The Tiles & Bricks sector makes commitments to decarbonize its production

The tile and brick industry is the first sector to voluntarily and collectively commit to decarbonizing its production. It publishes its decarbonization roadmap which presents the diagnosis, means and objectives of the profession to achieve a 27% reduction in CO2 emissions in the sector by 2030 and 80% by 2050. compared to 2015 (reference year for the SNBC*).

“This roadmap is the result of work started in 2018 which was presented in November 2021 to State services. This is a voluntary approach by the sector because we are not part of the sectors identified as priorities which have benefited from the work of ADEME** concerning sectoral transition plans. At the heart of the energy crisis that we are all experiencing, our commitment takes on even more meaning.” explains Frédéric Didier, President of the French Federation of Tiles and Bricks (FFTB).

The sector represents 0,65 Mt CO2eq, i.e. 0,2% of France's emissions and 3,5% of emissions from the mineral products industry for construction (e.g.: clinker, glass, lime, plaster, etc.: 18,32 Mt CO2eq). Source SNCB 2015. Frédéric

“In 2000, the Monomur brick was the first construction product to publish an FDES. To date, nearly 50 collective or individual FDES validated by third parties covering almost all families of terracotta products are available in the INIES database. With this roadmap drafted on its initiative, the French Federation of Tiles and Bricks, continues to register its approach in transparency with strong commitments in the service of sustainable construction. adds Frédéric Didier.

2 commitments based on 3 levers

Three levers of action of varying intensity, potential and maturity are implemented in the tile and brick industry:

Energy sobriety and efficiency: 20% expected earnings;
Substitution of natural gas by carbon-free or renewable energies: 40% expected earnings;
ReCycarb program: capture, storage or use of CO2 in a virtuous methanation loop: 20% savings expected.

“Continuous improvement, incremental innovations and technological breakthroughs are combined to achieve the objective” explains Frédéric Didier. “Each manufacturer implements appropriate solutions at each of its sites: depending on the product manufactured, the characteristics of the local clay, the manufacturing process and the resources available, for example if there is biomass or biogas from a waste collection center or from the collection of agricultural by-products. »

Some solutions are already implemented or being deployed by manufacturers. Some production sites, for example, already use up to 45% substitute energy (biomass, biogas, syngas, etc.).

“These commitments are ambitious and our industry devotes very significant resources to them. The investment program to achieve the 2030 objectives is around 250 million euros” points out Frédéric Didier.

* National Low Carbon Strategy
**Environment and Energy Management Agency