innovationc2c3
2021-02-09
Climate change and the urgent need for more effective environmental protection are currently high on the public agenda. Industry needs to focus on designing products that are not only healthy, sustainable and recyclable, but also not harmful to the environment. Only then will we have a ‘green footprint’ that supports the biosphere instead of damaging it. Discover why glass is more environmentally responsible than ever before with Cradle-to-Cradle certification.

The Cradle to Cradle philosophy

Which building materials are the most eco-friendly, healthy, safe and able to deliver positive benefits – now and for years to come?

This is the challenge that inspired William McDonough and Dr Michael Braungart to develop the Cradle to Cradle philosophy. Their visionary approach is to look at materials in terms of five categories – Material Health, Water Stewardship, Material Reutilisation, Renewable Energy and Social Fairness – in order to find which minimise impact and maximise gain.

The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (a non-profit organisation) has become a global agent of change, empowering companies to commit wholeheartedly to sustainability in the broadest sense of the term. Its rigorous standards have been embraced by AGC Glass Europe in order to ensure our products are as sustainable as possible. Glass already has the benefit of being infinitely recyclable, but having won the nod from C2C (Bronze and Silver certification), it’s now supporting communities and the natural world too.

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A complex certification process proving our commitment

Overall, our insulating glass products, which include Stopray and ipasol, have been awarded Bronze certification. Despite the overall Bronze certification, the Renewable Energy and Water Stewardship subcategories were rated Silver while the Material Reutilisation and Social Fairness subcategories were rated Gold. In contrast with other glass products, Cradle to Cradle certification of insulating glass involves significantly more participants since it is not just the glass that is certified. All the other components necessary for the construction of double and triple glazing – including interlayers, adhesives, sealants etc. – must meet key criteria. As a result, this complex certification process involves several dozen suppliers and all production plants. Certification underlines the Group’s commitment to environmental protection and sustainability.

Green Building Certification

Apart from being sure of using truly excellent products that do not contain toxic substances and are recyclable, the use of C2C certified products has a positive impact on the certification of buildings under LEED (the Generali tower in Milan in the picture has LEED Platinum certification) and DGNB standards, since it provides points in the eco-certification category. Planners can create buildings in which ideally everything is recyclable and in which it has been shown that people achieve higher productivity because they are healthier and happier.

See Also

Delivering glass solutions for the cities of tomorrow

The world around us is changing fast: smarter and greener cities, advanced connectivity and new models of mobility. The rising demand for smart cities and sustainable living is being supported by major advances in technology - and glass is playing its part.

OverSized Glass sets out to conquer the market

Do you want 9 m, 12 m, 16 m or bigger? While glass was once confined to the traditional limit of 6 m x 3.21 m, today it is continuously beating old records in terms of length. There is very strong international demand from high-profile projects seeking to deliver sweeping, seamless panoramic views.

A Czech landmark showcasing Imagin patterned glass

The Tomáš Baťa Memorial, designed by prominent Zlín architect F. L. Gahura and built in 1933, is a high point of Zlín functionalism. Severely damaged during the bombing of Zlín in 1944, the Memorial was rebuilt and repurposed in 1954 as the House of Arts, a concert hall and gallery. Decades later, the project to renovate the Memorial and restore it to its original form began in 2016 and finally, in 2019, the Tomáš Baťa Memorial was reopened to the public. The interior features a model of the Junkers airplane in which Tomáš Baťa met his tragic end in 1932.