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When it comes to flooring, ceramic tiles are the substance of choice for designers and homeowners as not only are they available in an endless range of colors, finishes and patterns, they are also considered environmentally friendly. Because due to their long service life, the inserts have to be replaced less frequently, which means less waste in landfills and less energy required to manufacture, transport and install new products.
In addition to durability, since the ceramic tiles do not absorb odors or release chemicals into the air, this leads to an improvement in indoor air quality (IAQ). Moreover, by comparison, unlike other flooring materials, ceramic tiles do not contain toxic chemicals or coatings and do not contain harmful dust or mites such as carpets, and if laid with VOC-free mortars and grouts, it offers a green alternative to flooring. Tiles also, unlike wooden, carpet or natural stone floors, do not require intensive maintenance or chemical protective finishes such as polishing, shampooing, stripping or waxing. In fact, higher quality ceramic, porcelain or vitrified tiles are made of natural clay usually found near factories, eliminating the destruction of natural resources such as wood or natural stone mining, thus protecting the environment. It may not be easily recognizable at first glance, but ceramic tiles are a surprisingly sustainable alternative to traditional flooring materials. As glazed tiles offer a surface that dirt cannot penetrate, no chemical cleaning agents are needed. Only mild cleaning agents or even warm water can clean the tiles sufficiently, thus avoiding the flushing of hazardous chemicals in the water system.
In addition to the inherent green nature, another advantage of these tiles is that they come in a wide variety of designs to suit a variety of applications such as indoor or outdoor use, and can also be finished in many different ways to simulate wood. natural stone, leather, etc., which has helped to reduce the consumption of natural substances, contributing to the protection of the environment. Interior designers also tend to support this trend as natural stone looks similar to Italian vitrified marble tiles which are quite popular with customers as they combine the beauty of marble with the strength of vitrified tiles which further contributes to preventing stone and carbon footprint leakage resulting from transport. Another popular surface finish is wood, which offers a cheaper, durable and easier-to-maintain alternative to natural wood or laminate flooring. Not to mention the homeowners have the look of real wood without having to chop down trees. In addition, thanks to advanced digital printing technology, ceramic tiles can now be custom designed and reproduce surfaces virtually indistinguishable from real ones.
Today, ceramic tiles are made of lead-free glazes that give them green properties, and the latest “Nano Coating” technology used by some manufacturers provides high resistance to dirt and stains, making them more durable and maintenance-free. While some other new age tiles with their unpolished surfaces offer a high solar reflectance index (SRI) which ensures low thermal conductivity, thus reducing the electricity consumption in buildings. However, the latest addition is recycled tiles which use 20% -70% recycled material. These tiles come in two types: ceramic and glass. Recycled glass tiles contain up to 100 percent recycled glass which uses less energy to produce and is also appreciated by many designers for its translucent iridescence which gives it a special decorative value. Designers offer another interesting way to recycle ceramic tiles which is to use broken pieces of tiles as mosaics to create fancy patterns on walls and floors.
Additionally, with increasing environmental awareness, ceramic tile manufacturers are also greening their manufacturing processes, such as recycling household waste and industrial water, using energy-saving measures for kiln firing processes, as well as dust recovery systems to prevent air pollution. In fact, leading tile companies around the world, for greater efficiency in terms of energy consumption and conservation of raw materials, are now recycling the sludge generated during their production process, reusing ceramic waste that would otherwise be landfilled and sprinkling water around the silos. preventing dust polluting the air.
Undoubtedly, ecological elements of ceramic tiles in combination with unlimited design possibilities give a floor not only aesthetic, but also ecological – one of the important aspects that should be taken into account in contemporary design and construction. End-user awareness of sustainable features that respond to some of the most current environmental issues is required. Indeed, thanks to its long life cycle, natural durability, and the maintenance-free features inherent in the material, it is easy to understand why ceramic tiles should be defined as the ideal flooring material in green buildings.
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Source by Sapna Kulshrestha