Glass - Contributing to innovative, green and safe transport solutions for Europe

Introduction

Flat glass is an integral part of most automotive vehicles and is essential to Europe’s transport industry. Flat glass is used to make windscreens, backlights, windows and sun roofs for a wide range of auto- mobile and transport applications, from to cruise ships and buses. Europe’s glazing manufacturers are constantly striving to deliver products that provide the best possible technological solutions to meet automobile manufacturers’ and end-users’ needs from a comfort, safety and security perspective, whilst at the same time helping the industry to meet its climate commitments.

Innovative high-tech glazing solutions have been developed to minimize heat gain in vehicles and offer thermal comfort all year around, to reduce vehicle weight through the use of lightweight glazing, to provide maximum visibility for optimum driving conditions, to integrate new features that enhance the driving experience and to safeguard the vehicle occupants in case of accident.

As a driver or as a passenger, you are seeing your environment through glass constantly without noticing it. Maybe, in future you will look at your windscreen and window in a different manner. In so doing, you will hopefully see vital pieces of industrial engineering that are integral in providing performance and sustainability for Europe’s green transport future.

Bertrand Cazes Secretary General of Glass for Europe 3 Greening the automotive sector, thanks to glass

Glazing solutions for the automotive industry need to offer the highest possible performance in terms of safety, security and durability, as well as style and comfort for vehicle manufacturers and for their passengers.

However, our industry is increasingly going beyond this, to offer innovative products that make a major contribution to reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions from vehicles, thus taking an active role in contributing to the EU’s innovative and technological competitiveness as well as to the greening of the transport sector.

4 Contributing to a reduction of vehicles’ energy needs is a priority for glass makers. It is notably achieved by weight reduction, solar control glazing and the development of electric vehicle-specific glazing

5 Solar control glazing to curb air-conditioning emissions

In recent years, the industry has TTs stands for ‘transmission of Within the framework of Beyond test procedures, one As well as reducing heat levels, developed solar control glazing. total solar energy’ into a vehicle, the ‘Mobile air-conditioning should consider ways of ensur- the inherent insulation properties This type of glass is specially en- and it is determined by the solar initiative’ launched by the ing that buyers are properly of advanced glass also consid- gineered to reduce vehicle cabin direct transmittance plus the European Commission, test informed about the performance erably reduce the effects of temperature by up to 7 or 8°C, secondary heat transfer of the procedures to quantify effective- of these systems. Considering external cooling, as laminated and reduce heat penetration glazing towards the interior of ly the fuel consumption of MAC that thanks to advanced glaz- glazing and low-emissivity coat- in vehicles exposed to solar the vehicle’s cabin. In theory, the systems are under development. ing, vehicle’s overall efficiency ing glass have insulation proper- radiation by over 25%. In this lower the TTS value, the more Because the reduction in the can be improved by up to 2 to ties that keep the car’s cabin way, a significant amount of energy-efficient the vehicle be- cabin temperature stemming 4%, one may wish to reflect warm in winter. Thus, advanced energy is saved from power- comes, since less solar energy from the use of solar control about including emissions from glazing provides thermal comfort ing air-conditioning units while builds up inside the cabin. The glazing results in reduced air- vehicle air-conditioning into offi- all year round. passengers’ comfort is safe- TTS value, once processed with conditioning use and to lower cial fuel consumption data and guarded. other data, can be used to de- loads on units, it contributes the NDEC driving cycle. termine the fuel efficiency gains significantly to reducing the real- The simplest way to assess the from reduced recourse to air- life energy use of units. As this is solar control properties of auto- conditioning, as is already the already well documented, the motive glazing is by its TTS value. case in the United States. glazing type is likely to be inte- Advanced glazing provides thermal comfort grated as a parameter in the test and efficiency all year round. procedure.

Glass

Sun Incident 100%

Transmitted Re ected Direct Sloar Technology Explained: Solar Control Glazing Absorbed Heat Transfer Total (DSHT) Transmission of Solar Energy As part of the heat-reflective technologies, solar control glazing has a coating that allows it to reduce the transmission of solar heat from the external environment while still permitting the optimal light transmis- 6 (TTS) sion essential to ideal driving conditions. This type of glazing can reduce by over 25% the heat penetration Released out Released in in vehicles exposed to solar radiation, thus reducing the need for the use of fuel-hungry cooling systems. Technology Explained: Technology Explained: Lighter automotive components for energy-efficient transport Recommendations Dark tinted glazing Switchable glazing Other than significantly reducing the thermal load (leading to reductions in fuel consumption), the different • Given the clear benefits of Another solar control solution, Switchable glazing can change types of advanced glazing are also designed to be lighter in weight; thus reducing the weight of the vehicle advanced glazing solutions, dark-tinted glass, keeps vehicle colour from clear to dark, as a whole and generating further fuel savings.1 Innovations in thinner but stronger glass contribute to notably in terms of fuel con- interiors cool by absorbing allowing the driver to control the the target of reaching 90 gr/CO2 emissions by 2020. All glass manufacturers are constantly working on sumption and extended range solar energy, while at the amount of light, and indirectly reducing weight wherever possible for all types of glazing, without jeopardizing safety in case of accidents. of electric vehicles, Glass for same time providing privacy heat, entering the car and regu- Europe believes that standards for passengers in the back of lating how the weather condi- In fact, the glass industry already has an impressive track record in reducing the weight of its glazing and norms on fuel consump- the car (dark tinted glass is not tions affect the vehicle’s cabin. solutions. For instance, over the last 30 years, the weight of glass in vehicles has been reduced tion, CO2 emissions and rang- es of electric vehicles should permitted for the driver and for- By switching a typical switcha- considerably while trends in design have led to larger glass surface, for instance with the integration of consider all real-life conditions ward-passenger windows, nor ble glazing into the dark state, completely glazed roof tops. Nowadays, the average glass content in a vehicle represents only 3% by of vehicles and not only engine of course for the windscreen). the amount of energy entering mass and glass is integrated as a structural component of cars, thus limiting the need to resort to characteristics. Dark-tinted glass is available in the cabin can be reduced by an heavier materials. Moreover, the use of acoustic windscreens allows car makers to reduce vehicle several colours and each colour additional 40% compared to weight by using thinner glazing without sacrificing acoustic comfort. • Once test procedures are in in several shades from lighter to the bright state. Thanks to the place to quantify fuel consump- very dark. This type of absorbing possibility of adjusting the level tion and CO2 emissions gener- glazing can also reduce the of light transmittance in the Glazing in Electric Vehicles ated by air-conditioning, mech- transmitted heat to the interior. interior of a car, the use of air anisms should be put in place conditioning units and the overall Electromobility is seen as one of the greatest opportunities to radically improve the environmental footprint so that car buyers are properly fuel consumption can be limited. of Europe’s transport sector. In this area as well, advanced glazing solutions have an important role to play. informed about the perfor- mance of these systems and Batteries in EV applications are a significant portion of the final vehicle mass and cost. Thus, the current how they affect the overall fuel and range performance of research and development in technologies for electric vehicles (EVs) is seeking ways to further reduce vehicles. vehicle weight while limiting higher sound propagation, by looking at smart materials. Innovative lighter glass materials are under development to support that trend. • Car manufacturers must be incentivized to equip their In addition, just as the fuel economy of a petrol car can vary according to the temperature and weather vehicles with advanced glazing conditions, the range of an electric car is affected by extreme weather conditions. For instance, TÜV SÜD solutions. found that in winter, the range of an EV can be reduced by as much as 50%’ due to both the poorer performance of batteries under cold conditions and the need to heat the vehicle cabin. In hot summer days, the range can be cut by 30%, mostly due to the energy needed to air-condition the vehicle. Given the impact of glazing on limiting the need to heat or cool vehicle cabins, the driving range of electric cars can be improved by way of advanced glazing solutions. To further increase the driving range of EVs, the integration of photovoltaic cells into the glass components of cars may also be just a few steps away. 7

1 It is commonly assumed that a lightening of 10kg of an average family car can reduce the vehicle’s CO2 emissions by 0.8 g/km. 2 N. Kanari, J.L. Pineau and S. Shallari – End-of-Life vehicle recycling in the EU – 2003. Glass providing safety and security to drivers and occupants

The glass industry invests heavily in developing products designed to improve road safety and to guarantee the security of the car and its passengers. Glass manufacturers need to ensure that the glass produced for the windscreens and side windows has the levels of strength required to resist non-optimal climatic and wear and tear conditions experienced by the car.

Automotive glass is designed to be able to last for the lifetime of car – enduring all weather conditions, wear and tear and wiper usage – and fulfilling all safety and quality requirements in case of accident or attack.

Security

Glass plays an important role in energy from the impacting body. Currently, car manufacturers the car’s ability to offer safety Since the glass remains adhered use laminated glazing for wind- and security to its passengers. to the plastic interlayer, the screens while sidelights and Generally, safety is ensured by window stays in the frame, backlights are offered only as two types of glazing: tough- acting as a safety net and an option in laminated glass, ened or laminated glass. Both keeping fragments away from with the majority of vehicles toughened glass and laminat- the passengers, thus further being equipped with tempered ed glass can be used in particu- reducing the risks of fatal side- and backlights. Laminated lar in side windows of cars to injuries in case of accidents. glazing is one of the safest provide increased levels of se- Hence, this type of glass solutions on the market, and Technology explained: Laminated glazing curity and passenger comfort, responds to the main safety for this reason it should also be Interlayer Glass by increasing impact resistance concerns in modern cars and is generalised in side panes and Laminated glazing is a sandwich comprising two glass and defence against theft. With considered a critical structural rear glass of a vehicle. It would sheets and a tough plastic interlayer, which are bonded to the use of laminated glass, in component of the car in terms provide car users with the high- each other under controlled heat and pressure. While the case of impact in an accident, of safety. est levels of security and safety. glass panes may crack when struck, the glass remains the glass will crack, while adhered to the interlayer, which is more difficult to punc- absorbing a large part of the Glass ture or tear and hence structural integrity is maintained. 8 Laminated glazing provides the highest levels of security and safety. Illustration/graphic: hydrophobic glass / heatable glass

Glass providing safety and security to drivers and occupants

Visibility Certification

The driver’s field of vision is Our cutting edge products help As an integral and structural part All types of glass are then Recommendations influenced by the light the wind- to ensure optimal visibility, of a car, glass needs to undergo type approved by an author- screen allows into the cabin. For regardless of the climatic con- multiple certification and ho- ised agency. • Car manufacturers should be encouraged to use products such as this reason, automotive glazing ditions, to prevent optical dis- mologation processes to ensure laminated glazing not only in windscreens but also in rear and side mounted in front of the B- tortions and minimize the risk it complies with the safety re- Moreover, whether for the origi- panes to ensure the highest level of protection to passengers. (pillar on both sides in front of of accidents. Examples of these quirements outlined at global nal or replacement market, au- the driver’s seat) has to comply innovative technologies include (UNECE) and European level. tomotive glass always bears a • For the same reasons, all cars should be equipped with the most with minimum light transmit- hydrophobic glazing, which is The testing regimes carried marking that allows the identifi- advanced and high quality glass, which must be UNECE and EC tance requirements of 70% to designed to increase driver out on the light transmittance, cation of the type of glass, the compliant and marked adequately. ensure optimal visibility. Behind visibility in rainy conditions by durability, strength and optical manufacturer, the series as well the B-pillar lower light transmis- dispersing water more rapidly qualities of glass are extremely as the type approval by the • International standards on glass quality should remain strongly sion values are possible, which from the glass surface. Heated rigorous and paramount to en- competent authority. This en- enforced and need to continue to cover all possible hazards that provides the freedom to develop glass systems remove conden- sure safety and comfort in a car. sures an extra protection against car glass may face during its life. even more efficient solar control sation from internal glass surfac- The testing is not only carried counterfeiting and guarantees glazing and to use dark-tinted es and ice from external surfaces out during the development traceability down to the automo- glass for enhanced design. for improved driver comfort and phase, but at each stage of tive processing plant and glass- passenger safety. manufacture to maintain the making plant. As such, it con- highest standards. tributes to safeguarding the high safety standards for users. 9 Combating noise pollution for better comfort

Passenger comfort has always been a high priority for car manufacturers. This is partly because, as part of the design of a car, glazed areas have grown in size to offer more light in the cabins and unobstructed views to the outside. Additionally, glass manufacturers have also developed solutions to address the issue of noise pollution within vehicles. Noise reduction is only one of the many specific features provided by laminated glazing.

Acoustic laminated glass tech- stress if an occupant is exposed When using specific acoustic Lower noise levels mean that nologies have been developed over a prolonged period. Noise laminated glass, improvements the driver will become less to combat levels of noise pene- mainly comes from the sound of of the order of 3-5 dB3 can tired, and make communication tration in vehicles, which can the car’s engine, air and other be reached, which is quite inside the vehicle more comforta- have an effect on people’s environmental factors (e.g. other noticeable to the ear. ble, thus contributing to overall health, causing disturbance and cars, roadworks, etc.). safety.

Technology explained: Acoustic glazing Recommendation

Acoustic glazing consists of two or more sheets of glass, bonded In the framework of policies to together with one or more acoustic interlayers. The interlayers act address excessive noise, the as a noise-dampening core, weakening the sound as it travels well-being of passengers and through the glass. Acoustic laminated glass also benefits from all drivers must also be preserved, the safety and security properties of standard laminated glass. particularly since, for many Moreover, acoustic windscreens reduce the need for heavier professions, vehicles can be glazing, which allows car manufacturers to reduce vehicle weight. people’s workplaces. For this reason, car manufacturers should be encouraged to use Film Film (Acoustic) advanced glazing products that provide acoustic comfort, in Glass Glass Glass Glass addition to ensuring safety.

Noise Noise

10 Normal Glass Acoustic Glass

3 Advanced Automotive Glazing Manufacturers Association (AAGMA) 11 12 So much more to automotive glass...

Glass enhances Towards greater integration of technological components in glass

Glazing is an essential element Glass is designed in such a way that it can accommodate the latest of the curves and angles that technological components that are now part of our daily driving help define the style and experience. For example, it allows the integration of antennas with character of vehicles. Light and excellent reception qualities for the use of all communication devices aerodynamic design requires in the cabin: radio, telephones, GPS systems, etc. Such integration glazed surfaces of increasing- not only leaves the car design unaltered but it usually enhances ly complex geometries, which the performance of devices through better reception. Moreover, can be real manufacturing windscreens are also now able to display the speedometer and challenges to ensure durability other information on the glass itself while the car is in motion. This and perfect vision. Manufactur- technology, also called ‘head-up display’, allows the driver to receive ers are therefore continuously key information on the directly while driving, without the developing advanced glass need to refer to the information on the dashboard and therefore to shaping techniques which allow look away from the road. for the bending and shaping of the glass to offer car makers the freedom to achieve their Continuous R&D in automotive glass design and style concepts. In addition, the design of cars often Glass manufacturers work hand in hand with OEMs to offer requires the spare parts to be continuous improvements in design that match their needs and assembled on the car body in a research solutions that contribute to the long term vision of way that offers a flush surface tomorrow’s ‘green cars’. We are leaders in innovative glazing without any unsightly junctions. products and are constantly striving to bring new added-value According to the specific design products that benefit consumers. Hence, glass manufacturers are characteristics of the brand and investing in R&D applications ranging from the reduction of glass the expectations of clients, glass weight, to new shaping and manufacturing technologies, to system manufacturers also offer a range integration and new functionalities. As electric and hybrid vehicle of different colours (e.g. green up-take increases, one may see more photovoltaic cells integrated glass, dark tinted, etc.) which into glass components of vehicles allowing for energy generation in contribute to the car’s colour the car itself. harmony and make the car model unique (‘VIP look’). 13 As in cars, flat glass is also Glass is used for the cabin in Another important feature of Glass benefits other used in lorries, buses, trains, lorries to protect the driver the glass used in lorries is that trams and also planes, boats against bad weather conditions. it protects drivers against and agricultural and forestry For this reason, heated wind- fatal accidents and therefore transport modes machinery. The challenges faced screens and water repellent laminated glass is increasingly in these other modes of transport coatings have been developed being used also in side windows, Transport glass technology is being continually developped are very similar to those of cars, for side windows, providing for as it is more resistant to shock as glass needs to provide opti- an improved driver vision during and prevents the cabin from to respond to the specific needs of each transport mode. mum visibility, whilst presenting a bad weather externalities, such being penetrated in the case of high level of durability, noise and as rain, ice, fog and mud. an accident. thermal comfort and strength. 14 In buses, new types of inter- In the case of agricultural be damaging to the health of the helicopters and military air- Another important property Automotive and transport glass layer in laminated windows – machinery, one of the most occupants. Moreover, safety is craft. Especially for cockpit that glass needs to have on technology is being continually different to those used for cars – important features is thermal paramount, and most of the windows, but also for cabin planes is protection against developed to respond to the have been developed to ensure comfort. Heat-absorbing and cabin’s glazing can be equipped windows, glass is reinforced to extreme weather conditions. specific needs of each transport higher levels of noise protection UV-protecting glass can also with laminated glass in order to a very high strength by making Windscreens on aircraft are mode and present further to limit the driver’s tiredness and be engineered especially for create a safe workplace. its surface permanently com- equipped with heating systems, possibilities in safety, comfort, provide better travelling condi- vehicles of low speeds, including pressed to create a very strong usually made by conductive aesthetic choice, and environ- tions for the passengers. in particular agricultural tractors Glass strength is of particular glass with a high optical quality. coatings or wire-grids, in order mental sustainability terms to its that spend long hours in fields importance for several types of For helicopters, special weight- to withstand fog and ice. users. with full exposure to the sun, aircrafts: commercial planes, reducing yet durable bird-proof which is considerable and can glass is used. regional commuter planes, 15 Reducing the environmental impact of glass

Flat glass is commonly used in the construction industry for windows, façades and doors, in automotive for windscreens, sidelights and backlights as well as in solar-thermal and photovoltaic modules. All these end products commonly derive from flat glass, which is primarily made of sand as main raw material and also from recycled glass known as ‘cullet’.

The manufacturing process for flat glass is becoming more and more efficient, and flat glass products are fully recyclable.

The Manufacturing Process Waste and Recycling The float process is the initial The large sheets of flat glass are The glass industry takes It is also to be noted that be- It is of utmost importance to process for the production of then transformed into a wind- sustainability issues very tween eight and nine million glass manufacturers that the large sheets of flat glass that are screen or window according seriously and we are continuing tonnes of end-of-life vehicle treatment of glass is improved, then transformed in automotive, to the original equipment manu- our efforts to minimise and (ELV) waste is generated each as it will contribute to achieving building or solar energy products. facturers’ specifications, in a recycle automotive glass waste. year in the European Union. the targets set out in the ELV This process is energy- dedicated automotive glass plant. The float process recycles virtu- Automotive glass represents Directive (2000/53/EC), i.e. 80% intensive, since raw materials This downstream processing of ally all of its glass waste during approximately 3% (by mass) of of the vehicle to be reused and need to be heated to tempera- glass products requires consid- production. This glass, also the total composition of a car. recycled (for vehicles produced tures of 1600C°at which point erably less energy input, although called ‘cullet’ is reintroduced to Recovering and dismantling au- after January 1980), and to reduc- they melt to become glass. Con- the glass most often needs to the float batch mix to aid melt- tomotive glass is a complex and ing emissions from manufacturing. siderable efforts have already be reheated for bending and ing, therefore reducing the therefore lengthy process. If the been made and are constantly laminating. In their automotive need for raw materials and en- glass is recyclable, it needs to undertaken to minimise energy plants, automotive flat glass ergy input. In turn, it helps be properly dismantled from use. Furthermore, flat glass in manufacturers are increasingly achieve reduced CO2 emissions: cars and sorted from the other most of its applications helps using renewable energy sources one tonne of cullet allows a sav- scrap to remove the antenna, save energy and CO2 to the and signing up to “green supply” ing of approximately an equiva- connectors and solders. Then, it extent that savings realised contracts to ensure that a pro- lent amount of raw materials and needs to be treated in special throughout the lifetime of prod- portion of electricity used on site 230 Kg in CO2 emissions. This facilities before it can be melted ucts most usually offset those comes from renewable sources. helps glass manufacturers meet again as glass, or alternatively generated by their production. their targets in addressing climate used as a secondary aggregate This is one major contribution change and in particular to respect material to produce materials of the industry to sustainable their emissions allocations in the and products such as fibre glass development. framework of the EU Emission and abrasives. Trading Scheme.

16 Steps in automotive glass manufacturing

With the automotive industry demanding more and more stringent tolerances and introducing more complex forms and shapes, the production process of automotive glass panels has become extremely complex. Once the large sheets of flat glass in jumbo sizes (6 x 3.68 meters) are delivered to the automotive processing plant, seven essential steps are required to manufacture a windscreen:

1. Pre-processing 2. Silk Screen 3. Glass Bending 4. Lamination 5. De-Aeration 6. Finishing 7. Quality Control Printing and gluing & Packing and storage

During the first stage of car The borders of the glass The windscreen is intro- The glass is cleaned of The vacuum rings and sys- The ‘encapsulation pro- All windscreens are inspect- windscreen production, the are painted black, to protect duced into a bending fur- powder and the lamination tems, along with the place- cess’ involves the injection ed to certify there are no flat glass is cut out from the glue holding the wind- nace. When at the right process starts. The PVB foil ment of windscreens in a mouling of a polymer trim, scratches or chips and that the jumbo sheets of auto- screen inside the vehicle temperature, the soft glass is placed between two special cabin with appropri- shaped precisely to fit the there is no contamination of motive float glass, to sizes body. The logos and signs will accurately take the form panels of glass to serve as ate temperature air suction, vehicle body, to the peri- the laminated glass. The required by the car makers of compliance with the desired. Afterwards, a slow the protection in case of squeeze air pockets out. phery of the glazing. It also windscreens are packed for specific pieces, e.g. relevant standards are also cooling cycle strengthens glass fracture. The gluing of the two glass provides the opportunity and stored in dry compart- windscreens, backlights, applied at this stage, as the glass. panels and the foil then to incorporate additional ments, ready to be shipped etc. The sharp edges of the well as some decorative takes place in an autoclave styling and technological to car factories. glass are smoothed. elements. under the pressure of 12-13 features such as antennas. bars at a temperature of 140˚C.

17 17 An important actor of Europe’s automotive industry value chain

Along with the developments of the automotive industry, the glass industry has to adapt to an increasingly competitive environment to provide added-value to its customers under very strict and tough conditions.

An increasingly A strong European base for the glass industry worldwide business The flat glass sector is the second largest of the glass industries in the European Union after container As the automotive industry glass (bottles, jars, etc.). In 2008, the sector reached a production capacity of 12.7 million tonnes of float continues to become more and glass from the 58 float lines operating in the European Union. Of these, between 15 and 20% is then used more global, the same happens to process automotive glass. for its suppliers, such as auto- motive glass makers. It remains There are about 50 automotive glass plants in the European Union that transform flat glass into largely true for the moment, that windscreens, sidelights, backlights, rear mirrors, etc. These plants are usually located next to both float automotive glass fitted on new installations and automotive assembly plants to minimise transport at both ends and therefore reduce cars tend to come from suppli- cost and the environmental footprint. With nearly 10 R&D centres researching automotive glass, ers in the same continent, i.e. European-based manufacturers are at the forefront of innovation. The automotive glass processing industry European manufactured cars alone employs about 15.000 people across Europe, to which can be added another 18.000 workers in fitted with European glass, flat glass manufacturing plants. Korean manufactured cars with Asian glass, etc. That being said, with enhanced competition Time and logistics are crucial for automotive glass in the glass sector and the increase in car trade, more and Efficient logistics is crucial to the supply of automotive glass to car manufacturers. With the multiplication more automotive glass travels of car models and the adoption of the ‘just-in-time production’ principles by car makers, automotive glass across the globe. In addition, manufacturers have to be able to deliver all requested types of glass to an automotive assembly plant the automotive replacement or within a matter of a few days only. This is even more challenging when one considers all the different spare part market is even more pieces of glass needed to assemble a car, the very stringent and diverse specifications and the range international since timing con- of different colours, treatments and components which can be added to each pieces of glass. This straints are usually less strict requires automotive glass manufacturers to be able to switch and increase production at all time, to have than for the original market. In enough diversity and quantity in flat glass stocks and to be able to organise on-time delivery.Efficient this new environment, the quest manufacturing and logistics are therefore essential for the automotive glass industry to continue for technological advance and supplying safe, durable, and environmental-friendly products that will shape Europe’s green transport for the provision of solutions future. tailored to car makers’ needs are a major driver of competition. 18 How can policy makers help?

The right policies and legislations are essential in order to drive Europe towards innovative, green and safe transport solutions for Europe. Advanced automotive glass has a great role to play in achieving that goal but to ensure that real progress is made in the coming years, EU and national policy makers need to commit to concrete actions that activate market mechanisms to promote safety and energy-efficiency in road transport.

Glass for Europe calls for the following actions:

Green transports Safety and security in transport Health and well-being

• Standards and norms on fuel consumption, CO2 emis- • Car manufacturers should be encouraged to use • In the framework of policies to address excessive noise sions and ranges of electric vehicles should consider all products such as laminated glazing not only in wind- at workplaces, the well-being of passengers and real-life conditions of vehicles and not only engine char- screens but also in rear and side windows, to ensure drivers should be addressed, considering that for many acteristics. This entails that the benefits of using the highest level of protection to passengers. professions vehicles are people’s workplaces. For this advanced glazing solutions could at last be really reason, car manufacturers should be encouraged to accounted for. • For the same reasons, all cars should be equipped with use advanced laminated glazing products that in addi- the most advanced and high quality glass, which must tion to ensuring safety, also ensure acoustic comfort. • Once test procedures are in place to quantify fuel con- be UNECE and EC compliant and marked adequately.

sumption and CO2 emissions generated by air-condi- tioning, mechanisms should be put in place so that car • International standards on glass quality should remain buyers are properly informed about the performance of strongly enforced and need to continue to cover all these systems and how they affect the overall fuel and possible hazards that windscreens or windows may range performance of vehicles. face during their lives.

• Car manufacturers must be incentivised to equip their vehicles with advanced glazing solutions.

19 19 About Glass for Europe

Glass for Europe is the trade association for Europe’s manufacturers of flat glass. Flat glass is the material that goes into a variety of end-products and primarily in windows and façades for buildings, windscreens and windows for automotive and transport as well as glass covers, connectors and mirrors for solar energy equip- ments. It is also used in smaller quantities for other applications such as furniture, appliances, electronics, etc.

Glass for Europe has four members: AGC Glass Europe, NSG Group, Saint-Gobain Glass / Sekurit and Sisecam-Trakya Cam. It works in association with Guardian. Altogether, these five companies represent 90% of Europe’s flat glass production and supply nearly all the advanced technology glazing used by all European-based automotive manufacturers.

Glass products not only provide light, comfort, style, security and safety, they primarily contribute to innovative, green and safe transport solutions for Europe.

www.glassforeurope.com GLASS FOR EUROPE aisbl/ivzw Rue Belliard 199/33, B-1040 Brussels T. +32 (2) 538.43.77 F. +32 (2) 280.02.81 [email protected]