VinylPlus commemorates its 15th anniversary exploring how PVC makes our cities more sustainable

Vienna, 28 April 2016- ”Smart Vinyl for our Cities” was the theme chosen for this year’s Vinyl Sustainability Forum. More than 130 representatives from industry, academia, governments, UN, European Commission as well as specifiers, designers and architects gathered in Vienna to look at the contribution PVC makes to the sustainability of our cities.

Welcoming delegates, VinylPlus Chairman Josef Ertl said: “European cities are forerunners in the transition towards a low carbon and resource-efficient economy. 72% of the EU population lives in urban areas, using 70% of our energy.”

“To assure quality of life, future cities will need healthy and energy-efficient buildings, reliable water distribution and sewage systems, as well as affordable healthcare. Using PVC in place of other materials reduces costs, improves product performance and makes a positive contribution to sustainable development.” – he added.

The European Council for Plasticisers and Intermediates (ECPI), one of the four founding members of VinylPlus, focused its participation on showcasing the huge benefits that plasticisers and flexible PVC bring to modern cities and our everyday lives.

“Plasticisers have a key role to play and represent a huge resource of innovative, safe and sustainable flexible PVC solutions. Life in cities, as we know it today, would be totally impossible without flexible PVC. From cables to flooring, from residential buildings to cutting edge sports arenas, we have come to rely on plasticised vinyl” explained Michela Mastrantonio, ECPI’s spokesperson.

At the Vinyl Sustainability Forum, ECPI also talked about energy-efficient solutions such as soft PVC membranes used to conserve energy and water thanks to their insulating properties but also to create light-weight fixing systems for photovoltaic panels.  Similarly, car underbody coatings and lightweight PVC components help save fuel and ensure long term durability of cars and other vehicles while reliable insulating cables avoid energy dispersion and ensure the durability of many electrical and electronic devices.

“The many new PVC applications and original projects discussed in Vienna confirmed plasticisers are a building block for our cities and the metropolis of the future. Flexible PVC is a key enabler for innovation and sustainability” concluded Mastrantonio.

 

VinylPlus Progress Report 2016: http://vinylplus.eu/uploads/Modules/Bannersreport/vinylplus-progress-report-2016.pdf