What does the future of glass look like in a circular economy? In this special episode of The Circular Coffee Break, recorded live at Glass Performance Days 2025 in Tampere, Finland, Michael explores the future of glass with pioneers at the forefront of circular design, policy, education, and manufacturing. The conversations reveal a sector on the verge of transformation, driven by systems thinking, material innovation, and the urgent need to rethink business as usual.
The episode begins with Sophie Pelletier, a structural engineer and founder of Digne, who shares her journey from consulting to supporting manufacturers and municipalities in rethinking procurement and circular design practices. Sophie highlights the importance of localized systems for glass recovery and reuse, as well as the need to involve every actor across the value chain. She also emphasizes the surprising insight that transport emissions are often negligible compared to production emissions in construction, underscoring the need to rethink assumptions and focus on low-hanging fruits.
Next, Graham Dodd, a chartered mechanical engineer and director at Arup, discusses the need to change how we glaze buildings to embed circularity into the material and technical layers of construction. He shares an innovative example of modular glazing systems that can be easily repaired and maintained, radically extending facade lifespan and simplifying future upgrades. Graham also reflects on the importance of balancing innovation with scalability and commercialization, as well as the need to start with frontrunners who are willing to take the first step and demonstrate what’s possible.
Linda Hildebrandt, an architect, educator, and co-founder of Concular and Circuglaze, shares her insights into how architectural policy and digital platforms can work together to shift the building sector from demolition to transformation. She emphasizes the importance of embracing existing buildings and materials, as well as the need to design for disassembly and reuse. Linda also discusses the progress she sees in the industry, from manual disassembly of insulated glass units to automated processes, and the need to integrate circularity into products and processes.
Finally, Bertrand Cazes, Secretary General of Glass for Europe, provides a comprehensive view of the European policy landscape and its influence on the glass sector. He discusses the alignment across climate policy, building energy performance regulation, and the circular economy package, each reinforcing the other. Bertrand emphasizes the importance of collaboration among developers, architects, recyclers, and policymakers to recover and reuse glass, as well as the need for better deconstruction processes, standardized recycling systems, and stronger market incentives.
Why listen?
- Discover how circular design, material reuse, and policy frameworks are shaping the future of glass in the built environment.
- Learn about innovative modular glazing systems that can be easily repaired and maintained, extending facade lifespan.
- Explore how architectural policy and digital platforms can drive the shift from demolition to transformation in the building sector.
- Understand the role of collaboration among developers, architects, recyclers, and policymakers in advancing circularity in glass.
- Gain insights into the European policy landscape and its influence on the glass sector, from climate policy to building energy performance regulation.
Whether you are a policymaker, an architect, a manufacturer, or simply interested in the future of sustainable facades, this episode offers a practical and inspiring perspective on reframing glass for a circular future.
Keywords: circular economy, glass, Glass Performance Days 2025, Sophie Pelletier, Graham Dodd, Linda Hildebrandt, Bertrand Cazes, circular design, material reuse, policy frameworks, modular glazing, digital platforms, collaboration
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