Anthony Bogo of CTIOA has published the most comprehensive and concise description of the environmentally sustainable attributes of ceramic tile.
In particular, his essay addresses the greatest shortcoming of many product certifications, green building standards, and consumer preferences: Single Impact Analysis. Rather than examining the product or project in its entirety, Single Impact Analysis takes one trait (most commonly, recycled content) and makes that trait the basis for a product’s environmental sustainability.
A better approach is Life Cycle Analysis: “an across-the board study of a product that begins with the extraction of raw materials, the environmental impact of extraction, the manufacturing process, impact on factory workers and surrounding community, recycled content, transportation, application, use, effect on users & occupants, maintenance, end-of-usefulness, recycling or reusing or disposal impact on the environment.”
Ceramic tile truly shines when compared with other surfacing products in a life cycle analyses. For more information, please read “Ceramic Tile – Missing In Action on the Green Building Front“.
Dear Tile Chicers,
Tile Chic is on twitter come check me out and lets tweet about tile.
Tweet you soon,
Tile Chic
Keeping up with the “green movement” is something we at Statements find very important. It is with this ever-constant desire to “keep up” in mind that we made the choice to bring in one of our newest lines, by Refin Ceramiche, Eco-Leader.
Eco-leader is a color-body porcelain tile; manufactured using 40% pre-consumer recycled material. It is this 40% recycle content which enables Eco-Leader to meet the requirements for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, the most important and strict American certification for conservation of energy and the environment.
Although many have tried, Refin is the first Italian factory to create a tile awarded LEED certification. It is this first step–and Refin’s commitment to their mission of becoming a forerunner of environmental policies through conscious consumption and production–which sets them apart from other tile manufacturers.
Eco-Leader comes in four sizes and colorways, each taken from Mother Nature’s color book; Sand, Ink, Ground and Stone.
We at Statements appreciate all that Refin is doing for the earth and look forward to seeing the many places Eco-Leader will be installed.
Trendir featured one of our favorite architect/design/build firms here in Seattle, Pb Elemental. Not only do we love their design and craftsmanship, we also love the fact that they love our tile! In the post, 3 Homes in 1, Trendir highlights their sleek lines and contemporary looks. And I think I see both our Concreate and our Neutra lines in the bathroom floor and showers, respectively. Check it out.
While at Coverings in Chicago a few weeks ago, Ryan and the Statements crew made a new friend and fellow blogger, author of the book The Art of Tile, Jen Renzi, of Tilest. She took some time to check out Ciao, so I find it only fitting to post her post. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Go check out her site- it’s pretty great.
-Tile Chic
While drooling over the gorgeous laminated-stone penny rounds and glass river-rock mosaic in the Terra Verre booth (more on that later) at Coverings, we met friendly tile enthusiast Ryan Calkins. In addition to his role as president of showroom/distributor Statements in Seattle (they carry beautiful stuff–check it out here), Ryan also publishes a super-informative blog, Ciao! The site spotlights new products (like Rex’s Extralight glass mosaics, above), cool installations by designers and contractors who’ve sourced their goods, and offers maintenance and sustainability primers. It even has a section called “Tile Chic” covering topics like fireplace-appropriate tile options and the beauty of discontinued tile–all in the form of hilarious 90-second YouTube videos, hosted by the charming-funny Britt. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll learn tons about tile. Tune in!
Installation spotlight has usually consisted of installer pictures, but who’s to say designers can’t show off their work too? Interior designer Bonnie Bagley-Catlin, who has served over a 250 clients in the past 12 years, has certainly done wonders with the 18×18 Groove Canvas accented with the JC Ch 6 Crocker Gold Pebbles on the walls and JC Ch 6 Crocker Gold 1×2 Pacific Heights on the shower floor. Thanks Bonnie, for being our first designer on Installation Spotlight!
At Coverings this year, I met Jen Renzi, who covers the tile industry as a freelance writer. She recently published a book called The Art of Tile and has an excellent, image-filled blog called Tileist, featuring some of the best our industry has to offer.
For tile connoisseurs, her book and blog are must reads.
Unique and different installation pictures of our tile is why we started installation spotlight, and here is a prime example. Kaizen Tile & Stone threw the rules out the window and ended up with something beautiful. They used khaki, cashew and ginger in 3×6 skylights glass in a 40/40/20 mix giving the kitchen a modern yet still boarding on a classic look.
