Sustainability in the construction sector is receiving substantial attention in the European Union (EU) due to the absolute scale of this sector and its share of materials usage, greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, as well as ongoing geopolitical and energy crises. Recent legislative initiatives, such as the EU Green Deal, cover the construction sector with specific provisions, addressing all levels from entire buildings to construction elements and to the materials used for their production and installation. The environmental performance of adhesives and sealants used in the construction sector is therefore of high interest. 

The construction ecosystem comprises all the elements involved in the complete life cycle of buildings⁠—for example, blueprinting, erection of the structure, maintenance of various fixtures and building elements, renovation, and demolition. In the sustainability transition pathway for the construction ecosystem, there are two critical elements: the energy efficiency of buildings and the material efficiency of the installed materials. Adhesives and sealants strongly support both of these elements.