SIST EN 17074:2027

• Abstract:

  This document provides complementary product category rules (c-PCR) for Type III environmental product declarations (EPD) for flat glass and channel shaped glass products for use in buildings and construction works. It describes stages of product’s life cycle considered in the EPD and the processes included in life cycle stages.; Glass-block products are excluded from the scope. All other glass products i.e. intermediate and finished products, intended to be used in buildings and construction works, are in the scope of this document.; Examples of glass products covered by this c-PCR are listed in Annex H.

• Status: Published
• Public Enquiry End Date: 30-Jul-2025
• Publication Date: 09-Nov-2026
• ICS: 13.020.50 - Ecolabelling
• ICS: 81.040.20 - Glass in building
• Technical Committee: STV - Steklo, svetloba in razsvetljava v gradbeništvu
• Current Stage: 6060 - National Implementation/Publication (Adopted Project)
• Start Date: 09-Nov-2026
• Due Date: 14-Jan-2027
• Completion Date: 10-Nov-2026
• Ref Project: EN 17074:2026 - Glass in building - Environmental product declarations - Product category rules complementary to EN 15804 for flat glass and channel shaped glass products

• Replaces: SIST EN 17074:2020 - Glass in building - Environmental product declaration - Product category rules for flat glass products
• Effective Date: 01-Jan-2027
• Referred By: SIST EN 17213:2020+A1:2025 - Windows and doors - Environmental Product Declarations - Product category rules complementary to EN 15804 for windows and pedestrian doorsets
• Effective Date: 04-Nov-2026
• Referred By: SIST EN 17213:2020 - Windows and doors - Environmental Product Declarations - Product category rules for windows and pedestrian doorsets
• Effective Date: 04-Nov-2026

SIST EN 17074:2027 defines complementary product category rules for Type III environmental product declarations (EPD) of flat glass and channel shaped glass products used in buildings and construction works. It tells EPD authors how to treat life-cycle stages, data, allocation, and module D for these glass products so the declarations are prepared in a consistent way for manufacturers, verifiers, and buyers.

What does SIST EN 17074:2027 specify?

SIST EN 17074:2027 covers flat glass and channel shaped glass products for use in buildings and construction works, and it excludes glass-block products. The document explains which life-cycle stages belong in the EPD, which processes are included in each stage, and how the document is organized from scope through verification.

The standard is structured in clauses 1 to 9, followed by eight annexes. Clause 6 is the core of the document because it sets the product category rules for life cycle assessment (LCA), while Clause 7 defines the EPD content and Clause 9 covers verification and validity.

Annex	What it covers
Annex A	Requirements and guidance on the reference service life
Annex B	Waste
Annex C	Impact categories, related indicators, methodologies and characterization factors
Annex D	End-of-life formulae
Annex E	Data quality assessment schemes
Annex F	Manufacturing process of basic glass products
Annex G	Application rules for cullet
Annex H	Glass product specifications

What are the key requirements of SIST EN 17074:2027?

SIST EN 17074:2027 focuses on how to build a glass EPD that is comparable, transparent, and consistent with EN 15804. The most important points are the product scope, the declared or functional unit, the reference service life, the treatment of cullet, the LCA data rules, and the information that must appear in the EPD.

Scope and comparison

Clause 5.3 says only glass products of the same type should be compared. That matters in practice because mixing unlike products can lead to misleading conclusions, especially when comparing different glazing build-ups or different strength treatments.

Clause 6.1 applies the c-PCR to a wide range of glass products used in buildings, including basic glass, processed glass, coatings, laminated products, insulating glass units, mirrors, painted glass, filmed glass, and combinations of these. For products covered by a European standard, Annex H gives the product descriptions and useful technical details that support EPD work.

Functional or declared unit, and reference service life

Clauses 6.3.2 and 6.3.3 set the unit as one square metre of product, with nominal thickness used in calculations. The standard also gives density values to convert area and thickness into mass when transport or disposal calculations need it. For laminated products, the interlayer is treated with material-specific data or the stated default values when manufacturer data are not used.

Clause 6.3.4 sets a reference service life (RSL) of 30 years unless a product standard or the manufacturer specifies something different for the intended use. Annex A explains that this RSL is an average life expectancy for LCA, not a warranty or a maximum lifetime.

Life-cycle stages and system boundaries

Clause 6.3.5 splits the product stage differently for basic glass and processed glass. For basic glass, A1 covers raw-material extraction and processing and A3 covers glass manufacturing. For processed glass, A1 covers incoming materials, including basic glass or intermediate glass, and A3 covers the processing step such as insulating glass unit production.

The same clause also excludes human activities such as cleaning, administration, lighting, heating, and employee transport, as well as factory buildings, machines, and internal transport systems. In practice, that keeps the EPD focused on the product system rather than the factory itself.

Cullet rules and allocation

Clause 6.3.5.2 and Annex G separate three cullet types: furnace process cullet, pre-consumer cullet, and post-consumer cullet. This distinction matters because each type is treated differently in LCA and in module D.

Furnace process cullet is an internal flow in the glass-making loop. Pre-consumer cullet is treated as a co-product, while post-consumer cullet is treated as secondary material. That means pre-consumer cullet is not counted as a module D benefit, while post-consumer cullet can generate module D credits or burdens when it crosses the system boundary.

Annex G also explains how allocation works for glass products and cullet. The document prefers allocation by physical properties where that is appropriate, and uses economic allocation in specific cases, such as pre-consumer cullet from glass processing.

Data quality and EPD content

Clause 6.3.7 gives priority to manufacturer average data or specific data for processes the producer controls, especially glass manufacturing and processing in A3. Supplier EPDs are preferred for upstream materials, and generic database data may be used in A1 when specific data are not available.

Clause 7 says the EPD must state the reference to this document and EN 15804, the geographical scope, the relevant product standard if there is one, the product characteristics, the declared or functional unit, the RSL, any cut-off criteria used, and the source and selection of primary data. Clause 7.4 also requires information on emissions of dangerous substances to indoor air, soil, and water during use where relevant.

What terms does SIST EN 17074:2027 define?

SIST EN 17074:2027 defines the terms that matter most for glass EPDs and cullet allocation.

• end-of-waste-status - the state in which a product is no longer waste and can enter use as a material again.
• furnace process cullet - cullet created in the glass furnace process that can be reintroduced with no treatment beyond crushing and/or standard separation.
• pre-consumer cullet - cullet from industrial processing after glass leaves the furnace and before the product becomes finished.
• post-consumer cullet - glass waste from finished products before, during, or after use in the consumer market.
• secondary material - the term used in EN 15804 for material that enters or leaves the product system as recycled material.
• basic glass product - monolithic glass supplied in rectangular flat panes or channel shaped form for final use or further processing.
• processed glass product - a basic glass product that has been further transformed into an intermediate or finished glass product.

Who uses SIST EN 17074:2027?

SIST EN 17074:2027 is used by glass manufacturers, processors, and EPD authors who need to calculate environmental indicators and prepare product declarations for building glass. It is also used by LCA practitioners and sustainability teams who collect data, define system boundaries, and apply allocation rules.

Verifiers, auditors, and product certification teams use it to check whether the EPD follows the correct product category rules. Specifiers, façade and window system designers, buyers, and quality managers use it to understand what kind of glass product is being declared and what assumptions sit behind the environmental results.

What changed in SIST EN 17074:2027 from the previous edition?

SIST EN 17074:2027 supersedes EN 17074:2019. The European foreword lists these main technical changes:

• clearer definitions of the different cullet types and updated names
• removal of product stages A1, A2 and A3 in the previous draft form A’1, A’2 and A’3
• introduction of the declared unit
• inclusion of the reference to EN 17416:2021
• clearer guidance for module D
• clearer application rules for the different cullet types
• introduction of allocation rules for co-products and for reuse, recycling, and recovery
• clarification of the product information reported in the EPD
• exclusion of glass blocks from the scope of this version

Which standards are used with SIST EN 17074:2027?

SIST EN 17074:2027 depends directly on EN 15804 and EN 17416, and it uses EN 572-1 for basic glass properties. It also points to a set of companion standards for defining the product families that fall under the c-PCR.

Standard or group	What it contributes
EN 15804:2012+A2:2019+AC:2021	Core rules for construction-product EPDs
EN 572-1	Definitions and general physical and mechanical properties of basic soda lime silicate glass products
EN 17416:2021	Measurement of emissions into indoor air from glass products
EN 572-2 to EN 572-7	Product definitions for float, wired, drawn, patterned, and channel shaped glass
EN 1036-1, EN 1096-1, EN 1279-1	Mirror, coated glass, and insulating glass unit product rules
EN 1748-1-1, EN 1748-2-1, EN 14178-1, EN 15681-1	Special basic glass products and their properties
EN 1863-1, EN 12150-1, EN 12337-1, EN 13024-1, EN 14179-1, EN 14321-1, EN 15682-1, EN 15683-1	Heat-strengthened, toughened, chemically strengthened, and related safety glass products
EN ISO 12543-1, EN ISO 12543-2, EN ISO 12543-3	Laminated glass and laminated safety glass
EN 15755-1, EN 16477-1	Filmed glass and painted glass
EN 45557:2020	Recycled-content assessment referenced in the cullet discussion

What does the SIST EN 17074:2027 document contain?

SIST EN 17074:2027 contains the rules needed to calculate and present a glass EPD without reproducing the full EN 15804 framework. Annex C identifies the impact categories, indicators, methods, and characterization factors to be used, while Annex D provides the end-of-life formulae.

Annex F explains the basic glass manufacturing processes and includes figures for float glass and rolled glass. Annex G is especially important because it gives the system-boundary rules for cullet, the allocation approach, and the treatment of reuse, recycling, recovery, and post-consumer material. Annex E supports the data-quality review, and Annex H lists the product specifications that are useful when preparing EPDs for covered glass products.

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-januar-2027
Nadomešča:
SIST EN 17074:2020
Steklo v gradbeništvu - Okoljske deklaracije za proizvode - Pravila za kategorije
proizvodov iz ravnega in profiliranega stekla, ki dopolnjujejo standard EN 15804
Glass in building - Environmental product declarations - Product category rules
complementary to EN 15804 for flat glass and channel shaped glass products
Glas im Bauwesen - Umweltproduktdeklarationen - Produktkategorieregeln in Ergänzung
zu EN 15804 für Flachglas und Profilbauglaserzeugnisse
Verre dans la construction - Déclarations environnementales des produits - Règles
complémentaires de l'EN 15804 régissant les catégories de produits en verre plat et en
verre profilé
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 17074:2026
ICS:
13.020.50 Označevanje z ekološko Ecolabelling
nalepko
81.040.20 Steklo v gradbeništvu Glass in building
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EN 17074
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
October 2026
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 13.020.50; 81.040.20 Supersedes EN 17074:2019
English Version
Glass in building - Environmental product declarations -
Product category rules complementary to EN 15804 for
flat glass and channel shaped glass products
Verre dans la construction - Déclarations Glas im Bauwesen - Umweltproduktdeklarationen -
environnementales des produits - Règles Produktkategorieregeln in Ergänzung zu EN 15804 für
complémentaires de l'EN 15804 régissant les Flachglas und Profilbauglaserzeugnisse
catégories de produits en verre plat et en verre profilé
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 24 August 2026.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this
European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references
concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN
member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by
translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management
Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION

EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG

CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2026 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 17074:2026 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
European foreword . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Abbreviations . 8
5 General aspects . 8
5.1 Objective of the Core PCR . 8
5.2 Types of EPD with respect to life cycle stages covered . 8
5.3 Comparability of EPD for construction products . 8
5.4 Additional environmental information . 8
5.4.1 General. 8
5.4.2 Additional impact indicators . 8
5.4.3 Additional information on carbon offset, carbon storage and delayed emission . 8
5.4.4 Additional information not derived from LCA . 8
5.5 Ownership, responsibility and liability for the EPD. 9
5.6 Communication formats . 9
6 Product category rules for LCA . 9
6.1 Product category . 9
6.2 Life cycle stages and their information modules to be included . 9
6.3 Calculation rules for the LCA . 9
6.3.1 Functional or declared unit . 9
6.3.2 Functional unit . 9
6.3.3 Declared unit . 10
6.3.4 Reference service life (RSL) . 10
6.3.5 System boundaries . 11
6.3.6 Criteria for the exclusion of inputs and outputs . 17
6.3.7 Selection of data . 18
6.3.8 Data quality . 18
6.3.9 Developing product level scenarios . 18
6.3.10 Units . 18
6.4 Inventory analysis . 18
6.4.1 Collecting data . 18
6.4.2 Calculation procedures . 18
6.4.3 Allocation of input flows and output emissions . 18
6.4.4 Information on biogenic carbon content . 20
6.5 Impact assessment . 20
7 Content of the EPD . 20
7.1 Declaration of general information. 20
7.2 Declaration of environmental indicators derived from LCA . 20
7.3 Scenarios and additional technical information . 20
7.3.1 General. 20
7.3.2 Scenarios and additional technical information . 20
7.4 Additional information on release of dangerous substances to indoor air, soil and
water during the use stage . 21
8 Project report . 21
9 Verification and validity of an EPD. 21
Annex A (normative) Requirements and guidance on the reference service life. 22
Annex B (informative) Waste . 23
Annex C (normative) Impact categories and related indicators, methodologies and
characterization factors (CF) . 24
Annex D (informative) End of life formulae . 25
Annex E (informative) Schemes to be applied for data quality assessment of generic and
specific data . 26
Annex F (informative) Manufacturing process of basic glass products . 27
Annex G (normative) Application rules for cullet . 29
Annex H (informative) Glass product specifications . 33
Bibliography . 34
European foreword
This document (EN 17074:2026) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 129 “Glass in
building”, the secretariat of which is held by NBN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an
identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by April 2027, and conflicting national standards shall be
withdrawn at the latest by April 2027.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document is read in conjunction with EN 15804:2012+A2:2019.
This document supersedes EN 17074:2019.
— exclusion of glass blocks from the scope of this version of the standard;
— clearer definitions of different cullet types and modification of their names;
— removal of product stages A’1, A’2 and A’3;
— introduction of declared unit;
— inclusion of the reference to EN 17416:2021;
— clearer guidelines for module D;
— clearer application rules for different cullet types;
— introduction of allocation rules (co-product allocation and allocation procedure for reuse, recycling
and recovery);
— clarification of the product information in the EPD.
Any feedback and questions on this document should be directed to the users’ national standards body.
A complete listing of these bodies can be found on the CEN website.
According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the
following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North
Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United
Kingdom.
As impacted by EN 15804:2012+A2:2019/AC:2021.
1 Scope
This document provides complementary product category rules (c-PCR) for Type III environmental
product declarations (EPD) for flat glass and channel shaped glass products for use in buildings and
construction works. It describes stages of product’s life cycle considered in the EPD and the processes
included in life cycle stages.
Glass-block products are excluded from the scope. All other glass products i.e. intermediate and finished
products, intended to be used in buildings and construction works, are in the scope of this document.
Examples of glass products covered by this c-PCR are listed in Annex H.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
EN 15804:2012+A2:2019, Sustainability of construction works - Environmental product declarations - Core
rules for the product category of construction products
EN 17416:2021, Glass in building - Assessment of release of dangerous substances - Determination of
emissions into indoor air from glass products
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in EN 15804:2012+A2:2019 and the
following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp/
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
end-of-waste status
status of a product that is no longer waste
3.2
furnace process cullet
cullet generated by a glass melting furnace for quality rejects or other reasons during production or non-
production period, through any furnace exit, capable of being re-introduced in a glass melting furnace on
the same or another manufacturing site with no other treatment than crushing and/or standard
magnetic/metallic separation
Note 1 to entry: In EN 17074:2019, the furnace process cullet was called internal cullet.
Note 2 to entry: The term “furnace process cullet” is used here in the context of a “cullet produced by the glass
furnace process”, therefore glass furnace producing the cullet and glass furnace receiving the cullet for melting may
belong to two different manufacturing sites.
Note 3 to entry: Examples of other reasons for glass rejection are edge rejects and geometrical losses.
Note 4 to entry: Examples of non-production periods are colour or thickness transition, furnace draining and
technology testing.
Note 5 to entry: This cullet results from production of basic glass products and excludes pre-consumer cullet from
other furnaces e.g. tempering and bending furnaces.
Note 6 to entry: Limits between different cullet types are specified in Table 1.
3.3
pre-consumer cullet
co-product resulting from any industrial operation starting from the stacking of basic glass and ending at
the storage of finished product
Note 1 to entry: An example of pre-consumer cullet is the glass cullet constituted by off cuts of glass processing
(manufacturing of mirror, coated glass, insulating glass unit, laminated glass, etc.).
Note 2 to entry: Cullet collected from glass processing on the same manufacturing site as the glass melting furnace
is pre-consumer cullet.
Note 3 to entry: In the context of Life Cycle Assessment according to EN 15804, pre-consumer cullet is considered
as co-product and not as secondary material (see Annex G).
Note 4 to entry: Limits between different cullet types are specified in Table 1.
Note 5 to entry: Cullet coming from online cutting of cut-size glass after cutting of the ribbon may be considered as
pre-consumer cullet provided that the calculation of the quantity takes into account cutting yield and quality losses.
Note 6 to entry: The definition is consistent with EN ISO 14021:2026 and EN 45557:2020.
3.4
post-consumer cullet
glass waste originated from finished products before, during or after their use at the consumer market
Note 1 to entry: This includes returns or breakages of finished products from transport or distribution chain
(adapted from EN ISO 14021:2026).
Note 2 to entry: In the context of Life Cycle Assessment according to EN 15804, post-consumer cullet is considered
as secondary material (see Annex G).
Note 3 to entry: Limits between different cullet types are specified in Table 1.
Note 4 to entry: The definition is consistent with EN ISO 14021:2026 and EN 45557:2020.
3.5
secondary material
material recovered from previous use or from waste which substitutes primary materials
Note 1 to entry: Secondary material is measured at the point where the secondary material enters the system from
another system.
Note 2 to entry: Materials recovered from previous use or from waste from one product system and used as an
input in another product system are secondary materials.
Note 3 to entry: Examples of secondary materials (to be measured at the system boundary) are recycled scrap
metal, crushed concrete, glass cullet, recycled wood chips, and recycled plastic.
Note 4 to entry: Only post-consumer cullet is considered as secondary material in the context of Life Cycle
Assessment according to EN 15804. Pre-consumer cullet is considered as co-product and furnace process cullet is
an internal flow (see Annex G).
3.6
basic glass product
basic glass
monolithic, transparent, translucent, clear or tinted glass, wired or not, supplied in rectangular flat panes
or channel shaped, in stock sizes, for either final use in buildings or further processing
Note 1 to entry: Basic glass products can be of the following types:
—  basic soda lime silicate glass products (EN 572-1, EN 572-2, EN 572-3, EN 572-4, EN 572-5, EN 572-6 and
EN 572-7);
—  special basic products - borosilicate glasses (EN 1748-1-1);
—  special basic products - glass ceramics (EN 1748-2-1);
—  basic alkaline earth silicate glass products (EN 14178-1);
—  basic alumino silicate glass products (EN 15681-1);
—  online coated glass (EN 1096-1).
3.7
intermediate glass product
product that has left a manufacturing line other than the glass melting furnace to be further processed in
one or more other manufacturing line(s) in order to become finished product
Note 1 to entry: Examples of intermediate glass product are offline coated glass, laminated glass, acid-etched glass,
painted glass, mirrors, etc.
3.8
finished glass product
product that is ready to be installed in another construction product or directly in a building or
construction work
3.9
processed glass product
processed glass
one or more basic glass products further processed into an intermediate or a finished glass product
Note 1 to entry: Processed glass products can be of the following types:
—  prestressed glass including enamelled glass;
—  curved monolithic glass;
—  laminated glass: laminated (safety) glass, building integrated laminated photovoltaic glass (BIPV) and curved
laminated glass;
—  glass with modified surface e.g. offline coated glass, acid etched glass, mirrors;
—  insulating glass: insulating glass unit (IGU), vacuum insulating glass (VIG) and curved IGU.
Note 2 to entry: References to standards for processed glass products, when available, are listed in Annex H.
3.10
glass product
glass
any glass product according to 3.6 or 3.9
4 Abbreviations
For the purposes of this document, abbreviations given in EN 15804:2012+A2:2019 and the following
apply.
IGU insulating glass unit
VIG vacuum insulating glazing
BIPV building-integrated photovoltaics
REU preparing for reuse
REC recycling in closed loop or downcycling in open loop
RBB recovery / backfilling
LAN landfilling
5 General aspects
5.1 Objective of the Core PCR
As in EN 15804:2012+A2:2019.
5.2 Types of EPD with respect to life cycle stages covered
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019.
5.3 Comparability of EPD for construction products
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019. In addition:
NOTE Comparison of two distinct products e.g. single glass units with triple glass units or annealed float with
a pre-stressed float could generate misleading conclusions.
5.4 Additional environmental information
5.4.1 General
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019.
5.4.2 Additional impact indicators
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019.
5.4.3 Additional information on carbon offset, carbon storage and delayed emission
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019.
5.4.4 Additional information not derived from LCA
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019. In addition:
Two following categories shall be addressed for glass products:
— Technical and functional performance data generally listed in Declaration of Performance, EU
Declaration of Conformity or a technical datasheet applicable to the product;
— In case of painted glass, filmed glass, mirrors, as well as other glass products containing organic
components, the emissions to indoor air according to EN 17416:2021.
EN 15804:2012+A2:2019 does not include any assessment of potential environmental benefits from the
product’s use in the building, (e.g. from energy savings due to a better insulation or solar gains in the
building when glass products are in use).
Therefore, they shall not be included in the calculations of the results presented in the EPD. However,
environment benefits from energy savings and losses in the use stage may be presented as ‘additional
information’ in the EPD. When calculating the environmental benefits during the use phase of glass
products, the methodology applied shall be documented.
5.5 Ownership, responsibility and liability for the EPD
As in EN 15804:2012+A2:2019.
5.6 Communication formats
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019.
6 Product category rules for LCA
6.1 Product category
As in EN 15804:2012+A2:2019. In addition:
Glass products are used in a variety of construction applications generally to provide a transparent,
impermeable barrier, which may have additional insulating, solar control, security, noise reduction or
decorative properties.
These c-PCR are applicable to glass products listed in Annex H and other flat glass products such as sand-
blasted glass, acid-etched glass or any combination of them.
NOTE 1 The list in Annex H is not exhaustive. The c-PCR can also apply to other flat and channel shaped glass
products.
NOTE 2 These c-PCR are applicable to the whole glass product including all components, not only the glass
element. For example, they would include the sealant in an insulating glass unit.
6.2 Life cycle stages and their information modules to be included
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019.
6.3 Calculation rules for the LCA
6.3.1 Functional or declared unit
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019.
6.3.2 Functional unit
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019. In addition:
For each glass product listed in 6.1, the functional unit shall be one square metre (1 m ) of a glass product
that provides one or several functions, e.g. U-value, light transmittance, specific safety classification, etc.
For channel shaped glass, it is 1 m of the product surface without flanges.
The reference flow shall be determined based upon the thickness and specific configuration of the glass
product.
Nominal thickness shall be used in calculations.
For transport and disposal, it may be convenient to convert thickness and square metres into mass. In
which case, unless justified with manufacturer's technical product sheets, the following material
densities shall be used:
— Glass: 2 500 kg/m , according to EN 572-1;
— Interlayer in laminated glass, according to [16]:
— PVB: 1070 kg/m ;
— EVA: 950 kg/m ;
— Ionomer: 970 kg/m .
For other materials, e.g. butyl, polysulfide, polyurethane, silicone, spacers, desiccant or inserts, the data
provided by producers may be used.
6.3.3 Declared unit
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019. In addition:
For each glass product listed in 6.1, the declared unit shall be one square metre (1 m ).
For channel shaped glass, it is 1 m of the product surface without flanges.
The reference flow shall be determined based upon the thickness and specific configuration of the glass
product.
Nominal thickness shall be used in calculations.
For transport and disposal, it may be convenient to convert thickness and square metres into mass. In
which case, unless justified with manufacturer's technical product sheets, the following material
densities shall be used:
— Glass: 2 500 kg/m , according to EN 572-1;
— Interlayer in laminated glass, according to [16]:
— PVB: 1 070 kg/m ;
— EVA: 950 kg/m ;
— Ionomer: 970 kg/m .
For other materials, e.g. butyl, polysulfide, polyurethane, silicone, spacers, desiccant, inserts, the data
provided by producers may be used.
6.3.4 Reference service life (RSL)
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019. In addition:
The reference service life of 30 years (see Annex A) may be assumed for products covered by the scope
of this standard. This is on the basis that the installation and maintenance of the product follows the
relevant guidance of the manufacturer and the state of the art.
6.3.5 System boundaries
6.3.5.1 General
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019. In addition:
— In case of EPD of basic glass product, module A1 includes the extraction and processing of mineral
raw materials and module A3 contains the glass manufacturing process.
— In case of EPD of glass product other than basic glass product, module A1 comprises the production
of incoming materials, including basic glass or intermediate glass product used as input to
manufacture the processed glass, and module A3 comprises the glass processing (e.g. IGU
production).
Flows related to human activities such as lighting, heating, cleaning of workshops, administration and
employee transport are excluded from the system boundaries.
NOTE Due to cut-off criteria, the following flows are not recorded within the system boundaries:
—  Flows related to human activities such as employee transport, administration departments and central support
services (where this information is not amalgamated into site totals).
—  Production facilities and their construction, machines and transportation systems inside the factories are also
excluded since the related flows are assumed to be negligible, compared to the production of glass products when
the comparison is done at the timescale of the reference service life of plants, machines or transportation systems
inside the factory.
—  Any impacts as a result of maintenance work.
Where the object of the study is the average production of glass in a region, the number of sites,
companies and the representativeness of the regional production shall be specified in the project
(background) report.
6.3.5.2 Product stage
6.3.5.2.1 General
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019, 6.3.5.2. In addition:
A non-exhaustive list of the main raw materials used in the manufacture of glass products is shown below.
They shall be taken into account in the LCA studies:
— sand (silicon dioxide);
— soda ash (sodium carbonate);
— dolomite (calcium magnesium carbonate);
— limestone (calcium carbonate);
— salt cake (sodium sulphate);
— feldspar/nepheline;
— slag;
— carbon (anthracite, coal);
— scrubber reaction by-products (collected by electrostatic precipitator or bag-house);
— gypsum (calcium sulphate);
— cullet (pre-consumer cullet, post-consumer cullet and net flow of furnace process cullet).
The principal gases and energy resources used in the production process are shown below and shall be
included in the LCA:
— electricity;
— hydrogen;
— nitrogen;
— natural gas;
— fuel oil;
— oxygen;
— argon, krypton and other gas types used for filling the cavity of insulating glass units.
For any other auxiliary or additional raw materials (e.g. raw materials for glass colouring) or energy
resources representing less than 1 % of the total energy and mass flow and for which the information are
not accessible, cut-off rules apply (see cut-off rules in 6.3.6).
All incoming materials used for glass processing shall follow the same rules as raw materials and energy
supply for glass manufacturing.
— In case of EPD of basic glass, transport of raw material to the glass furnace shall be declared in the
module A2.
— In case of EPD of processed glass, transport of basic glass to the processor(s) shall be declared in the
module A2. However, in this case, the transport of raw material to the glass furnace, as well as the
glass furnace process, shall be declared in the module A1.
Different transport modes can be applied: road, rail, sea or river. In case of road transport, see 6.3.5.2.9.
6.3.5.2.2 Glass cullet
Cullet may originate from the glass manufacturing process (furnace process cullet), from the use of glass
in the downstream production process (pre-consumer cullet) and as the result of recycling at the end of
the service life of the final product (post-consumer cullet). A clear distinction shall be made between
these different cullet types.
Limits between the different cullet types are specified in Table 1 and represent harmonized rules that
shall be used across different industries: glass manufacturers, glass processors, recyclers, etc.
Table 1 defines the limits between the different cullet types. It illustrates the flow of a glass product, from
basic glass production (generating furnace process cullet) and glass processing (generating pre-
consumer cullet) to its use and end of life (generating post-consumer cullet). The limit between furnace
process cullet is set by the stacking of glass produced in a melting furnace process. The limit between
pre-consumer and post-consumer cullet is set by reaching the finished-product status.
Table 1 — Cullet types delimitation
Furnace Pre-consumer cullet Post-consumer cullet (flow)
process cullet (flow)
1 – Basic glass 2 – Storage 11 – Transport
production
3 – Transport 12 – Storage
4 – Production of 13 – Distribution network
intermediate glass
product when relevant
5 – Transport 14 - Transport
6 – Storage 15 – Installation
7 - Distribution 16 - Use
network
8 - Transport 17 – Deconstruction
9 – Production of 18 – End of life
finished glass product
c
10 – Storage
NOTE  Lines above describe successive steps of glass production and glass processing. Some steps can be
omitted or repeated depending on the production flows.
a
Stacked glass that is further rejected due to defects coming from production condition is furnace process
cullet, e.g. punctual defects or optical distortion.
b
The cullet delimitation follows criteria for pre-consumer and post-consumer cullet given in
EN ISO 14021:2026 and EN 45557:2020.
c
To avoid the additional cost of a separate stock and recycling treatment of the cullet coming from overstock,
obsolete inventories and finished products that have not been placed on the market, these finished products
are sometimes put together with the cullet collected from used glass products. In such a situation, there is
generally no possibility to distinguish the flows and this cullet may be counted as post-consumer cullet for
practical reasons.
d
Cut-to-size glass product is not always a finished product. Some manufacturers produce cut-to-size glass that
is further processed by other manufacturer(s). When it is not a finished product as defined in 3.8, it is to be
considered an intermediate product (see 3.7) and its overstock, obsolete inventories and breakages would
represent pre-consumer cullet.
6.3.5.2.3 Furnace process cullet
Furnace process cullet (see 3.2 and G.2.2) circulates in closed loop during the manufacture of glass. In
case the amount entering and leaving the product system is not balanced, the net flow of furnace process
cullet shall be considered as pre-consumer cullet for the purpose of Life Cycle Assessment (see Annex G).
6.3.5.2.4 Pre-consumer cullet
Pre-consumer cullet (see 3.3 and G.2.3) shall be considered as co-product for the purpose of Life Cycle
Assessment (see Annex G).
Limit between furnace process cullet and pre-
consumer cullet: Stacking of the basic glass
a,b
product
Limit between pre-consumer and post-consumer
b,c,d
cullet: Finished product
6.3.5.2.5 Post-consumer cullet
Post-consumer cullet (see 3.4 and G.2.4) shall be considered as secondary material for the purpose of Life
Cycle Assessment (see Annex G).
6.3.5.2.6 Basic glass manufacturing (A3)
Basic glass is mainly produced via the float process (float glass). It can also be produced via the rolled
process (channel shaped glass, patterned and wired glass) or continuously drawn directly from the glass
melting furnace (drawn sheet glass).
The raw materials are fed into the furnace and are melted, resulting in molten glass, which is fed via a
canal onto the surface of an enclosed bath of molten tin (float glass) or leaves the furnace between rollers
which may be used to give a printed relief to its surface (rolled, patterned glass and channel shaped glass).
During the basic glass manufacturing, direct CO emissions occur due to the chemical reaction of
carbonated materials (soda ash, dolomite, limestone, etc.) and carbon-containing energy sources (natural
gas).
These manufacturing processes are described in Annex F.
6.3.5.2.7 Waste from basic glass manufacturing
Any waste material requiring off-site processing up to the end-of-waste status (see 3.1) or disposed in
landfill shall be included in the waste listing for the process.
Transport to waste processing plant where end-of-waste status is reached shall be declared in the module
A3.
6.3.5.2.8 Water for basic glass manufacturing
Water is used to cool parts of the furnace and equipment used in the furnace during the production of
glass. The amount of water used in the glass production process shall be considered.
6.3.5.2.9 Glass delivery
Different transport modes can be applied: road, rail, sea or river.
In-loader transport (road transport), which is generally used for basic and intermediate glass products,
can be optimized among different sites in order to limit empty returns.
Therefore:
— for basic glass products and intermediate products, 100 % empty return shall be applied unless
optimized and representative scenario using company, national or European data are available
— for imports of basic and intermediate glass products from outside of Europe, 100 % empty return
shall be applied unless other company data are available.
For transport of finished product, generally not transported by in-loaders, 100 % empty return shall be
applied unless other value is justified by the concrete case.
Finished glass products are delivered in the final size, configuration and ‘ready to install’. No waste other
than packaging waste is generated.
Packaging waste from basic glass products and intermediate products shall be considered in A3.
Packaging waste from finished glass products shall be considered in A5. In both cases, cut-off criteria
should be justified if taken into account (see 6.3.6).
NOTE In Europe, flat glass can be dispatched on returnable steel racks (stillages) using float liner vehicles,
which require no additional packaging or can be dispatched in plastic wrapped on stillages or packed in wooden
crates.
6.3.5.2.10 Glass processing
Basic glass products are usually further transformed into processed glass products. The processing can
take place at the same site (with no transportation required) or at a different site.
Different technologies and materials are applied and are specific to each of the glass products listed in
6.1. Additional processing (coating, laminating, prestressing, etc.) imparts specific and critical properties
to the glass products.
All the losses included in the glass processing steps shall be taken into account in the calculation (e.g.
cutting losses, breakage, quality defects).
6.3.5.2.11 Waste from glass processing
Any waste material requiring off-site processing up to the end-of-waste status (see 3.1) or disposed in
landfill shall be included in the waste listing for the process.
Transport to waste processing plant where end-of-waste status is reached shall be declared in the module
A3.
6.3.5.2.12 Water for glass processing
The amount of water used in the glass processing processes shall be considered.
6.3.5.3 Construction stage
As in EN 15804:2012+A2:2019. In addition:
Transport to building site directly or through distribution circuit should be declared in the module A4.
In module A5 the ancillary elements to install the glass product in the building are not taken into account,
because there are many different considerations related to the installation in the building (depending on
the type of building, frame materials, etc.). Thus, the ancillary elements will be considered in the scenarios
established under the EPD of the window/ façade systems.
Storage of glass products does not generate any environmental impact.
6.3.5.4 Use stage
6.3.5.4.1 General
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019.
6.3.5.4.2 B1-B5 Use stage information modules related to the building fabric
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019. In addition:
The use of glass products installed in the building generally does not generate environmental impacts.
The primary maintenance operation for glass products is cleaning. As a reference, an annual cleaning can
be assumed using approximately 0,2 l of cleaning solution per m of glass product, prepared with water
and a mild neutral detergent at a mass concentration of 0,5 %, i.e. 200 g of water with 1 g of active
substance. The life cycle assessment of this stage shall include the production of the detergent, water
consumption, and the treatment of wastewater generated by this phase.
The process, material, transport, waste and end-of-life processes of any waste shall be taken into account.
When installed in the building, glass products do not require repair, replacement or refurbishment
activities during their reference service lifetime (30 years, see 6.3.4) to maintain and/or recover the
required functional or technical performance.
6.3.5.4.3 B6-B7 use stage information modules related to the operation of buildings
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019. In addition:
Specific glass products require energy for their activation e.g. switchable glass or heatable glass.
Glass products generally do not require water for their usage.
6.3.5.5 End-of-life stage
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019. In addition:
End-of-life stage starts at the point when the glass product is replaced, dismantled or deconstructed from
the building.
Alternative scenarios can be foreseen at the end-of-life stage of building products depending on whether
or not glass can be recovered.
Depending on the scenario, the glass can follow different routes:
— In an ideal case, glass products are separated and treated to be reused, remanufactured, recycled in
closed-loop recycling (i.e. in flat glass or channel shaped glass furnaces);
— Or they can be recycled in open-loop recycling (downcycling in other glass furnaces, e.g. for container
glass or glass wool).
— Otherwise, it will be crushed together with other building materials for backfilling operations or it
will be landfilled.
End-of-life scenarios and routes can vary according to national and regional legislation, deconstruction
schemes and requirements, collection and sorting schemes in place and end-of-life treatments available.
End-of-life route and scenarios shall be described in the studies.
To establish end-of-life scenarios, the best is to use national statistics for given glass type. In case of non-
availability of reliable data for relevant product type and relevant location, management pathways
specified in the Table 2 shall be the default option for end-of-waste operations [7]. However, all relevant
end-of-life routes shall be declared as 100 % scenarios. Based on those, an average scenario can be
declared.
Table 2 — Management pathways for end-of-waste operations
Management pathway Fraction [%]
Preparing for reuse (REU) 0
Recycling in closed loop or
downcycling in open loop (REC)
Recovery / Backfilling (RBB) 24
Landfilling (LAN) 70
NOTE 1 Some glass products cannot be recycled.
NOTE 2 Some glass cullet need separate collection and preparation for recycling.
Transportation of end-of-life glass products from the building site to the ‘end-of-life destination’ (e.g.
glass recycling company site in case glass is recycled), according to the end-of-life scenario applicable
(C2) shall be taken into account. All the process steps necessary for the product to reach the end-of-waste
status shall be taken into account in module C. For different cullet types, the end-of-waste status is defined
in the Annex G.
For transportation modes and distances, see 6.3.5.2.9.
6.3.5.6 Benefits and loads beyond the product system boundary in module D
Shall be according to EN 15804:2012+A2:2019. In addition:
Module D declares the potential benefits and loads beyond the system boundary resulting from
secondary materials leaving or entering the product system.
According to the Table 2, 6 % of glass would be recycled. However, in addition to glass recycling, module
D can consider other burden and benefits after the end-of-waste status of the materials (recycling of
packaging, backfilling of glass, etc.).
In the context of glass products, benefits and loads resulting from the provision or con
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