Supporting your building certification goals
Many architectural projects pursue an environmental certification to demonstrate their environmental performance and their contribution to the health and well-being of the people who use the building. The glass you specify can contribute to that goal — through verified environmental data, energy-efficient products that support daylight, views, and acoustic comfort, and tools that help project teams evaluate their options. Because certification is typically assessed at the level of the whole building, glass can contribute to specific credits within a scheme, working alongside the other choices a project team makes.
How our products, tools and declarations can contribute to certification
Environmental certifications vary from region to region, but most assess the same core themes: the embodied carbon and transparency of materials used in construction products, the building's energy performance, the quality of its indoor environment, and its impact on the site and surrounding ecology. Because glass influences several of these themes — from embodied carbon and energy performance to daylight and acoustic comfort — our products, tools and declarations can contribute across a range of schemes, including LEED®, BREEAM®, DGNB® and WELL®, even where the specific credits and terminology differ.
The example below shows how our products, digital tools and product declarations can contribute across the LEED v5, one of the main certification schemes. The exact contribution always depends on the scheme, its version, products selected, and the project as a whole.
| Guardian product, tool or resource | How it can contribute (examples) |
|---|---|
| Product-Specific (Type III) Environmental Product Declarations and Guardian NEXA™ lower carbon float glass (where regionally available) | LEED v5: Quantify and Assess embodied carbon (MRp2); Reduce Embodied Carbon (MRc2) |
| Health Product Declarations and voluntary Safety Data Sheets | LEED v5: Material Ingredients (Option 1) |
| Glass cullet and recycled content statement | LEED v5: Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion (MRc5) |
Guardian SunGuard™ high-performance coated glass
| LEED v5: Minimum Energy Efficiency (Eap2); Enhanced Energy Efficiency (EAc3); Occupant Experience (EQc2 - Quality views) |
| Performance Calculator and Building Energy Calculator (where regionally available) for early-stage energy assessment | LEED v5: operational carbon projection and decarbonization Plan (EAp1); Minimum Energy Efficiency (Eap2); Enhanced Energy Efficiency (EAc3) |
| Guardian LamiGlass™ Acoustic laminated glass (where regionally available) and the Acoustic Assistant | LEED v5: Occupant Experience (EQc2 – Acoustic criteria for indoor spaces) |
| Guardian Bird1st™ bird-friendly glass with a Threat Factor below 30 (American Bird Conservancy) | LEED v5: Biodiverse Habitat (SSc1) |
A closer look at LEED v5
LEED is one of the most widely used certifications for buildings worldwide, which is why we've produced a dedicated guide. Our LEED v5 minibook walks through how our products, tools and declarations align with the scheme's three impact areas — decarbonization, quality of life, and ecological conservation and restoration.
Certified experts to support your project
We have a team of experts who understand both glass and the requirements of building certification schemes. Our LEED Accredited Professionals (Building Design + Construction) and BREEAM Advisory Professional (AP – Design & Site) bring up-to-date knowledge of LEED requirements and building practices.
They can assist project teams in addressing specific LEED and BREEAM criteria. Alongside their technical and product expertise, they can help you select the right products, access the data your process requires, and understand how our solutions may contribute to your project's certification goals.
Meet Rita Ragheb. She is an architect, and she is also a certified BREEAM Advisory Professional (AP - Design & Site).
Meet Menna Metwally. She studied environmental design & architecture, and she is also a certified LEED® Accredited Professional (AP BD+C).
Why building certifications matter
Certification schemes give project teams an independent, structured way to set environmental goals and show they have been met. Their value comes in several forms:
Independent verification: a recognized third party confirms that a building meets defined environmental and performance criteria, rather than relying on self-declaration.
High-performing buildings: the process encourages design choices that can improve energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality and resource use.
Occupant well-being: many schemes reward daylight, views, acoustic comfort and healthy materials, which can support the experience of the people who use the building.
Long-term asset value: certified buildings may also hold their value better over time. The World Green Building Council notes that, in some markets, buildings with environmental certifications can more easily attract tenants and command higher rents and sale prices.1
LEED is a trademarks owned by the U.S. Green Building Council.
BREEAM is a registered trademark of BRE (Building Research Establishment Ltd)
DGNB is a registered trademark of Deutsche Gesellschaft Nachhaltiges- Bauen - DGNB e.V.
WELL is a registered trademark of International WELL Building Insitute
