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How to Make Informed Embodied Carbon Decisions in Glass and Glazing

April 22, 2021

Description

This presentation will address strategies for minimizing embodied carbon in buildings, and then dive deeper into the impact of façades on embodied carbon, with the aim of providing a framework for making sound carbon-based decisions when designing and constructing with glass.

Starting with a review of an embodied carbon decision making framework, the presentation will identify the big picture decisions that impact embodied carbon – the building itself, its size, lifetime extension, and its structure – and how glass and glazing fit in to this. Environmental product declarations of insulating glass will also be discussed in order to understand where the biggest drivers for embodied carbon are, and the implications for design and procurement decisions.

Learning Objectives

  1. Describe an embodied carbon decision making framework and prioritization strategy for buildings.
  2. Identify the source(s) of the largest embodied emissions in insulating glass and understand how that compares to the impacts from other parts of the building.
  3. Explain the relative roles of insulating glass durability, flat glass manufacturing, IGU manufacturing, IGU sealant materials and manufacturing plant location in determining the embodied carbon of insulating glass.
  4. Explain how to make an informed decision in designing and specifying glass and glazing with embodied carbon in mind.

Presenter

Helen Sanders headshot

Helen Sanders, PhD
Technoform

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