The High Level Construction Forum (HLCF) is a multi-level stakeholder platform that the European Commission introduced in 2021, following the Construction 2020 initiative, to engage with industry, EU Member States, social partners and other relevant stakeholders to discuss challenges and opportunities in the construction ecosystem.
The platform meets several times each year, either in the larger forum setting or in smaller dedicated cluster groups on the topics of resilience as well as green and digital transition. Currently, the HLCF is co-creating a transition pathway towards a green, digital and resilient construction ecosystem. Based on initial discussions held in 2021 at the first forum and during cluster group meetings, the European Commission published a Commission staff working document on ‘Scenarios for a transition pathway for a resilient, greener and more digital construction ecosystem’.
Stakeholders were able to provide feedback to the scenario document through a public consultation launched in December 2021. The consultation has now been closed and its results were presented at the second forum by the European Commission. The consultation showed the enthusiasm of the construction ecosystem to contribute to the co-creation process as 108 stakeholders provided in-depth contributions through the consultation providing feedback on key challenges, the current regulatory framework and potential actions for the European Commission, national and regional authorities, industry and academia to be integrated for the transition pathway. Especially, the following five topics were identified as key areas that require further exchange on actions and targets
- Calculating whole life cycle GHG emissions in construction.
- Expanding and reinforcing digital tools to serve the green transition.
- Creating and supporting stronger secondary markets for construction materials, products and equipment.
- Stabilising the supply of materials and increasing resilience to external shocks.
- Enabling collection, interoperability and sharing of data.
The discussion on the transition pathway towards a green, digital and resilient construction ecosystem will continue throughout 2022 and should conclude at the end of the year with a pathway document outlining actions, targets, milestones and KPIs. If you want to be part of this discussion then join the mailing list of the HLCF.