Saint-Gobain Glass has launched ORAÉ®, the first low-carbon glass on the market
The name ORAÉ® is derived from Horae which, in Greek mythology, symbolizes the change of time and seasons. Saint-Gobain Glass chose this name in the belief that its new product is a genuine game-changer, heralding a new era of sustainability by leading the market closer to decarbonization.
A third-party verified confirmation of ORAÉ®’s environmental performance
Thanks to a verified EPD*, ORAÉ® - the world’s first low-carbon glass on the market launched in September 2022 by Saint-Gobain - is confirmed as the glass with a low carbon footprint: 6.64kg CO2 eq./m² (from Cradle to Grave for a 4mm substrate).
This is a reduction of 42% compared to Saint-Gobain Glass European baseline for clear glass thanks to a remarkably high amount of recycled content (64%) and with no compromise on the technical, quality or aesthetic performances.
Regarding the French market, the environmental and sanitary declaration called FDES has also been validated at 6.64kg CO2eq./m² and is already available on the INIES data base.
*An EPD is an Environmental Product Declaration, a third-party verified document that indicates the environmental impact of a product during its life cycle
How to achieve this landmark innovation?
ORAÉ® is produced in specific campaigns combining use of renewable electricity and high recycled glass content. This is made possible by the Saint-Gobain Glass Recycling initiatives across Europe allowing to increase the level of cullet for these campaigns, without modifying the cullet rate for regular production.
ORAÉ®combined with Saint-Gobain’s most advanced coating technologies
Saint-Gobain Glass has integrated ORAÉ® in its portfolio: the solution COOL-LITE® XTREME ORAÉ® offers performance and sustainability, reducing both operational (cooling, heating and lighting when using a building) and embodied carbon in buildings’ façades.
In every project for which COOL-LITE® XTREME ORAÉ® is selected, ORAÉ® substrate will be available for all panes composing the insulating glazing units.
Result of a fantastic team work, this offer is a first step towards an expanded low carbon offer.
Saint-Gobain Glass is also preparing its application for a Cradle to Cradle certification (assesses whether a product meets the requirements of the circular economy based on environmental, social and governance criteria).
A significant opportunity for the construction sector
The building industry accounts for almost 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions and is at the heart of the decarbonization challenge.
Furthermore, according to a joint study conducted in partnership with Engineering consulting firm Arup1, façades represent up to 20% of a building's embodied carbon. By working on the overall impact of glass, we can achieve a significant reduction in the carbon footprint of buildings, while continuing to provide the essential benefits of natural light and thermal comfort for the occupants. This confirms the key role that ORAÉ® will play in promoting a sustainable industry and accelerating the development of the circular and low carbon economy.
Real Estate pioneers leading the way towards more sustainable constructions
As a sign of the market's enthusiasm for this major innovation, several major real estate partners have chosen Saint-Gobain Glass to reduce the carbon footprint of some of their pioneer projects.
Four major real estate partners – Bouygues Immobilier, Icade Santé and Nexity – have already committed to using COOL-LITE® XTREME ORAÉ® glass in their projects: Bouygues Immobilier will implement it on its office building operation “Kalifornia” (Hauts-de-Seine, France). Icade Santé will install it on the “Le Parc Polyclinic” operated by the Elsan group in Caen (Calvados, France), while Nexity will use it on the “Carré Invalides” rehabilitation project (Paris, France). These three projects are all characterized by ambitious environmental objectives.
The latest one to have chosen COOL-LITE® XTREME ORAÉ® for a new project being the Swedish developer NCC for the Habitat 7 building located in Gothenburg (Sweden), in collaboration with the facade maker Fasadglas.
This attests to the key role that ORAÉ® plays towards a more sustainable industry and in accelerating the development of the circular and low carbon economy.
ORAÉ® now available in Calumen® to help calculating the footprint of projects
Thanks to the detailed environmental data available, ORAÉ® is now integrated in Calumen®, Saint-Gobain's all-in-one glazing digital configuration tool. Building professionals, regardless of their level of expertise, can now evaluate the impact of ORAÉ® on the carbon footprint of their architectural projects.
A window of new opportunities
Thanks to its impressive results, ORAÉ® is now also available for the windows market associated with the best low emissivity coatings in the Saint-Gobain Glass range like ECLAZ® and PLANISTAR®. The offer is already available in Spain and in France, and soon in other countries.
These achievements are in line with Saint-Gobain’s commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 and ambition to be the worldwide leader in light and sustainable construction.
[1] See study “Carbon footprint of façades: significance of glass.” conducted by Arup in partnership with Saint-Gobain Glass in 2022.