Glazing’s role in the carbon-neutral economy
Phil Brown, technical advisory service manager (UK and Ireland) and European regulatory marketing manager at Pilkington UK, discusses glazing’s central role in creating a carbon-neutral economy.
You could be forgiven for thinking that the UK has taken its foot off the pedal when it comes to creating landmark policies to reduce carbon emissions. The end of short-lived initiatives like zero-carbon homes and the Green Deal left many in the property sector scratching our heads as to what the UK’s position on reducing carbon emissions in the built environment was.
In May, the Committee for Climate Change (CCC) put forth a bold recommendation that the UK should be net-zero emission by 2050. This has now been taken up by government in its announcement that greenhouse gas emissions in the UK will be cut to net-zero by 2050, under the terms of a new government plan to tackle climate change. However, given that the CCC has already forecast that the UK will miss existing carbon targets in 2025 and 2030, this target looks a long way off as it stands.
But there’s no escaping the issue. Climate change is one of the biggest threats we face globally, and governments around the world agreed to binding carbon reduction commitments in 2016’s Paris Agreement. The UK could soon run into serious issues if swift action is not taken.
The built environment currently accounts for around 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint. Taking steps to facilitate more energy-efficient buildings – focusing on the glazing specified – will be integral in lowering the UK’s emissions and meeting looming climate change targets. Indeed, a recent study from Glass for Europe found that, if high-performance glazing was installed in all UK buildings, CO2 emissions could be reduced by as much as 42% by 2050.
Low emissivity glass (or low-e glass as it is commonly known) in architecture can help reduce the initial capital outlay for and running costs of heating systems in buildings, and minimise emissions as a result of reduced reliance on them. This makes it a great sell to major landlords and developers who are increasingly eager to demonstrate sustainable practices and target accreditations for sustainable developments like BREEAM.
Glass specifically has a huge role to play because more than 25% of heat from most buildings escapes through the windows – with 90% of this through the glass itself. Low-e glass is a type of energy-efficient glass designed to prevent heat escaping through windows to the cold outdoors. Low-e glass such as Pilkington K Glass has an invisible coating that dramatically reduces heat transfer and reflects interior heat back into a room.
Beyond just thermal efficiency, glass can also be used to keep buildings cooler in summer through the use of solar-control glass like Pilkington Suncool 70/35 OW. It features a state-of-the-art coating that transmits only 35% of the sun’s energy into a building while allowing 70% light to pass through so that occupants still benefit from a bright internal space.
When deployed together, low-e and solar control glass can help moderate a building’s temperature, reducing emissions. With 85% of non-residential buildings in Europe forecast to be equipped with air-conditioning by 2050, the use of high-performance glazing can minimise heat load and the demand for mechanical cooling.
The Clean Growth Strategy, published by the UK government in 2017, highlighted how UK GDP has been rising alongside a drop in carbon emissions – and plans for how this could continue to extend into the future.
It specifically highlights that the efficiency of houses and commercial buildings as a key contributor to reducing emissions. And, in its approaches for the future, it suggests setting higher standards for commercial buildings. In tandem, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’ (BEIS) Energy Innovation Programme has set out up to £10 million for new breakthroughs to improve the energy efficiency of buildings.
Glass and glazing is playing a bigger role than ever in new developments because of the design possibilities it offers. But it has real potential too in solving the challenge of creating attractive buildings that are also highly efficient.
The glass and glazing sector has a unique opportunity to promote its use and put glazing at the heart of a carbon neutral economy.
