from a research that needs to be undertaken at a European level, bringing together as far as possible the collaboration and participation of all Member States, and Industry.JRC.G.5 - European laboratory for structural assessmen

Purpose and Justification for New Design Standards Regarding the Use of Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Composites in Civil Engineering

The scope of this document concerns the purpose and justification for a new Eurocode for fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials, outlining the specific aims and reasons for standardization in this area, and the main interested parties (industry, consumers, trade, standardisation authorities and distributors) who will benefit from it.JRC.G.5-European laboratory for structural assessmen

The Garda Area (Italy) Earthquake of 24 November 2004: a Field Report

On November 24 2004 an earthquake hit the area of the Garda Lake, part of the Lombardia region in Italy. This report presents the evidence collected in the investigation trip. The historical seismicity is provided. The behaviour of different categories of buildings is analysed and discussed, and the an overview of the procedures used to deal with the emergency is carried out.JRC.G.5-European laboratory for structural assessmen

Eurocodes Promotion in Third Countries

The work reported is a deliverable within the framework of the Administrative Arrangement between DG ENTR and JRC on support to the implementation, harmonization and further development of the Eurocodes. The document addresses the need to coordinate the activities on the international promotion of the Eurocodes at the Community level and proposes a strategy and an initial programme for their coordinated promotion in third countries. The goals and interests of the stakeholders in the international promotion of the Eurocodes are analysed. Their convergence naturally calls for the setting up of a framework for coordinated promotion of the Eurocodes in third countries. The coordinated actions will provide considerable benefits to the stakeholders through: Putting into operation common implementation strategy, tools and resources, Organizing joint missions involving more than one stakeholder, and Making the most effective use of the co-financing instruments available at the Community level. A methodology for promotion of the Eurocodes in third countries is proposed, which aims at a better use of the resources available and tailored the promotion actions according to the needs of the individual countries. The methodology encompasses: The approach and the tools necessary for coordinated international promotion, The identification of target groups within a country, The involvement of organisations/individuals interested in the international promotion.JRC.G.5-European laboratory for structural assessmen

Adoption of the Eurocodes in the Balkan Region

This report addresses the activities carried out for the adoption and implementation of the Eurocodes in the non-EU countries in the Balkan region within the context of the Enlargement and Integration Action of the JRC. The considerable interest in the implementation and adoption of the Eurocodes in the Balkan region is based on the opportunity to have an advanced common standardization environment, which is adaptable to the particular requirements of each country with regard to the geographical, geological or climatic conditions and also allows selecting the level of safety. Moreover, adoption and implementation of Eurocodes will help the Candidate Countries to fully implement EU acquis at the time of accession and support Potential Candidate Countries to progressively align themselves with the EU acquis. The main objective of the activities presented herein was to focus on progress and specific needs for adoption and implementation of the Eurocodes and related EN standards in the Balkan region. Generally, it may be concluded that most of the non-EU countries in the Balkan region are going to use the Eurocodes as primary standards. These countries are aware about needs for harmonization of national legislation and standardization framework for construction with EU legislation. However, in most of the countries there is a lack of relevant institutional support for adoption and implementation of the Eurocodes.JRC.G.5-European laboratory for structural assessmen

Purpose and Justification for New Design Standards Regarding the Use of Glass Products in Civil Engineering Works

This document describes the rationale and justification for a European code for the design of glass structures, its parts or kits for use in civil engineering works, outlining the specific aims and reasons for standardisation in this area, and the main interested parties (industry, consumers, National Authorities, Standards Organisations and distributors) who will benefit from the new standard. The timeliness of the Eurocode is made evident both by the perceived demand for a design standard pertinent to the use of glass products in construction works and by the available technology. In view of the importance of the construction industry in the European market, this proposal examines the benefits of the new Eurocode, or conversely, the detriments were it not to be implemented. Moreover, given the number of construction works currently using glass products both as primary and secondary elements in the absence of a European design standard, this proposal considers the urgency with which it is required. The need for the standard is examined also in consideration of the position of European glass producers and construction industry in the global market. Finally, this document provides a tentative proposal for the consultation and initiation strategiesJRC.G.5-European laboratory for structural assessmen

Needs to Achieve Improved Fire Protection as regards the Implementation and Development of the EN Eurocodes

The work reported is a deliverable within the framework of the Administrative Arrangement between DG ENTR and JRC on support to the implementation, harmonization and further development of the Eurocodes. The report encompasses the results achieved during the three-year work on Sub-task 5.2 'Needs for fire protection' of the Administrative Arrangement with DG ENTR. The report consists of three self-contained sections, namely: - Research needs to achieve improved fire design using the Eurocodes, - Implementation and use of fire-parts of the Eurocodes, and - Survey on the progress in the National implementation of the Eurocodes fire design parts. The present report has been prepared by the JRC in collaboration with the two ad-hoc groups on fire design convened by the JRC and in consultation with DG ENTR, Member States and individual experts and organizations involved in fire design.JRC.G.5-European laboratory for structural assessmen

EUROCODES: BACKGROUND & APPLICATIONS: Elaboration of maps for climatic and seismic actions for structural design with the Eurocodes

Activities for promotion of policies for sustainable construction in the Balkan region Guidance for countries adopting the Eurocodes State-of-the-art material to elaborate maps for seismic and climatic actions for structural design Experience of the non-EU Balkan countries on elaboration of these mapsJRC.E.4 - Safety and Security of Building