The future goal of the association is the creation of specialized schools

The president of the Ηellenic Association of Insulation Companies, Mr. Argyris Andreou, talks to the magazine Construction Issues about the association's philosophy, stands at "Neo Eikonomonomo" and focuses on interesting and current issues.

First tell us a few words about the history of the Association. When was it founded and what was the main idea behind its creation? What are the principles that govern your link and what is its main mission?

The Panhellenic Association of Insulation Companies was founded about 30 years ago. It is one of the most long-term and active associations and is the official collective body of our country for the profession of insulation. The main purpose since its establishment, was the study, promotion and promotion of the problems of the industry, the mutual support of members among themselves, as well as ensuring the perfect provision of insulation services, to be a guarantee of safety and quality for consumers.

Is there cooperation with relevant bodies abroad?

Of course there is cooperation with respective and internationally recognized foreign bodies such as the FEDERATION EUROPEEN DE SYNDICATS D ISOLATION (F.E.S.I.) and the EUROPEAN INDUSTRIAL INSULATION FOUNDATION (E.I.I.F). Besides, our association was created at the urging of colleagues from the European Union, in order to have a single and strong voice for the Greek insulation and waterproofing companies, for the Greek territory but also for Europe.

In recent years in our country special attention is paid to the energy efficiency of buildings where insulation is a determining factor....

Correct! Buildings account for 40% - 50% of energy consumption, as most studies worldwide have shown. Most of this energy is consumed for heating and cooling, but there are large energy losses due to insufficient insulation. If a building properly uses energy saving techniques, in our case proper insulation, then it can save up to 80% of the energy needed by a building to heat and cool.

What has changed now regarding the design of a building? Are there any new standards and certifications?

Unlike older buildings, to complete the licensing of modern buildings, European standards of thermal insulation, fire safety and earthquake regulations are now required to be met. These standards must be taken into account by the study of each engineer, in order to ensure the safety, thermal comfort of the occupants and of course the energy savings.

A well-insulated building saves money and has a better environmental footprint. At what stage is the "New funding programm eksoikonomo" which also concerns thermal insulation?

According to the information we have from the Ministry of Environment and Energy, by the end of the year the new and enhanced program "Save - Autonomy 2021" is expected to be published, which aims at energy upgrading 50,000 homes with emphasis on the economically weaker households, as well as areas facing more adverse weather conditions.

What are the current developments in your industry? What are the "smart" technology tools that help in the optimal execution of your work?

Fortunately, we live in an age where technology is evolving rapidly. Therefore, we have at our disposal precision instruments, which help us in the correct assessment of the pathogenesis of the building, but also in the implementation of the respective work. For example, we have electronic measuring instruments for thermographic control, bower door test (airtightness test) etc.

Regarding the profession of insulators, you consider that we are at a good level in terms of vocational training. Are there specialized schools for your industry?

The certification of our members was and is our main concern, and this has been achieved to a large extent, as the project is underway: "Training and Certification of Knowledge and Skills of Employees in the Private Sector" under the operational program "Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship, Innovation 2014-2020 ”of the Ministry of Economy and Development. The future goal of the association is to create specialized schools, where professional insulators can be certified and be European recognized.

How much has your industry been affected by the health crisis?

There were very serious consequences, because the pandemic resulted in the health destabilization of the country and affected all sectors of professions, and therefore the sector of insulators.

What are your future plans and what actions do we have to expect from you in the next period of time?

A constant pillar of the association is the continuous information and training of its members in terms of our profession, through seminars and workshops. A conference on "Thermal Insulation & Waterproofing Solutions Systems" has already been scheduled for the beginning of the year 2022. I would also like to point out the following: The phenomenon of extreme weather phenomena with heavy rainfall has been observed in recent years. The aim of the association is to change the standards concerning the gutter sections in the constructions for the better drainage of the water, in order to avoid erosions in the load-bearing structure of the building. Most of the buildings have gutter sections which are considered insufficient for the latest weather phenomena.

Next May, Technoekdotiki / T Press organizes the international exhibition "Ergo Tec" for construction machinery. As part of the exhibition, a three-day forum will be held with a variety of events related to construction machinery, infrastructure projects and new technologies related to the industry. At a time when our country is on a growth trajectory, do you think that the exhibition will contribute to the successful course of the construction industry?

Of course it will contribute positively! After the last two years of the pandemic, where stagnation is evident in all sectors, such events are necessary! And we hope to return to normalcy quickly, so that there is a plethora of exhibitions and seminars aimed at the upward growth of the market.