Şişecam: flat glass leader with useful EPD coverage
Şişecam is a global glass powerhouse with flat glass at the heart of its building offer. The company’s range spans clear and tinted float to coated, laminated, patterned, mirror, lacquered, and solar glass, with Isıcam branded insulating glass units for whole‑window performance. Its EPD footprint is solid for base glass types, yet thinner for system‑level IGUs where many specs are won or lost.
Who they are and where they play
Şişecam operates across flat glass, glass packaging, glassware, glass fiber, and chemicals. Scale matters when buyers want continuity of supply. The group reported 5.6 million tons of glass produced in 2024 (Şişecam, 2024), which signals manufacturing depth that specifiers notice.
For sustainability context, their corporate strategy and reporting sit here: Şişecam Sustainability.
What they sell into buildings
For construction, think broad yet coherent flat glass families. Clear and low‑iron float for baseline vision areas. Tinted and reflective for solar control. Offline and online coated low‑E for energy performance. Laminated for safety and acoustics. Patterned and lacquered for interiors. Mirrors for fit‑out. Solar glass for PV modules. Across regions this roughly adds up to dozens of SKUs and variants.
EPD coverage today
Şişecam publishes product‑specific EPDs for key flat glass types through EPD International AB, covering clear float, tinted, ultra or extra clear, online and offline coated, laminated, patterned, mirror, and solar glass. Sample records include Clear Float and Mirror in the EPD International library, both valid under EN 15804 A2 (S‑P‑04810 and S‑P‑04814).
In plain terms, base glass ingredients of a glazing build‑up are well documented. That helps architects avoid default penalties in carbon accounting on many projects.
Notable gaps to watch
Insulating glass units under the Isıcam brand come in many configurations, yet we do not find broad, configuration‑specific IGU EPDs published by Şişecam across markets. Fabricators sometimes carry that baton, but when the glass maker brings a system‑level EPD to the table, it removes friction for LEED v5‑minded teams and public tenders that prefer product‑specific declarations. If your sales team hears “EPD required,” this is often where the conversation slows down.
Likely best‑seller without a dedicated EPD
The Isıcam S Series is a mainstream thermal IGU offer that appears popular across residential and light commercial projects. Without a product‑specific IGU EPD, it risks being sidelined on projects that tally whole‑assembly impacts, even if the underlying panes have EPDs. That is avoidable with a targeted program to model representative IGU builds and publish verified declarations.
Who they meet in bids
Major rivals in façade and fenestration specs include Saint‑Gobain Glass, AGC Glass Europe, Guardian Glass, and NSG Pilkington. Many now publish EPDs for both unprocessed float and processed families. AGC has published an EPD for Low‑Carbon Float with a GWP of 5.5 kg CO₂e per m² for 4 mm glass, and renewed standard float values as well (AGC Glass Europe, 2025). Guardian reports a European ExtraClear float EPD at 9.64 kg CO₂e per m² for 4 mm glass (Glass Magazine, 2024). Those numbers show the market is moving and quantifying.
What this means for specability
EPDs at the pane level are a strong start, yet configuration‑level documents for IGUs and processed lines usually decide who gets listed as equal or preferred. Teams chasing LEED v5 credits want fewer assumptions and fewer emails. A tight play is to prioritize IGU archetypes by volume, publish a small set of verified EPDs that cover 80% of specs, and align PCR choices with what competitors already use. That way, buyers can compare apples to apples instead of defaulting to conservative estimates.
A quick plan that pays back fast
Start with three to five high‑volume IGU builds and the top coated and laminated variants that drive sales. Use recent factory data, nail the A1‑A3 inventory, and publish with a recognized operator in your target markets. Keep renewal dates staggered so nothing lapses during bid season. The cost is frequently earned back by a single mid‑sized project win, even if that sounds surprsingly simple.
Bottom line for manufacturers
Şişecam’s pane‑level EPD library covers most of the glass types specifiers expect. The commercial unlock now sits with IGU and processed‑product EPDs that reflect how glazing is actually bought. Close that gap, and the brand’s scale plus documentation will do the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Şişecam publish EPDs for its main flat glass families?
Yes. Clear float, tinted, ultra or extra clear, coated (online and offline), laminated, patterned, lacquered, mirror, and solar glass all have product‑specific EPDs registered with EPD International AB.
Are insulating glass units (IGUs) covered by Şişecam EPDs?
Broad, configuration‑specific IGU EPDs were not found across markets. IGU EPDs are often issued by fabricators. Publishing a small set of archetype IGU EPDs would reduce friction in specs.
Who are Şişecam’s main competitors on EPDs in flat glass?
Saint‑Gobain Glass, AGC Glass Europe, Guardian Glass, and NSG Pilkington. Several publish EPDs for float and processed glass, including lower‑carbon lines in Europe.
Will EN 15804 EPDs work for U.S. LEED projects?
Yes. Product‑specific, third‑party‑verified EPDs compliant with ISO 14025 and EN 15804 are commonly accepted by project teams pursuing LEED credits, even on U.S. jobs.
About the Author
Eric works at the intersection of sustainability, regulation, and business strategy, helping manufacturers navigate the evolving landscape of EPDs and LCAs. Having spoken with hundreds of teams across North America, brings a deep understanding of what drives ROI, what regulators are asking for, and how companies can stay ahead with smart, scalable approaches to environmental reporting.
