Sustainability along the whole supply chain

The company is the only glass processor in the UK to have conducted Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) across a core product range.

The LCA method is the most rigorous tool available to properly assess the total environmental footprint of a product. It does so by looking in detail at each stage in the life cycle of GLASSOLUTIONS Saint-Gobain products - from raw material extraction through to flat glass manufacture, glass processing/IGU manufacture, transportation, glass in-use, right through to end of life.

For each of these life cycle stages, the LCA assesses all environmental impacts, such as energy and water consumption, CO2 emissions and waste production. In this way the total environmental footprint is clearly measured – and carried out in accordance with internationally recognised ISO standards.

The LCA data is then independently verified by a third party and published in the form of an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). The EPD data for those products which have been assessed can be viewed and downloaded from the GLASSOLUTIONS Saint-Gobain EPD website: http://epd.glassolutions.eu/

As CMS Window Systems have experienced, this data provides significant advantages for specifiers working to achieve high ratings within building label schemes such as BREEAM. It also helps customers working with local authorities and housing associations who need to demonstrate they are doing the right thing, and are measured as such.

You can read more about LCAs on the GLASSOLUTIONS Saint-Gobain website here.