BREEAM V6 CERTIFICATION

The British certification BREEAM, or Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, created by BRE in 1990, has become an international standard to evaluate the environmental impact of a building. The BREEAM label is a voluntary scheme to which construction companies, developers or investors can apply. It is delivered after a complete and independent analysis, based on the study and evaluation of different themes such as energy, materials, health and well-being, etc.   

BREEAM assessment is conducted by independent accredited assessors using science-based sustainability indicators that cover a range of environmental issues. The assessment applies a “balanced scorecard” approach to evaluate projects which means that most BREEAM points can be exchanged to reach a certain level of performance. For instance, if a project can’t comply in a particular category, it can then be offset by compliance in another one.  

However, BREEAM sets minimum performance standards in critical areas to ensure that performance on fundamental environmental issues is not compromised when making specific assessments. Therefore, a minimum overall percentage is needed to achieve a certain BREEAM rating.  

BREEAM ratings range from Acceptable to Outstanding through four other levels. This rating system enables comparisons between projects and provides certainty about the performance, quality and value of a building.    
 

This has become a crucial topic when designing buildings to ensure that building occupants spend their time in a comfortable environment. The factors affecting comfort indoors are particularly complex, therefore we pay particular attention to improving our glazing properties. We took a holistic approach when developing our glass solutions to establish the right balance between thermal, acoustic and visual comfort, and indoor air quality. For a given project, there is always an optimized glass choice in our offer to meet the requirements of the occupants in terms of light transmittance, thermal insulation, and solar control to ensure their well-being. 

Our energy-efficient glass products (solar control and low-E) help to limit cooling and heating loads while letting enough natural daylight enter the building. The low U-value of our glass can contribute significantly to the energy savings of a building. Calumen^® is our digital tool that helps you accurately calculate technical specifications, making it easier to choose the ideal glass configuration for your project. 

Following our sustainability roadmap, we elevate our products’ performance while working on reducing their environmental impacts. We demonstrate our commitment to the preservation of resources on a global scale in our ISO 14001 certification for all our float plants.
We regularly assess the footprint of our solutions over their life cycle through Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Moreover, our internal innovation programs have been developed to reduce the footprint of our products and to promote a circular model by increasing the percentage of recycled content in our products. 

Glass is 100% recyclable, and our glass is made of 34% of cullet (scraps glass). We are constantly working on increasing the percentage of cullet coming from external sources in our glazing. Our recycling initiative, Saint-Gobain Glass Recycling, encourages the closed-loop recycling of flat glass and aims to increase the availability of cullet from end-of-life glazings.

We developed the 4BIRD^® range to avoid accidental bird collisions on a building’s glazing. These glass solutions will help protect birds and therefore preserve the surrounding area’s biodiversity.

We are prone to innovation; we’ve been part of the 100 global innovators for 10 consecutive years. During summer 2022 we have launched ORAÉ^®, the first low-carbon glass on the market. ORAÉ^® integrates 64% of recycled content along with the use of renewable electricity for manufacturing. In April 2023, we published a verified EPD for ORAÉ^®, solidifying our commitment to transparent practices.

In addition to its low embodied carbon, ORAÉ^® glass substrate has been designed to be associated with our most energy efficient coatings, to tackle operational carbon emissions. This synergy creates the perfect combination of performance and sustainability. 

We can also provide you on request, with a detailed document outlining the potential contribution of Saint-Gobain Glass products to achieve the BREEAM certification for your project.

Looking to go even further in your sustainable building journey? Saint-Gobain Glass is proud to be part of a broader ecosystem of expert brands that bring added value to construction. Vetrotech Saint-Gobain delivers advanced fire-resistant and safety glazing solutions, while SageGlass offers cutting-edge dynamic glass that adapts to sunlight in real time—enhancing comfort, energy efficiency, and design flexibility. Discover how these innovative solutions can support you by visiting their websites.