A new tool devised by the coatings division of BASF will help reduce the ecological footprint of coating and pre-treatment processes in the automotive industry.

The Global Life Cycle Assessment of Automotive Surface Solutions (GLASS) tool calculates and identifies environmental impacts such as carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and associated costs. The analysis follows the cradle-to-grave approach, covering the entire value chain from raw material extraction via pre-treatment to clearcoat as the final step of the coating process. From this transparency customers can derive optimizations of costs, performance and their ecological footprint. The GLASS tool has been tested by an independent third party and fulfills the relevant components according to DIN EN ISO 14040 and 14044.Analyze the environmental impacts of all essential components throughout the paint application process. Source: BASF

"A coating with its various layers of paint contributes approximately 30 kg of CO₂ per manufactured vehicle. However, the actual application process has a much larger impact accounting for at least 150 kg of CO₂ per vehicle, which makes approximately one third of the vehicle manufacturing process,” explained Sabrina Platzek, vice president global marketing automotive OEM coatings. “Therefore, in addition to the product carbon footprint of the coating, it is important to make the footprint of the coating process in the paint shop transparent - as well as the energy consumption and related cost. Only with comprehensive data and simulation, it is possible to derive impactful measures. That is precisely what we can achieve for our customers with GLASS — and this provides an exceptional insight for the industry."

GLASS is based on an adapted lifecycle analysis model. It not only considers individual aspects of the paint application process, such as specific ovens or coating systems, but also allows BASF Coatings and the customer to analyze the environmental impacts of all essential components throughout the application process and across all layers in a modular approach. Regional and site-specific factors, such as local climate conditions, energy use, and customer-specific application processes or production structures are also considered. The modular structure of the model allows for consideration and analysis of specific aspects of interest or the entire painting line.

All information on products assessed via BASF's CO₂ footprint calculation method is available and usable in the GLASS tool. TÜV Rheinland has certified that BASF's calculation method and reporting of the cradle-to-gate product carbon footprints fully comply with the requirements of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, relevant ISO standards as well as Together for Sustainability (TfS), as the pioneering chemical industry alliance.