FTI World Congress: Circularity + Resilience – The Future of Architectural Glass

Photo source

Sophie Pennetier | FTI

Date: 30 June 2026

A Curated Session at the 2026 FTI World Congress

WHY THIS SESSION MATTERS

As the building industry accelerates toward a low-carbon future, circularity has become one of the most important conversations in façade design.

How do we reduce waste? Increase material reuse? Recover higher-value materials? Build more resilient supply chains while lowering embodied carbon?

Join us for this thought-provoking curated session, bringing together leaders from real estate, façade engineering, sustainability, research, and manufacturing to explore how circular economy principles are transforming the future of architectural glass.

The session combines an expert panel discussion with sprint presentations of peer-reviewed research, creating a dynamic exchange between industry practice and emerging academic innovation.

Curated Session by Sophie Pennetier

Founder & CEO, DIGNE | FTI Board Member | Adjunct Faculty, SCI-Arc

Sophie Pennetier is a structural engineer, educator, and sustainability leader dedicated to advancing low-carbon, circular solutions for the built environment. As Founder and CEO of DIGNE, she partners with manufacturers, contractors, and building owners to develop embodied carbon strategies, Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), and innovative approaches that create new value from end-of-life construction materials.

A highly engaged leader within the Facade Tectonics Institute, Sophie serves on the FTI Board of Directors, is a driving force behind the FTI Los Angeles Hub, co-chairs the 2026 World Congress Peer Review Process, and co-chairs FTI's Education Committee, helping shape the Institute's educational initiatives and technical programming.

Sophie is also Adjunct Faculty at SCI-Arc (Southern California Institute of Architecture), where she teaches structures, embodied carbon, circular materials, façade retrofit strategies, and sustainability across undergraduate and graduate architecture programs. Through her professional practice, teaching, and research, she continues to bridge academia and industry while preparing the next generation of architects and engineers to lead the transition toward a more sustainable and resilient built environment.

2024 World Congress Paper Presentation: Sophie Pennetier

2024 World Congress Paper Presentation: Sophie Pennetier

Sacramento Capitol Annex Skylights

From Design to Fabrication

PANEL DISCUSSION

The session begins with a dynamic panel discussion exploring how circular economy principles are reshaping the future of architectural glass.

Topics include:

Glass reuse and high-value recycling
Reducing embodied carbon and landfill waste
Building resilient material supply chains
AI-driven circularity assessments
Glass recovery case studies
Opportunities to scale circular solutions across the industry

The conversation will then expand into a series of peer-reviewed research presentations, followed by live commentary from the panelists, connecting cutting-edge research with practical implementation.

MEET THE PANEL

PANEL

Sydney Mainster

Vice President of Sustainability & Design Management

The Durst Organization

Sydney leads sustainability initiatives across development, construction, and operations. She spearheaded New York City's glass circularity working group, diverting more than 280 tons of architectural glass from landfill in 2025, with even greater impact anticipated in 2026.

Lisa Rammig

Director

Eckersley O'Callaghan

An internationally recognized façade engineer and researcher, Lisa directs the firm's global research and development activities. She is also co-founder of CircuClarity, a worldwide network of more than 100 members advancing practical solutions for glass reuse, recycling, and circular façade design.

Sophie Pennetier

Founder & CEO

DIGNE

Sophie develops innovative glass products and circular strategies that reduce embodied carbon while creating new value from end-of-life construction materials. Her work bridges research, education, and industry practice.

FROM RESEARCH TO IMPLEMENTATION

This session is designed for architects, façade consultants, engineers, manufacturers, contractors, researchers, developers, owners, and sustainability professionals who want to understand where the industry is headed—and how circularity can become a practical part of everyday project delivery.

Whether your focus is design, specification, fabrication, or policy, you'll leave with new ideas, practical insights, and valuable connections.

View the session >>>