Tile is Naturally Green
All ceramic (which includes porcelain) tile is inherently green. It’s basically made of dirt and water, after all. The natural materials have a number of environmental qualities that make tile a great choice for eco-friendly design projects:
- Ceramic tile is sanitary. It’s easy to clean and resistant to dust mites, mold, and bacteria.
- Ceramic tile has no VOC emissions. Because it is fired at very high temperatures, the final product is virtually inert, with no off-gassing.
- Ceramic tile is non-combustible; it doesn’t emit toxic fumes when exposed to fire.
How are Green Squared Products Greener?
ANSI A138.1. is the voluntary industry standard that outlines the environmental and social criteria for sustainable ceramic tiles, glass tiles, and tile installation materials. Titled Green Squared American National Standard Specifications for Sustainable Ceramic Tiles, Glass Tiles, and Tile Installation Materials, it is the world’s first consensus-based sustainability standard written exclusively for tile and installation materials.
The Green Squared initiative was developed under the guidance of Tile Council of North America who relied on the expertise of its Green Initiative Committee and members of the greater green building community to draft the standard for submittal to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A108 Committee for review and approval.
Not only does Green Squared encompass a full range of products within an industry, it is a multi-attribute sustainability standard that takes into account not only product characteristics, but environmental and social issues such as environmental product manufacturing and raw material extraction, end of product life management, progressive corporate governance, and innovation.
Products bearing the Green Squared Certified logo are manufactured according to this rigorous sustainability criteria and have been verified by an independent 3rd party to be in conformance with ANSI A138.1.
So while all tile is green, products that are Green Squared (since August 2016) qualify to contribute toward a LEED Pilot Credit offered under the category of certified multi-attribute products and materials. To achieve a LEED point under this credit, at least 25 per cent of the cost of permanently installed building products on a project must meet a USGBC-approved product sustainability standards, like Green Squared, and have third-party validation to prove it. USGBC included Green Squared as an approved multi-attribute sustainability standard because the criteria are rigorous and fully in-line with the intent of the credit.
EPA Includes Green Squared Certification
In recent news, Green Squared was added to the current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing. The recommendations are for U.S. government purchasing officials to aid in identifying and procuring environmentally sustainable products and services.
Jim Jones, assistant administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, U.S. EPA, commented, “By allowing federal buyers to make more informed decisions on environmentally preferable products and services,” Jones continued, “federal agencies are leading by example, stimulating the supply of greener products and services, and protecting our health and the environment.”
You can depend on GIO for your sustainable design projects because many of our products are Green Squared certified. Green Squared provides all tile producers, foreign and domestic, with a clear benchmark for designing sustainable products which can be accepted by North American green building programs.
