Over the years, we’ve become more and more aware of the impact our actions have on the environment, especially in the construction and home building industries. This increased awareness has paved the way for programs and initiatives to be enacted that help decrease our impact on the environment while creating structures that are green and sustainable.
Recently, the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) developed the Green Squared Initiative as a way to set environmental standards for our industry. Green Squared is North America’s very first sustainable product program written exclusively for tiles and tile installation materials, and is the industry’s go-to source for both defining and acknowledging tile products that are sustainable.
As with any green program, there are certain sustainability criteria that tile products and tile installation materials must meet. There are five sections of criteria, with some criteria within each section being required, while others are elective. The five sections are:
- General Environmental Characteristics (product characteristics)
- Environmental Product Manufacturing (including raw material extraction)
- End of Product Life Management
- Progressive Corporate Governance (associated with the product)
- Innovation
We’re excited that environmental standards have been set for the tile industry.
We here at Conestoga Tile are excited to see the Green Squared Initiative come to life, as it will help everyone within our area become more environmentally responsible. You can visit Green Squared for more details on the Green Squared Initiative, as well as view an informative video on the initiative on Tile TV. You can also follow the initiative on Twitter @Green_Squared for further updates.
Image 1 from Tilethenaturalchoice.com; Image 2 Installation by Corona Tile and Marble, Woodbine, MD.