Glassmaker creates role to support carbon neutrality strategy

The NSG Group, which manufactures glass under the Pilkington brand, has appointed Kristian Chalmers to a new post of Global Strategic Commercial Manager in the Architectural Glass Strategic Business Unit (SBU).

Kristian, based at the NSG Group’s European Technical Centre in Lancashire, UK will support the delivery of the group’s pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

She’ll be responsible for broadening awareness of the group’s action towards decarbonisation, developing local action plans with the business’ international teams towards carbon neutrality, and for helping define the manufacturer’s product strategy for low carbon glass.

The position also aims to help shape the business’ strategic direction for decarbonisation by acting as a central bridge between the manufacturer’s internal operational and R&D teams, and to external experts, customers and the broader building design community.

Kristian was previously Pilkington UK’s Head of Sales and she brings 15 years’ experience in Pilkington UK and the NSG Group to the new role.

Kristian Chalmers, said: “Our world-first proof-of-concept trials of hydrogen and biofuel form part of a broader effort in the industry to move towards its decarbonisation. This represents an exciting beginning of a long road ahead.

“We now need to closely consult with customers to understand how we can effectively meet their sustainability challenges by supplying glass that enables them to create buildings with both high energy performance, and low embodied carbon.

“Achieving this will require continued optimisation of our operations as we collectively learn internally and as an industry, on how we can reduce the carbon intensity of the glass manufacturing process.

“I’m excited to take on this critically important challenge for the business as it strives to make change in the built environment.”

Last year, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) certified the NSG Group’s aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030, compared to 2018 levels.