AGC Europe’s Seingbouse, France, float glass facility has started production of a low-carbon glass.

It said the production of its low-carbon Planibel Clearlite yields no more than 7 kg of CO2 per m² for glass that is 4 mm thick and that its CO2 footprint is reduced by more than 40%.

AGC has expanded its Low-Carbon Glass range to include a Low-Carbon variant of Stratobel (safety glass), Stratophone (acoustic glass), iplus (thermal insulation glass), Stopray and Energy (solar control glass), as well as toughenable coatings (T-coatings). The entire range is now available in all thicknesses from 3 to 10mm

AGC Glass Europe started production of Low-Carbon Planibel Clearlite at its Moustier, Belgium facility six months ago.

Carbon neutrality roadmap

The company said it had taken the next step in its Carbon Neutrality Roadmap by enabling another AGC production facility to produce low-carbon glass.

The group’s approach takes the entire value chain into account: decarbonising production processes, reducing CO2 emissions from the upstream supply chain and cutting other indirect emissions.

AGC is leveraging the more sustainable procurement of raw materials, the use of efficient melting furnaces that deploy electroboosting technology, the increased use of recycling via pre-consumer cullet flows and optimised transport between AGC plants and customers.

The group also promotes the use of renewable energy by not only purchasing green energy but also generating its own green solar and wind power.

Investors

Investors and building owners demand that sustainable materials be used in their projects.

Sustainable buildings have a smaller ecological footprint, minimise the consumption of non-renewable resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

During the construction phase various aspects have to be considered, such as the use of decarbonised materials, recyclability, the reusability of building components and the reduction of waste during the construction process and beyond the building’s life cycle.

There are also financial arguments for investors and owners: healthy and ecological buildings deliver higher rents and sales prices, which in turn expands the potential for a long-term increase in the value of the investment.

Accordingly, by pursuing sustainable asset portfolios, investors and fund managers can tackle their scope 3 goals, such as tenant emissions and embodied carbon, and improve their ESG credentials.