Isover launches new EPDs with significantly reduced CO2 footprint
Saint-Gobain Isover, with production in Vamdrup Denmark, has had Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for all its most important products for a long time. In the wake of the factory's transition to biogas at the turn of the year, Isover launch brand new, third-party verified EPDs as of 1 July, documenting an average CO2 reduction of more than 20 percent.
Synergy with new requirements in the building regulations
"For long, we have had a clear goal of offering the market's most ambitious EPDs. Therefore, we are pleased that we can launch our new EPDs on 1 July – the same day that the stricter climate requirements in the building regulations are introduced. With the new rules, we are experiencing a significant increase in demand for documentation of the climate footprint of individual building materials seen in a life cycle perspective, and here we and our customers are now stronger than ever," says Mick Schou Rasmussen, CEO of Saint-Gobain Denmark.
Isover's factory in Vamdrup, which is one of the world's most modern glass wool factories, switched to 100 percent biogas on certificates with a guarantee of origin as of 1 January 2025. This means that biogas certificates corresponding to 100 percent of the factory's expected gas consumption are purchased, and the change is clearly reflected in the new EPDs.
"Biogas is an important piece in the green transition of Denmark's energy supply, and with the purchase of biogas certificates, we are contributing to phasing out the use of natural gas as an energy source and achieving the Danish goal of biogas as a renewable energy form replacing fossil natural gas," says Mick Schou Rasmussen and continues:
"For our customers, this means that we can now deliver glass wool insulation with a CO2 footprint that for most products is significantly lower than our corresponding previous products. We are constantly working on initiatives at all stages of production to reduce climate impact and make the EPDs even better, and even though we have now passed a significant milestone, we do not stop there. On the contrary, we continue to aim to supply building materials with both the lowest possible climate footprint and with the lowest possible consumption of virgin raw materials."
Facts about Saint-Gobain Isover:
- Isover in Vamdrup is one of the world's most modern glass wool factories, with approx. 230 employees.
- Isover produces glass wool with up to 75 percent recycled glass, depending on how much recycled glass is available.
- As part of the work on the green transition, Saint-Gobain Isover took the initiative a number of years ago for the ‘Glass to Wool’-model, which in short ensures recycling of glass from worn-out windows from energy renovations in the production of new glass wool with high insulation capacity. In recent years, the model has received increasing attention from contractors and builders.
- As of 1 January 2025, Isover has switched from natural gas to 100 percent biogas on certificates with a guarantee of origin.
- With the transition to biogas, Isover continues its work to minimize the environmental impact of the production of glass wool. A work that also includes a gradual and continuous electrification of production, production with as much recycled glass as it is possible to procure and take-back schemes on the construction sites, so that excess glass wool is returned to Isover instead of ending up in landfill or the recycling station. The majority of the products are also manufactured with a bio-based binder.