Building smart industrial sites with silicones 

Across the EU, factories, warehouses, logistics centres and production facilities are at the centre of a major policy push. The revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), sets a clear trajectory: renovate the EU’s building stock, cut emissions, and reach zero-emission buildings by 2050. Buildings account for 40% of total energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. Three-quarters are still energy-inefficient; the challenge is clear, and advanced materials are key to achieving ambitious targets. Silicones, with their unique combination of thermal, mechanical and chemical properties, are already enabling the technologies that will make this transition possible. 

Industrial buildings deserve particular attention. As the EU works to reinforce its industrial competitiveness, rebuild manufacturing capacity and reduce energy dependencies on third countries, the energy performance of its industrial base is fundamental as energy prices continue to be a challenge for European businesses. The national building renovation plans, due by 31 December 2026, will need to address the worst-performing non-residential buildings as a priority. Meeting that ambition requires not just policy drive, but the right materials. 

Where silicones make the difference 

For construction engineers and renovation specialists, silicones offer performance properties difficult to match by other materials. The three core properties that make silicone-based products uniquely suited to industrial building envelopes are: 

• UV stability 

• Thermal resistance  

• Hydrophobicity 

Silicones efficiently dissipate UV energy, protecting both the sealant itself and the underlying facade materials. Their strong bonds and low thermal conductivity allow them to retain flexibility and adhesive strength across extreme temperature ranges, preventing the cracking and peeling that drives up maintenance costs. Naturally hydrophobic, silicone actively repels moisture and reduces risks of erosion, freeze damage and mould growth. Applied at joints, expansion gaps and around structural openings, silicone sealants deliver the airtightness that drives down heating and cooling losses, reducing wasted heat year after year. Lifecycle cost modelling reinforces this case: silicone-treated facades can reduce total lifecycle costs by up to 20% compared to similar alternatives. 

Silicones also play a less visible but equally important role in the manufacture of rigid polyurethane (PU) foam, the insulation material at the core of the metal panels widely used to cover the walls and roofs of warehouses. Here, silicone surfactants control the size and distribution of the tiny air cells that form inside the foam. It is precisely this cell structure that determines how well the foam insulates: smaller, more uniform cells mean less heat escaping through the walls.  

Beyond facades 

The EPBD covers much more than walls and roofs. It requires suitable solar installations on all new non-residential buildings above 250 m² by the end of 2026 and drives the digitalisation of building energy management. Both ambitions depend heavily on silicones. Solar energy systems rely on silicone encapsulants to protect cells from moisture, thermal cycling and mechanical stress, and on silicone adhesives to integrate panels safely into industrial roofing structures.  

Meanwhile, silicone-based electrical insulation and thermal management materials keep automation systems running reliably, even in the demanding conditions typical of industrial environments. Contributing to circularity and a longer lifespan, self-healing silicone materials allow an increase in the service life and durability of materials and devices based on them.  

That growing innovation pipeline, together with the ambition of the EPBD and Europe’s broader industrial strategy, strengthens the case for recognising high-performance materials such as silicones as strategic enablers of the renovation transition. As Member States finalise their national building renovation plans, securing long-term access to the materials that make modern renovations possible is key to success.