Ecological Ceramic Tiles
When it comes to flooring, ceramic tile is a substance of choice for designers and homeowners as it is not only available in an endless variety of colors, finishes and patterns, but it is also considered to be environmentally friendly. . Due to their long lifespan, tiles need to be replaced less frequently, which means less waste in landfills, as well as fewer energy requirements for manufacturing, transporting and installing new products.
In addition to durability, since ceramic tiles do not absorb odors or release chemicals into the air, this leads to better indoor air quality (IAQ). Also, for the sake of comparison in contrast to other flooring materials, ceramic tile does not contain toxic chemicals or coatings and does not harbor harmful dust or mites like carpet, plus when laid with VOC-free mortars and grouts. volatile). offers a green soil alternative. Additionally, tile, unlike wood, carpet or natural stone flooring, does not require high maintenance or chemical protective finishes such as polishing, shampooing, stripping or waxing. In fact, top grade ceramic, porcelain or vitrified tiles are made from natural clay that is usually found very close to factories, eliminating the destruction of natural resources such as wood or hard quarrying of natural stones, thus preserving the environment. It may not be easily recognizable at first, but ceramic tile is a surprisingly sustainable alternative to traditional flooring materials. Since glazed tiles offer a surface that cannot be penetrated by contaminants, chemical cleaners are not needed for this reason. Only mild cleaners or even lukewarm water can clean tiles sufficiently, thus preventing dangerous chemicals from being washed into the water system.
In addition to the inherent green character, another advantage of these tiles is that they come in a wide variety of designs to suit a wide variety of uses, such as indoor or outdoor use, and can also be finished in many different ways to simulate wood, stone nature, leather, etc. that has helped to reduce the use of natural substances, contributing to the preservation of the environment. Interior designers also tend to support the trend as natural stone looks such as Italian marble finish vitrified tiles are very popular with clients as they combine the beauty of marble with the strength of tiles. vitrified, which contributes even more to avoiding the extraction of stones and carbon. footprint resulting from transportation. Another popular surface finish is wood, which offers a less expensive, durable, and easier-to-maintain replacement for natural wood or laminate wood flooring. Not to mention, homeowners get the look and feel of real wood, without cutting down trees. Additionally, with advanced digital printing technology, ceramic tiles can now be custom designed to replicate surfaces virtually indistinguishable from the real thing.
Ceramic tiles today are manufactured with lead free glaze finishes which add to their eco-friendly properties, furthermore the latest ‘Nano Coating’ technology used by some manufacturers offers high resistance to dirt and stains which makes them more durable and low maintenance. While other new age tiles with their unpolished surface offer a high Solar Reflection Index (SRI) which provides low thermal conductivity thus reducing electricity consumption in buildings. However, the most recent addition is recycled content tiles that use between 20% and 70% recycled content. These tiles come in two varieties which is ceramic and glass. Recycled content glass tiles contain up to 100 percent recycled glass that requires less energy to produce and are also prized by many designers for their translucent iridescence that gives them a special decorative quality. Designers offer another interesting way to recycle ceramic tiles, which is by using broken tile pieces as mosaics to create imaginative design patterns on walls and floors.
In addition, with increasing environmental awareness, ceramic tile manufacturers are also greening their production processes, such as recycling household waste and industrial water, using energy-efficient media for kiln firing processes, as well as systems dust recovery to avoid air pollution. In fact, leading tile manufacturing companies around the world, for greater efficiency in energy consumption and conservation of raw materials, are now recycling the sludge generated during the manufacturing process, reusing waste ceramic material that would otherwise be dumped in a landfill and spraying water around the silos avoiding dust to pollute the air.
Without a doubt, the ecological elements of ceramic tiles combined with unlimited design possibilities provide a floor that is not only aesthetically appealing but also sustainable, one of the important aspects to consider in contemporary design and construction. What is required is end-user awareness of sustainable features that address some of the most current environmental concerns. In fact, with a long life cycle, natural durability and inherent low-maintenance attributes of the material, it is easy to see why ceramic tile should be specified as an ideal material for flooring in green buildings.