Ireland: Kingspan says it has beaten its target of generating at least half its aggregate energy use from renewable resources by 2016. The Irish insulation producer’s aggregate renewable energy use was 57% of its total energy use in 2016, suggesting that the it is on track to hit its goal, set in 2011, of operating at Net Zero Energy (NZE) by 2020. Key drivers to reaching this goal have included saving energy through measures such as a cutting lighting and heat costs, genreating more renewable energy through solar, wind and biomass sources and buying more renewable energy where it can’t be produced on-site.

“In the five years since launching this initiative we have seen multiple benefits including reductions in costs, less reliance on fossil fuels and demonstrating the business case for our systems and solutions. Without more action from the corporate sector, greenhouse gas emissions will continue to rise and the impact of global warming will become a bigger threat for future generations,” said Gene Mutagh, the chief executive officer of Kingspan.

US: A fire reported at Owens Corning’s insulation plant in Newark, Ohio on 25 March 2017 is the latest in a series of such events at the site. The fire is believed to have started in the plant’s insulation system before spreading to a few rooms and the roof of a building, according to the Newark Advocate newspaper. It is the third significant fire at the site since 2013 following incidents in November 2013 and January 2014. Owens Corning has said that it takes the safety of its employees seriously and that it has taken ‘numerous’ actions to minimise the risk of fires at the plant.

Germany: Panattoni Europe has held the groundbreaking ceremony for a new roofing insulation plant in Heinsberg for Firestone Building Products. Panattoni Europe is responsible for the planning and implementation of the projecy and Goldbeck International has been commissioned as the general contractor for construction of the unit. The plant is scheduled to start production in the summer of 2018.

Czech Republic: Consumption of expanded polystyrene (EPS) fell by 6.8% year-on-year to 57,900t in 2016 from 62,100t in 2015. The decrease was caused by a decline of the domestic construction sector said the Czech EPS Association, according to the Czech News Agency (CTK). Local building output fell by 5.9% in 2016 according to the Czech Statistical Office (CSU).

"The decrease is being caused mainly by lengthy building permit proceedings in our country. In comparison with Germany or Austria, building permit proceedings in the Czech Republic take more than twice as long," said insulation association chairman Pavel Zemene.

Around 85% of the total EPS consumption in the country is used in the construction sector, and 50% is used for building insulation.