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Structural Eurocodes are a comprehensive set of standards dedicated to the design of building and civil engineering works. The 59 parts on Structural Eurocodes produced by CEN/TC 250 ‘Structural Eurocodes’ provide rules on principles of design, actions on structures, geotechnical design and structural design rules for the use of all major materials, such as concrete, steel, composite steel and concrete, timber, masonry, and aluminium.

Structural Eurocodes are equally applicable to both whole structures and individual products. They are widely used in the construction and civil engineering industry across Europe and beyond. Eurocodes are being revised to incorporate improvements to reflect the state of the art. The revision will enhance user-friendliness, without reducing applicability. This change will assist new entrants to the market and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

In the frame of Standardization Request M/515 (Eurocodes), CEN has been requested to revise existing Eurocodes standards to incorporate improvements that reflect the state of the art and the needs of the market. This work is being carried out by CEN/TC 250 in cooperation with a wide array of stakeholders, including structural design companies, the scientific community, industry associations and engineers, with the support of the European Commission and its Joint Research Centre (JRC).

In 2024, CEN/TC 250 will continue the revision of various standards, such as:

• EN 1991-1-6 rev ‘Eurocode 1 – Actions on structures – Part 1-6: Actions during execution’;
• EN 1994-2 rev ‘Eurocode 4 - Design of composite steel and concrete structures - Part 2: Bridges’;
• EN 1995-1-1 ‘Eurocode 5 - Design of timber structures - Part 1-1: General rules and rules for buildings’.

CEN/TC 350 ‘Sustainability of construction works is responsible for the development of horizontal standardized methods for the assessment of sustainability aspects of new and existing construction works (buildings and civil engineering works), including standards for environmental product declarations (EPD, B2B and B2C).

CEN/TC 350 will continue developing standards in response to Standardization Request M/350 ‘Performance of buildings’, such as the revision of EN 15978 ‘Sustainability of construction works — Assessment of environmental performance of buildings — Methodology’. This document specifies the calculation method, based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and other quantified environmental information, to assess the environmental performance of a building and its site, and gives the means for the reporting and communication of the outcome of the assessment.

CEN/TC 350 will also keep contributing to the CPR Technical Acquis through the subgroup dedicated to the definition of construction product environmental requirements and will support the drafting of the Standardization Requests.

Furthermore, CEN/TC 350/SC 1 ‘Circular Economy in the Construction Sector’ will continue its work on the definition of a common framework and a gap analysis as a first step for future work.

RELEASE OF DANGEROUS SUBSTANCES

CEN/TC 351 ‘Construction Products - Assessment of release of dangerous substances’ develops harmonized test methods to monitor the release of dangerous substances from construction products.

Following the publication in 2023 of fully validated standards on leaching (EN 16637 series), on emission into indoor air (EN 16516), and on content and analysis of organic and inorganic substances in eluates and digests (EN 17195, EN 17196, EN 17197, EN 17200, EN 17201, EN 17331, EN 17332, EN 17884, EN 17885), it will now focus on completing the standard for activity concentrations (prEN 17216) with validation data. Also, it will validate the CEN/TS on asbestos (prEN 18020). Further discussions for additional topics that should be added to the work programme of CEN/TC 351 with take place with the European Commissions.

RESIDENTIAL SOLID FUEL BURNING APPLIANCES

Based on the Standardization Request M/577 on space heating appliances in support of the CPR, CEN/TC 295 'Residential solid fuel burning appliances' will continue working on two standards:

• EN 16510-2-5 ‘Residential solid fuel burning appliances - Part 2-5: Slow heat release appliances’, which specifies the essential characteristics and procedures for assessment and verification of constancy of performance (AVCP) of solid fuel burning slow heat release appliances;
• EN 16510-2-7 ‘Residential solid fuel burning appliances – Part 2-7: Combination appliances fired by wood logs and pellets’ which specifies the essential characteristics and procedures for AVCP of combination appliances fired by wood logs and pellets.

ACCESSIBILITY IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

CEN/CLC/JTC 11 'Accessibility in the built environment will start the revision of EN 17210 'Accessibility and usability of the built environment - Functional requirements', mandated under the Standardization Request on accessibility requirements of products and services in support of Directive (EU) 2019/882. This document describes basic, minimum functional requirements and recommendations for an accessible and usable built environment, following Design for All and Universal Design principles. As such, it will facilitate equitable and safe use for a wide range of users, including persons with disabilities.

ENERGY PERFORMANCE OF BUILDINGS

In 2024, CEN/TC 371 ‘Energy performance of buildings’ will start working on the standard ‘Energy Performance of Buildings — Operational rating — Requirements for assessing Operational rating’. This document will provide a methodology for data acquisition and data processing, to obtain a measured energy performance assessment and an operational rating of a building. The measured energy performance can be used for the purpose of: a) rating and entire building and/or providing partial performance indicators; b) validating a calculated energy performance; c) confirming the improvement of the energy performance following the implementation of an energy conservation measure.

At the moment, there are no standardized procedures for the operational rating of buildings at the European level. Instead, approaches are largely diversified. Therefore, through this standard Europe will benefit from the establishment of a level playing field and common rules through which stakeholders will be able to compare operational ratings and set requirements.

PRECAST CONCRETE PRODUCTS

In 2024, CEN/TC 229 ‘Precast concrete products’ will focua on the revision of harmonized standards for precast concrete products. This activity will support the CPR in view of the upcoming Standardization Request, prepared based on the input from the CPR Acquis.

THERMAL INSULATING PRODUCTS

In 2024, CEN/TC 88 ‘Thermal insulating materials and products’ will continue to support the CPR Acquis Subgroup on ‘Thermal insulation products/composite insulating kits/systems’. The outcome of this work will be used for the preparation of a Standardization Request, which will provide the basis for the development of harmonized standards for thermal insulating products.

Additionally, CEN/TC 88 will continue developing a standard on ‘Design-for-recycling guidelines for plastic construction products - Thermal insulation products of expanded polystyrene’ under M/584 (‘Plastics recycling and recycled plastics’).

BUILDING INFORMATION MODELLING (BIM)

The standardization of Building Information Modelling (BIM) contributes to the effective management of information during the design, construction, and operational phases of an asset’s life cycle. The development of BIM is advancing rapidly and requires the application of common standards to ensure the future compatibility of information exchange and use.

In 2024, CEN/TC 442 ‘Building Information Modelling (BIM)’ will continue working towards the development of EN 17632-2 ‘Building Information Modelling (BIM) - Semantic Modelling and Linking (SML), Part 2: Domain-specific modelling patterns’. In parallel, it will also focus on the finalization of a CEN/TR on a framework and implementation of Common Data Environment Solutions, in accordance with EN ISO 19650.

Furthermore, in cooperation with ISO under the Vienna Agreement, CEN/TC 442 will continue to work on four standards: EN ISO 19650-6 on ‘Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling -- Information management using building information modelling – Part 6: Health and Safety’; EN ISO 22014 on ‘Library objects for architecture, engineering, and construction’; and EN ISO 16757 parts 4 ‘Product catalogue exchange format’ and 5 ‘Dictionaries for product catalogues’.

Finally, CEN/TC 442 will also strengthen its links with other CEN Technical Committees and the CENELEC communities on topics of common interest.