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One ambition: to improve the well-being of all Creating great living places

Addressed according to local specific concern CUSTOMIZED TOPICS

FEEL

SEE

WATER

Occupancy surveys

THERMAL COMFORT

VISUAL COMFORT

HEALTH & SAFETY Towards nurturing buildings

MATERIALS & RESOURCES Towards circular buildings

ENERGY & CARBON Towards zero carbon buildings

BIODIVERSITY

HEAR

BREATHE

Building LCA

LOCAL VALUE CREATION

CORE TOPICS

ACOUSTIC COMFORT

INDOOR AIR COMFORT

Project life- cycle costs

Sustainability

Comfort

ASSESSMENT TOOLS

TODAY’S NEEDS

TOMORROW’S CHALLENGES

Saint-Gobain has also launched a project to define an integrated approach to analysis of products and the portfolio of solutions for living spaces based on sustainability criteria (see Chapter 2, Section 2.2.2.b).

Designing sustainable, 2.2.1 comfortable solutions A product innovation process focused on a) safety and performance The Group has a procedure for monitoring product innovation instigated by R&D and marketing. The tool forms a sequenced operational roadmap for the development teams, where every step in the innovation process is reviewed by a committee set up for this purpose. This methodology allows for identification of and prompt attention to potential problems. Close monitoring of the progress achieved and product performance means that the process of innovation is faster and more secure. The EHS (Environment, Industrial Hygiene, Safety) checklist introduced in 2008 has been incorporated into the R&D “Saint-Gobain gate process”. It allows for the qualitative assessment of substances integrated into product formulations and the identification and reduction of EHS impacts associated with product life cycles. With regard to hazardous substances, the aim is to prevent the use of new substances and reduce their use in raw materials while reducing and controlling exposure levels. The safety of the product design process also relies on the integration of criteria specific to health.

Developing the eco-innovation culture b) To develop solutions that anticipate market trends, the Group’s Activities can draw on the eco-innovation approach and the toolbox that goes along with it. There are two strands to this innovation methodology: tools for understanding market needs and customer „ expectations in terms of environmental and social impacts; tools for finding solutions based on existing best practices „ or in-depth analysis of the impacts of the existing solution. Priority lines of action for eco-innovation have been defined, in line with the Group’s policies and market expectations, in terms of new sustainable solutions or improvements in existing solutions: health and well-being, energy and climate, water, resources and the circular economy. These issues are taken into consideration throughout the product life cycle, from extraction of the raw materials through to the end of its life. The Group began to deliver training in eco-innovation in 2013. Today, eco-innovation is covered in the training provided for new research managers and for R&D project leaders. It is also covered by a specific one-day training course primarily for marketing and R&D teams; more than 650 people have attended this session since it was launched. The approach continues to develop regularly to include new tools and ensure an ever-closer fit with the Activities’ expectations. A new version is currently being prepared which will incorporate the lessons learned from the product evaluation methodology.

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