Pilkington Unveils Glass with 50% Less Carbon

The maker is presenting Pilkington Mirai in response to a study where four out of five (79%) architects mentioned that their clients are now more worried about carbon content in building products compared to five years ago.

The manufacturer assures that Pilkington Mirai serves as a low-carbon option to standard float glass, maintaining performance, quality, & appearance.

How did Pilkington cut the embodied carbon in glass?

Pilkington achieved this by using alternative fuel, incorporating a high percentage of recycled glass, and utilising green electricity sources. The name Mirai, meaning ‘future’ in Japanese, signifies the launch of a new era of low-carbon glass products.

Kristian Chalmers, the global strategic commercial manager at the NSG Group, stated, “The launch of Pilkington Mirai represents the beginning of an exciting journey. The new range will be instrumental in providing architects with the solutions they need for reducing the carbon intensity of their projects.”

Chalmers added, “We aim to expand our offering through further collaboration and technological advancements in the near future on our journey towards achieving carbon neutrality.”

Pilkington Mirai is available in different thicknesses, uncoated and coated specifications, and can be laminated. It can also be combined with other coatings in the Pilkington product range to help building owners and design professionals reduce embodied carbon while meeting performance and compliance requirements.

The glassmaker provides Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for selected glass ranges, offering transparency on the carbon lifecycle of building materials.

Dave Dalton, CEO at British Glass, praised Pilkington’s new low-carbon glass as an example of successful collaboration and innovation. He emphasiaed the importance of such products in addressing sustainability challenges in the built environment.

Aston Fuller, the general manager at Glass Futures, commended the achievement, highlighting the significant reduction in embodied carbon.

He emphasised ongoing research efforts to eliminate carbon from the glass industry by 2050, with focus on alternative low-carbon fuels like hydrogen & biofuel.

Sustainability in glassmaking

The company is committed to addressing climate change, promoting social equality, and preserving the environment. In 2022, the NSG Group’s increased emission reduction goals were re-certified by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), aiming for a 30% reduction by 2030 compared to 2018 levels.

Their ultimate goal is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, with efforts like experimenting with alternative fuels in glass production, leading to the creation of Pilkington Mirai.

To ensure a sustainable supply chain, the company introduced a Supply Chain Charter focusing on eight key areas of environmental and social protection for suppliers.

Additionally, they joined the Sustainable Procurement Pledge (SPP) League of Champions to align with procurement leaders working towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Dr. Palma González García, combustion technical lead at Glass Futures, emphasiaed that future research is crucial, and decarbonising the glass industry requires exploring various options.

This flexibility allows the industry to respond to market factors while striving for net-zero emissions by 2050 or sooner.

Eliminating carbon emissions from global manufacturing is a monumental challenge, requiring a fundamental shift in our approaches.

Industries like glass, as well as foundational ones such as ceramics, steel, metal, chemicals, paper, and cement, must undergo decarbonisation, adopt sustainable energy practices, and reduce reliance on natural gas.

Although the development of new materials and processes doesn’t guarantee automatic market share growth, ensuring availability is the crucial first step toward widespread adoption.