TBE meets in Sitges, Spain and elects new Presidium
The 2023 TBE Congress, took place in Sitges, Spain, on 1-2 June 2023. Hispalyt, the Spanish Bricks and Roof Tiles Producers Association, hosted the event.
Around 70 TBE members, executives from the tiles and bricks industry, national associations from all over Europe, gathered in person to discuss important information and key updates pertaining to the tiles and bricks industry at European level.
The Congress opened on Thursday 1 June with the TBE Joint Working Groups Meeting: Product Group Roofing Tiles, Product Group Masonry and Technical & Environmental. In the afternoon, the TBE Executive Committee was held to discuss administrative matters, priorities and challenges in the upcoming period and mid- and long-term topics.
Following the meetings, TBE members had the oportunity to enjoy the cultural programme kindly organised by Hispalyt, with a guided visit to Casas de los Americanos, which ended with a gala dinner in the evening in a splendid location.
The second and final day of the Congress, kicked-off with the 2023 Annual Brick & Roof Tiles Conference “Pathways to a sustainable future for the Bricks & Roof Tiles Industry in Europe”. Following a formal welcome by TBE President, Mr. Miroslaw Jaroszewicz and Elena Gracia Iguacel from Hispalyt, the floor was given to the illustrious panel of invited Guest Speakers.
Dr. Francisco Javier García Ten, Head of the Area for Materials & Ceramic technologies of the Instituto de Tecnología Cerámica (Spain), presented the LIFE HYPOBRICK Project ‘Towards hypocarbonic economy – development of non-fired building materials based on waste’. This Project aims at manufacturing waste-based Bricks & Blocks with an extremely low energy consumption for the reduction of GHG emissions.
Dr. Andrew McDermott, Deputy Chief Executive of the British Ceramic Confederation (UK), followed with a presentation on ‘Hydrogen use in the Bricks & Tiles Industry – UK Project’. The UK research aims at a low carbon firing of clay tiles and bricks, using 100 percent hydrogen.
Finally, to close the Conference, TBE Members received a video message from MEP Marcos Ros Sempere, Founder of the New European Bauhaus Friendship Group in the European Parliament, underlining that a paradigm shift for an energy efficient and sustainable built environment for all citizens is needed, and that the energy cycle of buildings must be taken into account to decarbonize the European building stock.
The Congress closed with a presentation from the sponsors of the event and the TBE General Assembly. During the General Assembly discussions surrounded the successes of the past year and the priorities and challenges of specific dossiers in the upcoming period. These included climate and energy dossiers, namely the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), the European Green Deal and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Furthermore, ceramic BREF, the revision of CPR, the New European Bauhaus, and the Campaign for a fair competition on sustainability parameters in construction were also presented as upcoming priorities. Finally, the financial reports to close off the General Assembly.
The TBE General Assembly also marked the farewell of Mr. Miroslaw Jaroszewicz as TBE President and his new role as TBE Vice-President. Mr. Murray Rattana-Ngam, from Ziegelwerk Bellenberg Wiest GmbH, was elected as the new TBE President and gave a short speech introducing himself to TBE Members.
“We have many major tasks to solve at national and European level. An enormous challenge for the European brick and tile industry, for example, is the EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ plan, which aims to reduce net CO2 emissions by no less than 55 percent by 2030. The European brick and tile industry will rise to the tasks and be a constructive partner for our contacts in Brussels and Strasbourg. If necessary, we will point out undesirable developments and misjudgements. Because only open, realistic dialogue will bring us closer to the goals we have set,” Rattana-Ngam is quoted as saying in a press release of the Federal Association of the German Brick and Tile Industry.
Next year, the TBE Congress will take place in Thessaloniki, Greece, on 6-7 June 2024.
