Cortexa: Coating system and certified skills are the key to sustainability

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Emma Potter

On 18 October 2024, at Savini in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan, the press conference organized by the Cortexa Study Center.

The results of the survey were presented during the event “Italian designers and sustainability: perspectives, expectations and needs”in which they participated 700 Italian designers and a economic framework of the Thermal Insulation System marketa sector of growing importance for sustainable construction in Italy and Europe.

Sustainability in construction is a priority for the future, but it requires one common effort by all the actors involvedfrom designers to institutions. The cladding system is confirmed as an essential tool for improving the energy efficiency of Italian buildings, but a greater awareness among clients and one long-term planning to implement the plan envisaged by the EPBD Directive and encourage the large-scale adoption of sustainable and certified solutions.

Below we report the main aspects that emerged during the meeting.

The cladding system market in Italy

The Thermal Insulation System has proven to be one of the most effective solutions for the energy requalification of buildings, with particular relevance in the Italian context. According to the data presented during the conference, Italy is positioned as the largest European market for this type of intervention, with well 50 million square meters built in 2023equivalent to what is necessary for insulate the facade of approximately 83,300 four-story apartment buildings (*the calculation assumes that a 4-storey condominium has approximately 600 square meters of facade to be insulated).

The effectiveness of the Coating System is demonstrated by the significant contribution to the reduction of energy consumption in buildings. ENEA has confirmed that the energy savings obtained through the Coating System represent the 30% of the total savings derived from renovation interventions, highlighting the crucial role of this technology in improving the energy performance of the Italian building heritage.

Cortexa: Insulation system and certified skills are the key to sustainability 2 cortexa Italian market insulating system

Cortexa Study Center: the results of the survey

The Cortexa Study Center led one of the largest investigations nationwide on sustainability in construction, involving 700 designers from all over Italy. The research results offer a complete overview of the opinions, expectations and needs of Italian designers regarding the challenges related to sustainability in the construction sector.

90% of the respondents were engineers, architects and surveyorswith a prevalence of professionals coming from Northern Italy (66%). Over 40% of these designers declared that they had participated in more than 10 energy redevelopment interventions, in particular on residential buildings, with 55% focusing on independent homes and 27% on condominiums.

From the investigation to push clients to undertake energy requalification interventions. Knowledge of the “Green Houses” Directive, fundamental for sustainability in construction, is instead scarce among clientswith over 60% poorly informed and more than 30% completely unaware of the legislation.

The Coating System is considered by designers as the more effective measure for the energy efficiency of the building envelope. 76% of those interviewed indicated the Coat System as decisive to achieve the objectives of “Green Homes” Directivereiterating the importance of this technology for the future of sustainable construction.

73% declare that it is not enough to choose “any coat”but rather a system equipped with all the necessary certifications, as recommended by Cortexa since 2007: kit supplied by a single manufacturer, equipped with ETA and CE marking, designed and installed in a workmanlike manner.

Cortexa: Coat system and certified skills are the key to sustainability 5 cortexa difference coat certified coat assembled

Barriers and opportunities

Despite the recognition of the importance of the Coating System, the high cost represents one of the main barriers for clients, according to 44% of designers. However, ENEA data demonstrate that the Coating System guarantees a high energy saving at the lowest cost per kWh saved, suggesting that better communication of the economic benefits could incentivize clients more.

Another obstacle highlighted by the designers is the lack of certified and trained companies for the correct application of the Coating System. 45% of those interviewed reported this criticality, while 57% requested it creation of a list of certified companiesto guarantee uniform quality and professional installation.

The transition towards sustainability

To make sustainability in construction a concrete reality, according to the survey, several key factors are needed: a long-term plan for the energy transition, quality certifications for the construction systems and the skills of the operators, and one greater clarity on the incentivized solutions.

70% of designers indicated the “Casa Clima” certification as the main protocol to evaluate the sustainability of a building, underlining the importance of rigorous standards.

Furthermore, the Cortexa Study Center underlined the importance of continuous government support to ensure the effectiveness of sustainability measures, such as tax incentives for certified systems. Without a long-term plan, the Coating System market is likely to shrink significantly, as indicated by Stefano DeriPresident of Cortexa​, who specified that the energy transition and the achievement of the objectives of the Green Homes Directive they cannot be paid by private citizensespecially the less well-off.