A conference on reusing and remanufacturing glass will be held October 20–21 at glasstec 2026 in Düsseldorf, Germany, as part of the CircuClarity initiative led by Dr. Linda Hildebrand from the Office for Circularity in the Built Environment and Dr. Lisa Rammig from Eckersley O'Callaghan, U.S. glasstec runs October 20–23.
Launched in 2022, CircuClarity has grown into a network of more than 100 industry stakeholders. This year's conference, "CircuClarity Two – Beyond Progress: From Practice to Impact," will examine how re-use and remanufacturing can move from pilot projects to standard industry practice.
According to a CircuClarity study, flat-to-flat glass recycling rates rarely exceed 1%, with most glass instead crushed and mixed with other construction materials during demolition. Case studies cited in the research found that reusing glass components, rather than melting them down, can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 48% compared to producing new glass.
The study highlights two examples: a project by LMP Engineering and DOW that reinforced recovered façade glass panes with silicone for reuse, and the St. Oberholz project in Berlin, where glass partition walls were disassembled and stored for later reinstallation in an office expansion.
The study also notes obstacles to scaling these approaches, including a lack of linked data systems for tracking glass properties and origin, and logistical challenges in disassembly — for instance, screw connections intended to be reversible were sometimes harder to remove manually than silicone-bonded joints.
The conference will take place on Stage 3 at glass technology live in Hall 11.
