Discover the advantages of ceramic as a sustainable and ecological alternative for your design projects
Sustainable construction is becoming increasingly important in modern design thanks to a strong commitment to preserving the environment. It is also key to the future of today's society. A reasonable approach to building means economical consumption of energy and materials, reducing environmental costs as much as possible, but without foregoing outstanding results or compromising on safety.
Caring for the environment requires efficient, eco-friendly building materials that minimize the impact on the environment, from their manufacturing process all the way through to their eventual installation in the project
Ceramic as a Sustainable Material
Due to its manufacturing process and the main raw materials used to make it, ceramic is a construction solution that offers excellent technical and ecological features. It is a material produced from natural elements (primarily clays, feldspar and different types of sand) that undergo a powerful transformation when fired at high temperatures.
Within the range of materials available for construction projects these days, ceramic is one of the most sustainable, environmentally-friendly options.
The result is a highly-resistant, long-lasting material that remains unaltered by external agents and inclement weather. Given its durability, it does not need to be continuously replaced, unlike other building materials, thus preventing excessive consumption of resources.
Sustainable Applications of Ceramic
As well as providing a complete range of quality ceramic products for environmentally-friendly, sustainable construction, the Grespania catalogue takes ceramic a step further to offer other innovative options. One example is the large-format slabs by Coverlam. These ultrathin slabs—available in thicknesses of 3.5 mm and 5.6 mm—minimize waste generation during the execution of a project as they are so thin they can be installed on top of the existing material, which also reduces the time needed to complete the project. Another innovation is the wall tile that, when installed outdoors, helps purify the air from the atmosphere, and when used indoors generates antibacterial properties thanks to the application of our H&CTiles product..
Furthermore, Coverlam offers superb technical features in terms of sustainable construction. One of its most notable applications is as a material for ventilated facades, because it guarantees acoustic insulation; improves the thermal performance of the building, generating energy savings of between 15% and 35%; and acts as a screen, reflecting a large part of the solar radiation and thus preventing it from penetrating the building. Moreover, the fact that it is thinner and lighter means the consumption of quarry raw materials is two-to-three times lower than that of standard porcelain stoneware and it is possible to transport more square metres of material per route, thus helping to optimize shipping and reduce CO2 emissions. All these advantages have a direct impact on the well-being of the user and on the homes and contract projects with a sustainable philosophy.
All these products are ideally suited to an innovative, modern design, thus ensuring that responsibility and style are fully compatible concepts
100% Recyclable Ceramic
Thanks to the intrinsic characteristics of Grespania's ceramic, porcelain floor tiles and wall tiles, they are 100% recyclable. What is more, they are manufactured using a high percentage of recycled raw materials, ranging from 36.08% in the case of porcelain stoneware, to 74.90% in the case of wall tiles. This measure is part of the company's firm commitment to innovation in the field of sustainability.
At Grespania we are committed to innovative and sustainable construction solutions, aimed at conserving existing materials and reducing our energy consumption as far as possible, without ever neglecting the design and quality of our products
Grespania's Sustainable Practices
Displaying a strong commitment to developing strategies and programmes aimed at minimizing the impact on our surroundings and preserving the environment, we at Grespania have led the way by implementing an environmental management system that addresses all stages of our activity.
On the one hand, there is the installation of a purification system for the water used and waste generated during the manufacturing process, which are recycled and reused internally in our factories. We also have our cogeneration plant, which contributes to primary energy savings, or the implementation of the zero discharge concept in our facilities, ensuring that no waste that alters the balance of the environment is emitted to the outside.
On top of this, there is the recent installation of photovoltaic solar panels in one of our factories, with which we have managed to cover more than 30% of the total energy consumption of this production centre and achieve an annual reduction of more than 400 metric tons of CO2 emissions.
Grespania's sustainability certificates
In order to accredit and communicate the environmental excellence of our products, Grespania has an Environmental Product Declaration verified by AENOR for each type of product it manufactures (wall tiles, porcelain flooring, and large-format porcelain products), all certified under the standards of ISO 14025 and UNE-EN 15804:2012+A1:2014.
In addition, Grespania contributes to improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings or new-builds through LEED points, which certify the requirements for a building to be deemed sustainable and energy self-sufficient, producing a low environmental impact throughout its life cycle. LEED points can be gained by using Grespania ceramic tiles. Similarly, Grespania products can help achieve BREEAM certification, which evaluates environmental impacts and awards an overall score to a building for its sustainability. Grespania provides construction professional with all the necessary documents to confirm they meet the requirements for achieving said certification.
If you want to know more about our commitment to the environment, you can find all the information on our sustainability policies on our website.
