Tile’s Green Squared measures sustainable systems

     “Tile products are durable, inert and intended to last as long as the buildings in which they are installed. Tile and related installation materials are engineered to serve as permanent finishes capable of outliving several generations of building occupants,” writes Bill Griese of TCNA as he describes the importance of a standard which can be used to assess the sustainability of tile and installation materials in today’s ‘green’ building environment.

     In light of tile’s long life-cycle and the increasing movement toward industry-wide sustainability criteria, the Tile Council of North America has announced the establishment of Green Squared SM, the world’s first consensus-based sustainability standard and certification program developed exclusively for tiles and tile installation materials.

     “With the recent approval of ANSI A138.1, the standard upon which the Green Squared certification  program is based, our industry now has a means by which to define and certify the environmental and social sustainability attributes of tiles and related installation materials,” remarked Griese, TCNA standards development and Green Initiative manager.

     ANSI A138.1 is a multi-attribute sustainability standard which was written by an ANSI Accredited Standards Committee, ASC A108, representing ‘green’ building stakeholders, tile consumers, manufacturers, distributors, installers, and many other relevant interests. Encompassing ceramic tiles, glass tiles, setting materials, grouts, backer boards and membranes, this standard allows the tile industry to offer installed systems of conforming sustainable products – the first offering of its kind by any building material industry.

 developed the Green Squared program as a way for tiles and related installation materials to be certified as meeting ANSI A138.1. Products evaluated by an independent, third-party certification agency and verified to meet ANSI A138.1 will appear in the marketplace beginning in April 2012. These products will bear a single, easily recognizable Green Squared Certified mark that will give architects, specifiers, and consumers the confidence that these products are truly sustainable.

(Neuse Tile’s Nyle Wadford serves on the ANSI ASC A108 committee which approved this exciting new standard for the industry.)

Tile specifications to net best results

To raise the level of integrity and professionalism in the tile trade, and to present project owners, architects and design professionals an opportunity to demand installation excellence, two major tile associations have come together to help ensure project plans are carried out by qualified installation contractors.

The National Tile Contractors Association(NTCA) and the Tile Contractors Association of America(TCAA) have come together to mutually promote their associations’ recognition programs. This unprecedented partnership provides a way for project specifiers, contractors, and owners to ensure tile is installed with excellence.

As architects and designers create plans for their projects, they write ‘specifications’ to make sure the details of their vision are understood by all concerned. In the tile category, these specifications have traditionally only included types of tile, setting materials, and method of installation. As the two associations have come together, they have provided a means for also including the specification of a quality installation company.

Both NTCA and TCAA have recognition programs which feature companies that demonstrate a proven track record of success and ethical business practices. NTCA’s Five-Star Contractor and TCAA’s Trowel of Excellence programs will now be promoted together to provide “an unsurpassed level of comfort that projects will have the highest levels of quality at the national, regional, and local level,” said TCAA president John Trendel.

Specification language will be further developed in 2012 so that it can be considered for inclusion in several important industry installation methods and standards. “This unified language will make it easier for specifiers and owners to feel confident that their material is being installed by a company which has the expertise and integrity to do the job correctly. It will also assure manufacturers that their quality products are being installed by knowledgeable craftsmen who will stand behind their work. We are proud to be part of this historic effort,” said NTCA and Neuse Tile president, Nyle Wadford.