According to data from Assovetro, Italy boasts the second-largest flat glass manufacturing industry in Europe by market volume. At the launch conference of VITRUM25, themed “Building as Green as Glass,” experts emphasized that energy efficiency in buildings is expected to drive exponential demand for glass over the next 25 years. While this presents a significant opportunity for the entire supply chain, it also poses challenges, particularly in sourcing both human and material resources.
Simultaneously, while the Italian residential window market has slowed due to reduced government incentives, this gap is likely to be offset by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), which could act as a catalyst for the sector. Investments targeting the energy retrofitting of public buildings—such as schools, military facilities, and government offices—are expected to provide a critical testing ground for large-scale energy efficiency projects.
However, this growth could also lead to increased imports of materials, as the domestic supply chain may struggle to meet the surge in demand. To prevent this, strong collaboration among stakeholders and robust institutional support—both regulatory and financial—are essential. A key obstacle for Italy’s glass industry is the high cost of energy, among the highest in Europe, which significantly impacts energy-intensive sectors like glass manufacturing.
Reducing emissions generated during the operational use of buildings—known as operational carbon—is crucial for achieving sustainability goals and can only be accomplished through the refurbishment of existing structures. In this regard, Lombardy is supporting energy efficiency with funding for projects such as the retrofitting of public housing (Aler), replacement of outdated heating systems, and assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Edera, a non-profit organization established in 2021, is also contributing to the sustainability transition. By fostering collaboration between companies and property owners, Edera promotes innovative environmental regeneration solutions. Its Energiesprong model aims to transform energy-intensive buildings into carbon-neutral structures.
In Italy, the need for such interventions is urgent: an estimated 15 million homes require retrofitting by 2050, translating into the need to upgrade one home per minute. The Energiesprong model, already applied to approximately 15,000 homes, reduces construction times by 50 percent using custom prefabricated components made from bio-based materials.
The private sector is also stepping up, as exemplified by Fiera Milano. In 2024, the Milan exhibition district completed the installation of Italy’s largest photovoltaic plant, developed in collaboration with A2A and Fondazione Fiera Milano. With 50,000 solar panels covering 330,000 square meters, the plant generates enough energy to power about 7,800 households, reducing CO2 emissions by over 9,800 tonnes annually. This initiative is part of the Fiera Milano Group’s Decarbonization Plan, which aims to cut its Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent by 2027 and 80 percent by 2030—outpacing the targets set by the Paris Agreement and the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative.
These examples demonstrate that while the transition to sustainability in the construction sector is complex, it is achievable. Immediate, coordinated action by all stakeholders is crucial to ensure Italy fully capitalizes on the opportunities offered by the Green Deal and emerging technologies.
These and many other topics will be explored at the next edition of VITRUM, scheduled to take place from September 16 to 19, 2025, at Fiera Milano.