There is an increasing need for dematerialization and to reduce the consumption of resources in the building industry. This can be addressed by the use of innovative lightweight designs in conjunction with new material combinations. The architectural trend towards maximum transparency in glass façades is an indication of the demand for new glass products that enable lightweight designs, which, in turn, drives on the development of new type of lightweight glass-plastic-composite panel that consists of a stiff, thick, transparent polymeric interlayer core covered by thin layers of glass. With outstanding structural performance, full transparency, and reduced self-weight, these composite panels are conceived as a lightweight substitute for conventional glass that saves resources by virtue of its reduced self-weight and innovative lightweight design. However, the influence of the interlayer core material on the performance characteristics-durability and impact resistance under hard and soft body impact-that are used to categorize glass-plastic-composite panels as either laminated glass or laminated safety glass is unknown, even though they are an essential aspect of safety applications in the building industry. Composite panels were investigated in line with the requirements for laminated safety glass using two different polymeric interlayer cores: 1) a stiff and brittle polymethylmethacrylate and 2) polyurethane, which is more flexible. The experimental study incorporated a durability test pursuant to EN ISO 12543-4, a ball drop test for laminated glass pursuant to EN 14449 and a pendulum test pursuant to EN 12600. In line with the performance characteristics relating to durability, impact resistance and fracture behavior, the two panel configurations were classified according to laminated safety glass requirements. This enables the potential applications of glass-plastic-composite panels in the building industry to be derived.