全球建筑-水泥及建材行业要点与影响-Global Building Products_ Cement_Building materials sector snippets and implications

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The conference call focused on the Cement/Building Materials sector, highlighting recent developments and trends affecting the industry. Key Insights 1. European Construction Order Book Survey: - The latest survey indicates a 0.8% year-over-year improvement in the overall construction order book, although it remains negative at -14.7 as of November 2025. The civil engineering segment experienced a 2.7% year-over-year decline with a balance of -4.8 [2][4]. 2. Country-Specific Performance: - Belgium reported the largest decline in construction orders at -11.5% year-over-year. Positive growth was noted in Sweden (+9.5%), Czechia (+7.2%), and Germany (+3.8%) [4]. 3. Decarbonization Efforts in the French Cement Industry: - New Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) show an 8.5% reduction in the climate change indicator over four years, with the average carbon footprint decreasing from 0.61 to 0.56 tons of CO2 per ton of cement [6][7]. 4. Low-Carbon Product Adoption: - There is increasing interest in low-carbon products in France and Switzerland, with homebuilders in France showing a higher adoption rate compared to Germany and the UK [8]. 5. Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) Report: - The GCCA reported a 25% global reduction in CO2 intensity per ton of cementitious material since 1990. The report emphasizes the importance of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) in achieving further emissions reductions [9][10]. 6. CCUS Projects: - Approximately 40 commercial-scale CCUS projects are under development globally, including the world's first industrial-scale carbon capture cement plant by Heidelberg Materials in Norway [10]. 7. Alternative Fuels Usage: - In 2023, alternative fuels accounted for 52% of the thermal energy used by French cement plants, contributing to the sector's decarbonization [7]. 8. Fire Incident in Hong Kong: - A fire at the Wang Fuk Court high-rise in Hong Kong reportedly spread rapidly due to polystyrene insulation, raising concerns about the fire-resistance of plastic form insulation materials, which hold a 70% market share in China [13]. Additional Considerations - The European cement sector is noted to be ahead in decarbonization efforts, achieving 35-50% reductions in CO2 intensity compared to the global average of 25% [12]. - The call highlighted the need for stronger government support for decarbonization initiatives, including changes to building codes and carbon pricing mechanisms [11]. This summary encapsulates the critical developments and insights from the conference call, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state and future outlook of the cement and building materials industry.