Creating value – taking responsibility
Ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues!
Any construction activity creates both tangible and intangible value. In and of itself, this work must be linked to critical questions that we need to confront ourselves with. For it is concrete, our building material, that lends a permanent shape and appearance to our built environment that our descendants should also be able to enjoy and appreciate. Also, construction work itself consumes an enormous amount of resources. As a rough estimate, about 40% of global material flows and 40% of global energy consumption result from construction activities. These figures also clearly illustrate the responsibility associated with building, with creating value.
The BetonTage congress in Ulm – as the unrivaled industry forum of today – succeeds in “creating value” year after year. Enormous intangible value is generated by the effort the organizers are making to bring together all partners in concrete construction and to provide them with the platform of this annual event to present and discuss new ideas and visions – in an amicable atmosphere, despite the size of this congress.
We also create value by capturing our knowledge and expertise in rules, elaborating codes and guidelines without which efficient and safe construction would not be possible under real-life conditions. For instance, within the fib, which I am representing at this congress, Model Codes are being drafted as the basis for European and national standards. The newly issued fib Model Code 2010, for example, considers the entire life cycle of reinforced concrete structures, including their raw materials, design, construction, maintenance, improvement and demolition. This cycle is consistent with a sustainable approach to building with concrete.
Creating value – let us work on this together whilst taking full responsibility for our actions. And there is no other venue in Germany than the BetonTage congress in Neu-Ulm where to better reflect upon our work and to identify appropriate solutions. On this note, I would like to thank the organizers of the 2013 BetonTage edition and congratulate them on the outstanding program they have prepared. I wish the event every success.
