Compagnie de Saint Gobain : High performance solutions for more sustainable construction

Supporting flat glass manufacturers in decarbonizing their processes, protecting with high-performance technical textiles, protecting with fiberglass reinforcement grids, improving comfort and reduce energy consumption with window films... High Performance Solutions offers many innovations to our construction customers to improve the sustainability of their buildings and infrastructures.

Within the Ceramics BU, SEFPRO's refractory solutions for glass furnaces enable their customers to make a successful technological transition to low-carbon glass, by reducing their energy consumption and CO2 emissions. At the end of the glass furnace's life, VALOREF, a specialist in the management of refractory and technical ceramic waste for a circular economy, offers a recovery service for used refractory materials, which will be processed and recycled as a secondary raw material.

Regarding abrasives for example, the SEAM (European Sustainable Abrasives Manufacturers) program commits all players in the supply chain to manufacture, process, supply and distribute abrasives according to established sustainability standards. By joining this program since January 2020, Norton thus offers its end customers better and sustainable solutions, with full transparency. A commitment that involves constant research to optimize the manufacturing of solutions. The Surface Solutions BU has implemented production techniques and developed new raw materials to eliminate naphthalene, which is harmful to health and the environment, in the manufacture of abrasives. An initiative that made it possible to reach the goal of zero naphthalene by the end of 2020. The net effect on the carbon footprint is estimated to be -30% reduction in absolute terms compared to the previous year. The products are not only more responsible, but also more efficient - a significant gain for customers.

Sustainable construction also means reducing energy costs in buildings and improving user comfort. Solar Gard window films reject up to 86% of the sun's heat and can reduce building energy costs by 30%.

High Perfomance Solutions are also committed to develop solutions to extend the life of buildings and infrastructures, thus minimizing their environmental impact. Saint-Gobain ADFORS, the leader in technical textiles for the construction industry, contributes to this by offering solutions in fiberglass and synthetic fibers. For example, GlasGrid®, a fiberglass anti-cracking reinforcement grid, extends the life of roads by 300%, considerably reducing maintenance costs and therefore environmental impact.

End of 2021, Saint-Gobain's acquisition of Chryso further has strengthened the Group leadership in sustainable construction, by developing chemical solutions that allow to create sustainable building materials.