An approach that could reposition flat glass production in the debate on circular construction: AGC Glass Europe, a subsidiary of the Belgian group AGC, places the Cradle to Cradle principle at the center of its sustainable development strategy. This approach, which aims at designing closed material cycles, opposes the classical linear model and requires systemic thinking about the entire glass lifecycle, from raw material extraction to its reintegration into new production processes.
For the glass industry, Cradle to Cradle implies several major shifts: the selection of infinitely recyclable raw materials, the substitution of toxic components in surface treatments and coatings, and the design of glass products allowing disassembly without quality loss. AGC Glass Europe emphasizes that architectural glass, particularly multilayer insulating glass, represents a particular challenge: the low-emissivity functional layers and interlayers must be separable to enable optimal recycling. According to the company, the flat glass recycling rate in Europe currently reaches approximately 90% for simple demolition glass, but drops drastically for complex high-performance energy glazing.
The group highlights several concrete action areas: increasing the share of cullet (recycled glass) in melting furnaces, which reduces melting temperature and thus CO₂ emissions; developing coatings based on non-critical materials; and collaborating with construction stakeholders to establish collection and sorting systems on construction sites. AGC Glass Europe indicates it is working on Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) compliant with European standards, enabling planners and architects to integrate this data into lifecycle assessments according to EN 15804 standard.
From a normative compliance perspective, Cradle to Cradle glass must meet the same requirements as conventional glass: thermal performance according to EN 673 standard (calculation of U-value), light transmission and solar factor (g-value) according to EN 410, as well as mechanical resistance for tempered safety glass and laminated glass. Circularity must not compromise CE marking compliance or European Technical Approvals (ETA).
Challenges remain significant. The separation of functional layers, the elimination of organic contaminants from joints and sealants, and the reverse logistics of demolition glass remain economic barriers. Nevertheless, with the rise of DGNB certifications and requirements related to circular building, AGC Glass Europe is betting on growing demand for low-impact and highly recyclable glass solutions. Planners must now integrate glass end-of-life into their technical specifications, particularly for projects aiming for Cradle to Cradle certification or compliance with Urban Mining criteria.
