Innovation and Industry: Ceramic’s Sustainable Story  

At the American Institute of Architects (AIA) 2017 Conference, as a response to the nation’s unprecedented challenges in the areas of “equity, human rights, sustainability, climate awareness, economic opportunity, and architecture that strengthens community,” 4,436 architects reaffirmed their own “Hippocratic Oath” to care for the planet. This recent powerful statement confirms the idealism and commitment to making a difference in the world through design. In the past decades, the AIA has taken numerous steps to celebrate and encourage advancements in sustainable design from the Committee on the Environment (COTE) to the AIA 2030 commitment design data exchange. These initiatives are driven by powerful environmental data both from the United States and abroad, which shows that not only do buildings change their users, but they also can change their communities as well as larger surrounding ecosystems.

Photo courtesy of Tile of Spain

Exterior porcelain panels show the versatility of ceramic as a durable, sustainable material in this Spanish “lattice house” designed by Emiliano López & Mónica Rivara Architects.

Architecture 2030, a nonprofit organization, began sounding the alarm about climate change with statistics identifying buildings as one of the main culprits in the waste of electricity, natural resources, and a major contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

According to the European Commission, buildings are responsible for 36 percent of the total carbon emissions released into the atmosphere, with urban construction representing around 60 percent of the extractions of raw material in the world, and their consumption of water is equivalent to 12 percent of the total consumed in developed areas, although this can rise to over 60 percent in highly urbanized areas. In addition, the energy consumed in buildings represents 40 percent of the total energy consumption of the European Union, and within this amount, 70 percent is used for heating or cooling.¹

Not only architects were paying attention to alarming data concerning climate change and the destruction of the planet’s natural resources, but owners, contractors and manufacturers of building products are also engaged. As numerous green building rating systems have proliferated, each year brings us closer to developing products that are green from cradle to grave. Industries are beginning to investigate in a life-cycle analysis (LCA) of their products. LCA requires that a producer assess the environmental impacts associated with all of the stages of a product’s life from the extraction of a raw materials through processing, manufacturing, use, repair, maintenance, and eventually the re-purposing or recycling of the product (cradle to cradle) rather than the landfilling of materials.

For decades dismissed as a “fad,” mere “tree hugging,” and a “fashion that would quickly fade,” a new building genre is now driving a permanent environmentally conscious sustainability market. “The Drive Toward Healthier Buildings,” a 2016 report by Dodge Data & Analytics, documents the benefits and metrics for measuring healthier building impacts.² It reports that 30 percent of all surveyed building owners would like more transparency on product information. According to this survey, in the next five years, 64 percent of the respondents will expect that construction materials and construction techniques will enhance air quality.

New approaches to environmentally friendly buildings will include products that are labeled with LCA product declarations, are chemically safe for the environment and the occupants with no off gassing of harmful chemicals, and improve environmental indoor air quality. Professionals and owners will be requesting materials and processes that find and maintain a balance between construction and the environment. The goal expressed in the United Nations 1987 Brundtland Commission continues to be a valid mandate. Sustainability is development that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Photo courtesy of Tile of Spain

New ceramic markets include these new gauged porcelain slab countertops, which provide an elegant, durable, heat- and stain-resistant alternative to the use of natural stone or laminates.

The ceramic tile industry is one vivid example of how an industry is examining and changing its environmental footprint. In addition, these changes are also providing increased manufacturing savings in production and energy. The size of the ceramic construction tile market in the United States is forecast to grow at a rate of almost 10 percent over the next decade.³ Ceramic tile is one of the most widely used flooring materials in the world.

Ceramic tile is inherently sustainable because it:

• is manufactured in various levels of slip resistance for improved safety on exterior or interior surfaces;
• is made from 100 percent plentiful and natural raw materials;
• is recyclable;
• remains in service up to four times longer than other products;
• is easily repaired by replacing individual tiles rather than entire installations;
• is easily cleaned and does not require toxic products, such as detergents, waxes, solvents and shampoos, to maintain, only neutral cleansers and water;
• contributes to improved indoor air and the reduction of allergies;
• is not absorbent of smoke, paint fumes, contaminants, or other odors; and
• is chemically inert and inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, fungus, and other organisms.

As this industry has investigated sustainability initiatives, it has also found new markets. New products include advancements in tiles to meet universal design criteria, new solid countertops, half-inch-thick exterior pavers, and large exterior surface cladding. The industry is now using the term “gauged” as a new term for a thin tile or porcelain product and there is a vast array of new gauged porcelain and gauged tile products. The ceramic industry is taking a lead in the midst of a major change and approach to healthy, sustainable building materials.

A Life-Cycle Initiative

In Europe, and particularly in Spain, from ancient Alhambra to today’s architects who are using ceramics in Passive Haus and LEED projects, ceramic tile has been a prime building material known for its durability and aesthetics. As a response to 21^st century environmental initiatives, a new study titled “Sectoral Life-Cycle Analysis of Ceramic Tiles” was initiated in order to offer real and transparent information about the manufacturing, production, and material content of ceramic tiles and their impact on the environment. This analysis developed new sustainability goals for the ceramic industry.

More than 50 Spanish companies from the ceramic tile sector (manufacturers of finished products, spray-dried powder, glazes, etc.) took part in the research program accounting for about 40 percent of that region’s tile production. LCA requires the collection of quantifiable materials that can be evaluated through a lens of environmental flows from input of raw materials to the output of a finished product. The study included red or white body earthenware wall tiles, glazed white or red body stoneware tiles, and porcelain tiles.

Researchers analyzed the entire life cycle of tile from the extraction of raw materials, transportation, manufacture, and distribution to the point of use and waste management.

The study was designed:

• “to obtain scientifically valid and objective reference values for the environmental loads of ceramic tiles by performing an LCA; and
• to draw up product category rules (PCRs) that are applicable to ceramic tiles so that they can be used in the preparation of environmental product declarations (EPDs).”⁴

As Ryan Fasan, technical consultant for Tile of Spain, states, “One of the essential actions to improve a product’s sustainability is to study its global environmental profile throughout its entire life cycle. It is possible to describe a product as ‘green’ when its life cycle evidences its efficient consumption of raw materials, causes only a limited impact on the environment, is functionally suitable for use, is not harmful during its usage phase, and does not generate any negative impacts on the environment during its disposal or recovery at the end of its working life.” This public-private initiative generated a movement toward a deeper commitment to sustainability and demonstrates how a public-private initiative from the government, university, business, and manufacturers can make a substantial change toward the protection of individuals and the environment.

Photo courtesy of Tile of Spain

Shown is a closeup of a ceramic exterior panel from the Spanish “lattice house” designed by Emiliano López & Mónica Rivara Architects.

Image courtesy of Tile of Spain

LCA development process

The Environmental Footprint of Ceramic Tiles

According to the LCA study, the greatest environmental impact for all categories is in the manufacture and distribution of ceramic tile. Tile is composed primarily of natural clay, feldspars, sand, carbonites, and kaolins. These raw materials are transported to the manufacturing plants, causing transportation expenses and environmental degradation. Industry clusters like Castellón in Spain help to mitigate this environmental burden through close proximity to abundant supply of these materials, close proximity to port for efficient transport of any imported goods, and proximity to neighboring companies to share trucking to a centralized and accessible area. Costly electrical and thermal energy is used in the spray drying and firing phases. Heat siphoning and cogeneration practices are employed to mitigate the necessary burdens of these processes. Water discharges and material waste were not considered in the inventory because the tile industry already directly recycles water and waste back as standard industry practice. However, water and material waste are inventoried as an area for improvement as the material is classified and packaged.

Once purchased, the impact of the types of mortar chosen and cleaning applications depended on the final user and on the type of use. Ceramic tile is durable, and the average useful life of this material is estimated as 50 years, according to UNE-EN 14411: 2007 Ceramic tiles: Definitions, Classifications, Characteristics, and Marking (UNE is the Spanish Association for Standardization). Tiles represent 0.32 percent of the total weight of a building. The study set the benchmark of the impact of ceramic tiles if deposited as inert building materials in landfills.

The LCA determined that the primary environmental impact of this industry is in the manufacturing phase. Based on this data, different manufacturers are benchmarking their environmental footprint and making changes to achieve the European Union’s stringent multi-attribute ecolabel. A few highlights of these initiatives include reductions in emissions, innovative water use and reuse, and reductions in waste.

Reduction in Emissions and Water Use

Ceramic manufacturers are reducing their emissions to save energy. In the past 20 years, the industry has tripled its production yet managed to reduce gaseous emissions by 75 percent of the original 1970s consumption levels.

Some tile manufacturers are using cogeneration as a new heat source. Co-generation, or combined heat and power(CHP), is the generation of heat and electricity simultaneously to maximize energy usage. CHP is considered to be one solution to Kyoto targets, as it highly reduces emissions of CO₂ to the environment. Cogeneration can provide energy savings ranging between 15–40 percent when compared to the supply of electricity and heat from conventional power stations and boilers. In addition to using CHP systems to provide heat, these manufacturers sell their excess electrical energy to local electricity companies. Along with energy, equipment, and lighting audits, tile manufacturers are reducing their greenhouse emissions and saving energy.

The FERTILIFE project focuses on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the ceramic tile factories in the area of Castellón de la Plana, Spain, using the CO₂ captured in agriculture.⁵ In this way, it promotes the use of agriculture as a natural CO₂ sink by recovering this waste gas to make irrigation water more acidic. This project is cofinanced by the European Union within the LIFE Climate Change Mitigation Programme. This program made it possible for tile manufacturers in Spain to use wastewater from the manufacturing plant to irrigate orange groves. This brings industry in the region full circle. Originally, the major industry was orange farming. Many of the groves were removed by the farmers to make spaces for ceramic plants. These same orange farmers became the founding owners of modern ceramic industry. Now those ceramic facilities are creating a way to revitalize the iconic orange groves of the region.

Reduction in Waste

The raw materials of ceramic tile are abundant natural resources. Manufacturers eliminate material waste by recycling scraps as they are cut. Similar to piecrusts, the excess trimmings are sent back to the beginning of the process to be reground and reformed into fresh material.

LIFECERAM is a project funded by numerous organizations that made it possible to manufacture a ceramic product for urban paving with a base and a coating obtained from ceramic waste generated within the process itself.⁶ This project examined waste that could not be easily recycled within the manufacturing process. These products included fired and unfired biscuits (tile before a glaze is applied), sludge from glazing and polishing lines, and dust from the kiln bag filters. Through the redesign of a highly sustainable manufacturing process, new manufacturing processes have been identified as well as new products developed for increasing markets.

Several manufacturers are incorporating recycled materials making even more reductions in the use of a natural resource. Some products are made with up to 80 percent preconsumer recycled material. The innovative LIFE Foundrytile project is an initiative that led to the use of the waste of fine fraction and sands of iron smelting to be repurposed in the production of ceramic tiles. This initiative takes advantage of the disposable production waste of one industry and uses it as raw material in another.

This cradle-to-cradle initiative is designed to produce savings in both industries while reducing the environmental impact of landfilled waste. It has been estimated that in Spain, the production of ceramic tiles could absorb all the byproducts generated in iron smelting. If replicated in Europe, the ceramic industry would be able to absorb 75 percent of foundry waste.⁷ The LIFE program is the European Union’s funding instrument for the environment and climate action. The general objective of LIFE is to contribute to the implementation, updating, and development of EU environmental and climate policy and legislation by cofinancing projects with European added value.⁸

Photo courtesy of Tile of Spain

High-quality ceramic tiles meet LEED V4 criteria and can be specified with LCA certifications.

The Path to EPDS

PCRs for ceramics provide guidance on the three-legged stool attributes of ceramic tile: environmental, social, and economic. PCRs are registered by sector, and there are numerous designations by country or region of the world.

As an example, the preparation of the LCA for ceramic tiles made it possible for the Spanish ceramic tile sector to be a pioneer in obtaining the first EPDs. An EPD is an international ecolabeling system for products or services enabling the certification of the environmental impact throughout the life cycle of the products and their economic-efficient manufacturing process. The LCA for ceramic tiles at the sectorial level allowed for the comparison of individual attributes and parameters by each manufacturer. A computer tool developed by members of the ceramic tile industry that included a research group from UNESCO Lifecycle and Climate Change resulted in the ability of this sector to identify the trends in the main environmental indicators and facilitate greater environmental sensitivity internationally.

In order to register a formal EPD for a product with an ecolabel, a manufacturer completes an LCA assessment using the PCR. Then the manufacturer creates a verifiable EPD using the PCRs. This EPD is registered with The International EPD, a global program for type III environmental declarations in accordance with ISO 14025 and EN 15804 (“EN” or “ENs” refer to “European Standard.” These are documents that have been ratified by one of the three European organizations recognized as competent for technical standards.).

There are two types of EPDs: multi-attribute and single attribute. An example of a single-issue EPD is a climate declaration. These describe the emissions of greenhouse gases or carbon footprint for a product’s life cycle. A multi-attribute EPD compares the product against industry standards and demonstrates impact reduction below industry averages in multiple environmental aspects.

LEEDv4 and Other Rating Systems

The requirements for the LEEDv4 credit Building product disclosure and optimization – environmental product declarations, Option 2. Multi-attribute optimization has stringent requirements.⁹ This LEEDv4 credit requires third-party certification for product declarations. Products must demonstrate impact reduction below industry average in at least three of the following categories and only then are valued at 100 percent of their cost for credit achievement calculations.

• Global warming potential (greenhouse gases), in CO2e;
• Depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer, in kg CFC-11;
• Acidification of land and water sources, in moles H+ or kg SO2;
• Eutrophication, in kg nitrogen or kg phosphate;
• Formation of tropospheric ozone, in kg NOx, kg O₃ eq, or kg ethene; and
• Depletion of nonrenewable energy resources, in MJ.

Other green building rating systems or certifications that include credits for LCA or allow points for sustainable initiatives include the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), Passive Haus buildings, The Living Building Challenge and BREEAM.

Photo courtesy of Tile of Spain

The Gandia Kid University in Gandia, Valencia, was designed by architects Ángela García de Paredes. Ignacio G. Pedrosa was awarded the 2012 Gold Medal International Prize for Sustainable Architecture.

Photo courtesy of Tile of Spain

Shade trees are reflected in the white ceramic facade. Ceramic tiles and ceramic facade cladding contributed to the environmental story of this sustainable project.

Value Comparisons

The value engineering that takes place during the construction document phase is a subtle frustration for design professionals. The amortization of a product’s cost over time can often be thought of as a different calculation than that of environmental sustainability. The Tile Council of North America (TCNA) commissioned an independent construction cost consulting firm, Scharf-Godfrey (a division of Phoenix Engineering Inc.), to conduct a life-cycle cost study of building surfaces in 2006. This study compared the economics and life-cycle values of various types of ceramic tile. Porcelain, mosaic, and quarry tile were compared to 12 other floor finishes, such as hardwood, laminate, concrete, stone, carpet, terrazzo, vinyl, and poured epoxy.

Adjusted for present values over a future payback period, the study reviewed a limited life-cycle cost analysis that included labor, materials, normal contractor’s overhead and profit, plus periodic maintenance costs to preserve and maintain the appearance of the product. It also considered the final costs to remove the floor covering at the end of its useful life, assuming that the material would be landfilled.

The study showed that ceramic tile costs less per year than all other floor finishes over the life of a building. Carpet and vinyl are shown to be significantly more expensive due to their shorter expected life.¹⁰ In addition, the cost per square foot per year is less for all tile products than that of other materials. The resulting data shown in Table 1 demonstrates the economic value of selecting ceramic tile over other surfaces.

Image courtesy of The Tile Council of North America (TCNA)

Table 1: Floor Coverings Comparisons

A Healthy Finish

There is an increasingly widespread initiative to design buildings with interior environments that make people healthier. The International WELL Institute was launched in 2013 with the goal of focusing on criteria that promote occupant well-being. The WELL standard measures building performance based on physiological human behavior. It is organized under seven concepts key to the design of buildings, where humans spend over 90 percent of each day. These concepts include air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, and comfort. The WELL program is administered through IWBI’s collaboration with Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), which also administers LEED certification among others.¹¹

Designers are encouraged to consider the various systems in the human body. For example, to avoid aggravating the cardiovascular, respiratory, immune, integumentary, and endocrine systems, exposure to pollutants, including chemical, such as VOCs, and organic, such as allergens, bacteria, and mold, should be reduced. The attributes of ceramic tile that are compliant with healthy finishes promoting the criteria of WELL include those that improve indoor air quality, such as mold resistance.

A new tile product even provides bactericidal properties and removes any bacteria on its surface. The bactericidal properties of this product are due to the use of silver nanoparticles that are integrated during the production process of the porcelain stoneware before it is baked. The combination of silver nanoparticles and humidity releases silver ions. The silver ions stop the microbial metabolism, and in a short amount of time, the bacteria disappear completely. This new tile is being used in hospitals, senior centers, clinics, restaurants, and in the food industry.¹²

Photo courtesy of Tile of Spain

Ceramic tile was used to meet Passive Haus guidelines in this award-winning home in Spain.

Top 10 Reasons to Choose Sustainable Tile

When developing a top-10 list of criteria for materials that promote health, support environmental initiatives, and are economically feasible, common attributes like durability, maintenance requirements, and performance characteristics should be considered. Ceramic tile is a good choice as an aesthetic as well as sustainable building material. The top 10 reasons to use ceramic tile are:

1. Its value is amortized over time.
2. It is inhospitable to dust mites, germs, and bacteria. Tile is inorganic and will not contain or harbor any food source for organic allergens or organisms.
3. It is durable.
4. It is water resistant.
5. It is low maintenance.
6. It is fire resistant.
7. It is fade resistant.
8. It is a natural material with transparent LCA values.

9. It is versatile and can be used for floor, wall, countertop, interior, and exterior applications in all climates.
10. It is aesthetically pleasing.

These are just some of the reasons to select ceramic products with even more choices for interior and exterior applications.

Photo courtesy of Tile of Spain

Designers have more aesthetic choices when specifying tiles that meet universal design recommendations of 0.42 DCOF.

Design for All

Human-centered design, or universal design, is another aspect of the design of a building for the well-being of occupants. Meeting the regulations of the American Disabilities Act (ADA) is a legal requirement to design buildings that are safe for all occupants, particularly those with disabilities. There is no longer a minimum tolerance threshold for ADA standards for slip resistance. Design professionals can be confused as to how to specify flooring with sufficient traction in wet environments. The coefficient of friction (COF) is the common standard for a slippery floor. A zero COF means that a wet floor is very slippery, while any number higher than one might mean that the occupant was walking in sand.

In 2012, ASTM C1028 was no longer used to test the slip resistance of tile. This standard was based on the static coefficient of friction (SCOF). Although the standard was changed, many architects are still specifying commercial floors with a slip resistance of 0.60 SCOF. The new standard of measurement is the dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF). This new test better reflects real-life situations on wet tile. New guidelines recommend that designers specify ceramic tiles that meet a minimum of 0.42 DCOF value as measured by the BOT 3000 testing apparatus. Using this testing machine, even existing floors can be measured for safety during renovations, and periodic tests in situ can address the ongoing performance or longevity of a slip-resistant finish.

This change occurred due to research at the University of Wuppertal in Germany (known worldwide for its traction studies). It studied human subjects walking on force plates to study the relationship between the tangential force and the vertical force needed for reliable traction. The German researchers considered many different slippery conditions, different ways people could move on a surface, and accident statistics over many years. This led to the recommendation of a minimum wet DCOF value of 0.42 for flooring to the German national insurance body. In various studies at the TCNA, including a study of more than 300 tile surfaces, TCNA researchers found that 0.60 wet SCOF correlated on average with 0.38 wet DCOF.¹³

Considering both the TCNA research and the years of research in Europe, the ANSI A108 Accredited Standards Committee decided to adopt the German recommendation and include in ANSI A137.1–2012 a required minimum threshold of 0.42 (per the DCOF AcuTest) for level interior spaces expected to be walked upon when wet. By requiring a value higher than 0.38, the new standard provides an additional measure of safety over the widely used ASTM C1028 wet SCOF value of 0.60.

The DCOF of installed tiles can change over time as a result of wear and surface contaminants. In addition to regular cleaning, deep cleaning and traction-enhancing maintenance may be needed periodically to maintain DCOF values. With the portability and ease of the DCOF AcuTest, periodic evaluation of flooring surfaces is now easily accomplished. In this method, the BOT 3000, an automated and portable device, is used with a unique rubber sensor and slightly soapy water (or more precisely, 0.05 percent sodium lauryl sulfate solution) to measure the dynamic friction of installed tiles.

Where floor tiles have a DCOF lower than 0.42, care must be exercised to ensure the tiles are not walked on while wet. In addition to choosing flooring surfaces with sufficient traction, designers should provide adequate lighting and design spaces that allow for suitable drainage to reduce slip/fall accidents. Proper footwear and shoe materials can also greatly improve traction and should be considered in any campaign to reduce slips and falls on wet surfaces.

Photo courtesy of Tile of Spain

New sleek ceramic countertops provide a safe nonconductive surface in kitchens where heat and cold can cause problems.

Photo courtesy of Tile of Spain

Thinner and larger tile surface materials are available for use on interior and exterior walls.

Innovative Tile

Innovative tile products are increasing the market for this versatile material. In addition to innovations as described in ceramics made from recycled foundry material and ceramics with antibacterial properties, engineering advancements in ceramics have added new products to the market. Thinner, thicker, and larger tile surface materials are available for use in a variety of commercial applications. These include thicker exterior pavers for sand or grass-set installations, large surface countertops, and exterior panel cladding. From countertops to pavers, there are even more choices for architects to select ceramic tile to achieve sustainable environmental benefits.

Nonconductive Countertops

Ceramic countertops provide a safe nonconductive surface in kitchens where heat and cold can cause problems. However, grouted ceramic tiles can provide an uneven and hard-to-clean counter surface. New large surfaces made from gauged porcelain panels are now available for use in food preparation areas. These slim panels are generally made in thicknesses of 12 millimeters or ¹/₂ inch for stability in standard cabinetry installations. They require minimal support with no need for tile joints. By using the high thermal mass and low conductivity of ceramics, radiant heating zones can be installed beneath these counters for uses like plate warming, defrosting, etc. They can be installed to mimic any other stone or artificial laminate. Furthermore, these new tile countertops can be fabricated like any natural stone and often in formats larger than available in the natural materials. Slabs up to 5.5 feet by 11 feet are available for horizontal applications.

Durable Exterior Paving

For use in all terrains, ¹/₂-inch-thick porcelain pavers can be used outside. On grass, cement, sand, or gravel, these pavers provide an alternative to cement pavers with the benefit of a much larger array of surface designs. By using adjustable supports, these tiles can be part of a raised flooring system used on decks, stairs, and pool areas where all slopes, waterproofing, and drainage systems can be hidden below grade. Choosing a porcelain exterior tile takes advantage of all of the benefits of this ceramic material. These tiles are durable, easy to maintain, and thermally stable. Selection of lighter colored tiles with a high solar reflective index (SRI) can reduce the urban heat island effect when used in exterior hardscaping. They can meet the criteria for flooring that meets universal design recommendations in an exterior application.

Fade-Resistant Porcelain Panels

Many Mid-century Modern designers used glazed ceramic tiles as a design element. The General Motors Technology Center, considered one of the most important works of architect Eero Saarinen, is a good example of how the use of color adds excitement to a corporate campus. Continued use of glazed brick or glazed cement created a new aesthetic. Glazed cement products are heavy, composite materials with a ceramic facing. These products are required to meet strict guidelines for fading and chemical resistance. Lightweight, gauged-porcelain, all-ceramic panels are now available for slabs and cladding. These products will not fade and are moisture, chemical, and stain resistant.

To support this growing industry, ANSI released two new standards after years of cross-disciplinary collaboration and research that define the performance of both thin pavers and wall products. These standards are ANSI A137.3: The American National Standard Specifications for Gauged Porcelain Tiles and Gauged Porcelain Tile Panels/Slabs, and its companion, ANSI A108.19: Interior Installation of Gauged Porcelain Tiles and Gauged Porcelain Tile Panels/Slabs by the Thin-Bed Method bonded with Modified Dry-Set Cement Mortar or Improved Modified Dry-Set Cement Mortar. This thin-tile standard covers a range of the thickness or gauge of these panels for wall applications from 3.5 to 4.9 millimeters (¹/₈ inch to ³/₁₆ inch) and for wall and floor applications from 5 to 6.5 millimeters (³/₁₆ inch to ¹/₄ inch).¹⁴

A Sustainable Future

The story of new ceramic materials provides a lesson in how an industry can come together to create a new sustainable future. In conjunction with design professionals, industry leaders, university researchers, and governmental incentives, the ceramic industry is expanding to make buildings better for all occupants as well as the environment. They are providing leadership in the path toward responsible environmental leadership.

End Notes

¹“Buildings.” European Commission. Web. 14 May 2017. https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/energy-efficiency/buildings.

²The Drive Toward Healthier Buildings 2016: Tactical Intelligence to Transform Building Design and Construction. SmartMarket Reports. Dodge Data & Analytics. Web. 7 June 2017. www.engineering.com/Portals/0/Stories/14871/Drive_Toward_Healthier_Buildings_2016.pdf.

³“Ceramic Tiles Market Size By Product (Floor Tiles, Wall Tiles), By Application (Residential Replacement, Commercial, New Residential), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, China, India, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, GCC), Growth Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2013–2024.” Global Market Insights. September 2016. Web. 15 May 2017. www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/ceramic-tiles-market.

⁴Benveniste, G. et all. “Sectoral Life Cycle Analysis of Ceramic Tile.” Web. 15 May, 2017 www.pharosproject.net/uploads/files/sources/1828/1395065078.pdf.

⁵“Summary: Agricultural carbonic fertilization with ceramic industry greenhouse gases emissions.” Fertilife. LIFE and Climate Change Mitigation. European Commission. Web. 15 May 2017. www.fertilife-project.eu/project/summary/.

⁶“The Goal: Zero-waste in ceramic tile manufacture.” LIFECERAM. Web. 15 May 2017. www.lifeceram.eu/.

⁷“Sustainability in Spanish Tile Production: The LIFE Foundrytile Project.” Tile of Spain. 10 May 2017. Web. 15 May 2017. www.tileofspainusa.com/sustainability-in-spanish-tile-production-the-life-foundrytile-project/#sthash.XjMlTuRa.4frxNGOC.dpbs.

⁸“The LIFE Programme.” European Commission. 14 March 2017. Web. 15 May 2017. ec.europa.eu/environment/life/about/.

⁹“Building product disclosure and optimization – environmental product declarations.” LEEDv4, U.S. Green Building Council. Web. 15 May 2017. www.usgbc.org/credits/new-construction-core-and-shell-schools-new-construction-retail-new-construction-healthca-22.

¹⁰Floor Coverings Comparison: Costs for 17 Surfaces. Tile Council of North America. 2006. Web. 17 May 2017. www.tilethenaturalchoice.com/pdf/FloorCoveringComparison.pdf.

¹¹“Our Standard.” International WELL Building Institute. Web. 17 May 2017. https://www.wellcertified.com/en/our-standard.

¹²Bactericidal Ceramic – Biostop.” Rosagres. Web. 17 May 2017. rosagres.com/en/bactericidal-ceramic-biostop/.

¹³“TCNA Technical Bulletin 2013: Coefficient of Friction and the DCOF AcuTest.” Tile Council of North America. August 2013. Web. 1 June 2017. www.tcnatile.com/images/pdfs/DCOFBrochure_Aug2013_Comp.pdf.

¹⁴“Industry Collaboration, Exhaustive Research Results in New ANSI Gauged Porcelain/”Thin Tile” Standards Debuting at Coverings.” Tile Council of North America. 5 April 2017. Web. 18 May 2017. www.tcnatile.com/component/content/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=301.

Celeste Allen Novak, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C, is an architect, writer, and planning consultant in Michigan. Her firm concentrates on sustainability, universal design, and rainwater collection systems.

A strong global leader, Tile of Spain is the international brand representing 125 ceramic tile manufacturers belonging to the Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers’ Association (ASCER). Its objective is to support and promote Spain’s tile manufacturers and industry worldwide. http://www.tileofspainusa.com/