In France 46 million tons of construction waste is produced each year, but only 31% is recycled. It is critical to address the carbon emitted throughout the life cycle of buildings. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + SAINT-GOBAIN + In terms of ‘carbon tracking’, it all starts at the beginning of the project, when a building is designed. A decarbonization effort requires comprehensive thinking and constant attention. It starts with the extraction of the raw materials needed to manufacture building materials, a process that produces a steady source of greenhouse gas emissions. And when we talk about extraction, we are also talking about the logistics of transport, often over long distances – by truck, boat or plane – which will obviously contribute to the carbon balance. Tracking carbon includes looking at industrial sites where raw materials are transformed into building materials. Energy-intensive high-temperature industrial processes involving fossil fuels or the use of petroleum-based materials, such as plastics, can generate significant CO2 emissions. For example, concrete, a critical material in the building and public works sector, is reported to be responsible for around 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the leading scientific journal Nature. In addition to generating too much carbon, not enough building material is recovered during the management of a building site or during its demolition. Of the 46 million tons of waste produced by the construction industry in France each year, only 31% is recycled. This is a waste of resources and reusing or recycling them would make it possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. So, what can we do to improve things? Shifting from the linear to the circular In the world of carbon neutrality, nothing is lost: everything is transformed. Inspired by chemist Antoine Lavoisier, eco-design focuses on all stages of a product’s life cycle in order to reduce its environmental impact. As opposed to the "takemake-dispose” approach of a traditional, linear economy – which wastes enormous amounts of material – a circular economy encourages the use of lower-impact materials. This includes materials with a high level of recycled content. Designed to recover materials, this low-carbon model promotes the reuse and recycling of construction waste. This is a double win for the sector, which preserves virgin resources while securing its supply lines by using secondary raw materials. Saint-Gobain is implementing this circular approach at its Aniche-Émerchicourt plant in France. Since May 2022, the Group has operated the world's first low-carbon production of flat glass there. Its secret? 70% cullet and 100% green energy. 22
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