High-performance glass can support the UK's Net Zero ambitions and help reduce building emissions

As the UK accelerates efforts to improve the energy performance of its building stock and achieve its Net Zero ambitions, Sisecam's latest research shows that high-performance glazing can play a significant role in reducing energy consumption, cutting carbon emissions and enabling more effective building renovation programmes

ISTANBUL, Nov. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sisecam, the only global player operating in all core areas of glass, participated in the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), held in Antalya from 9–20 November, as a Climate Supporter. At COP31, the company highlighted the role of advanced glass technologies in improving energy efficiency, supporting decarbonization and helping cities adapt to the impacts of climate change.

As countries work to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy, improving the energy performance of existing buildings remains a critical challenge. While decarbonizing energy generation is essential, reducing energy demand in the buildings where people live, and work is equally important. High-performance building materials can play a significant role in lowering energy consumption, reducing emissions and supporting long-term climate objectives.

A study developed by Sisecam and METU-GÜNAM (Middle East Technical University Center for Solar Energy Research and Applications) examined the impact of different glazing configurations on energy consumption and emissions in residential buildings under varying climate conditions. Using advanced simulations and long-term projections through 2050, the research evaluated how glass technologies can help improve building performance and support climate goals.

High-performance glazing can deliver significant emissions reductions

According to the study, the large-scale use of solar-control triple glazing with low-emissivity (Low-E) coatings across Istanbul's residential building stock could avoid an estimated 13.1 million tons of operational CO₂ emissions cumulatively by 2050 under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, equivalent to approximately 4.4% of cumulative operational emissions from the buildings analysed.

The research highlights that glazing performance can play an increasingly important role in reducing energy demand while improving indoor comfort. By limiting unwanted solar heat gains during warmer periods and enhancing thermal insulation throughout the year, advanced glazing systems can help reduce both cooling and heating requirements.

Building performance is critical to achieving climate goals

One of the key findings of the study is that building energy needs are evolving as climate conditions change. While heating demand is expected to decline over time, cooling requirements are projected to increase significantly, making building-envelope performance more critical than ever.

The research demonstrates that high-performance glass can help manage this changing balance by reducing overheating during warmer periods while maintaining effective thermal insulation throughout the year. This contributes not only to lower energy consumption and emissions but also to greater occupant comfort and building resilience.

Targeted renovation can maximize impact

The study also highlights the value of targeted renovation strategies. Rather than applying interventions uniformly across the building stock, prioritizing buildings with the least efficient glazing and the highest saving potential can significantly improve investment effectiveness. For the best-performing zones analysed, the abatement cost falls to approximately EUR 11 per ton of CO₂ avoided, while less than 5% of the total investment delivers around 11% of the achievable emissions savings.

These findings underline the importance of data-driven renovation programmes and climate-specific glazing requirements in maximizing both environmental impact and economic efficiency.

Supporting the UK's Net Zero and building-renovation ambitions

The UK's building stock will play a crucial role in achieving national climate targets. While the study was conducted using Istanbul’s residential building stock as a model, its findings provide valuable insights for markets facing similar building-renovation and decarbonization challenges. As policymakers, investors and property owners seek to improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions and upgrade ageing buildings, the findings offer valuable insights into the role advanced glass technologies can play in supporting these efforts.

The study suggests that renovation programmes can achieve greater environmental and economic benefits when interventions are tailored to building characteristics and local climate conditions. High-performance glazing can help lower energy demand, improve indoor comfort and support long-term decarbonization goals, particularly in buildings with inefficient existing windows.

The findings also reinforce the importance of prioritizing renovation measures that deliver the greatest emissions reductions and energy savings, helping maximize the effectiveness of investment in the built environment.

Commenting on the findings, Can Yücel, CEO of Sisecam, said:

"Reaching climate goals requires improving not only how energy is generated, but also how it is consumed. Existing buildings represent one of the greatest opportunities to reduce energy demand and emissions. At Sisecam, we believe high-performance glass can play an important role in supporting building decarbonization while improving comfort and energy efficiency. Through our collaboration with METU-GÜNAM, we aim to provide data-driven insights that can help inform more effective renovation strategies and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon built environment."

Methodological note

The research uses EnergyPlus- an open-source building energy and water simulation engine developed by the U.S. Department of Energy- to simulate the effects of different glazing configurations. The city-scale analysis begins with a model calibrated using 2,455 residential buildings in Kadıköy (a district in İstanbul) and scales the findings to the building stock of Istanbul's 39 other districts, assuming comparable performance for buildings within the same categories. The simulations isolate the effects of changing the glazing while keeping all other parameters constant. The emissions considered are operational emissions associated with building energy consumption and do not cover the products' full life cycle. The study uses a 2025 baseline and considers two future scenarios to 2050: SSP5-8.5 and SSP2-4.5, incorporating different assumptions for climate change, electricity grid decarbonization, energy prices and discount rates.

About Sisecam

Sisecam is a story of progress...

Founded in 1935 by İş Bankası with the vision, Sisecam was established to build Türkiye’s glass industry. Over the decades, Sisecam has grown from a local initiative into a global player in glass and chemicals. As the only global company operating in all core areas of glass production, Sisecam is one of the world’s top five producers in its sectors. Sisecam operates across four continents and 13 countries, including Türkiye, Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Egypt, India, and the United States. Sisecam plays a pioneering role in flat glass, glassware, glass packaging, chemicals, auto glass, glass fiber, mining, energy, and recycling industries. By placing innovation and technology at the core of its operations, Sisecam delivers its products to customers in over 150 countries through its robust supply chain.

Sisecam makes a meaningful difference in its industries with 90 years of expertise, a skilled workforce, and the use of smart technologies. Supported by almost 23,000 employees, Sisecam is steadily advancing toward its goal of becoming one of the top three global producers in its core industries. With its CareForNext strategy, Sisecam works to ensure the sustainability of the glass and chemicals industries from the perspectives of protecting the planet, empowering communities, and transforming lives in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Sisecam is pursuing a better future through technology and innovation and continues its story of progress together with its entire ecosystem.

Learn more: www.sisecam.com

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Ayşegül Akyarlı
AAKYARLI@sisecam.com