Column: Sustainability – Porcelain’s Quiet Super-power
Monthly Column By Emilio Mudrak
When I am asked “what’s the embodied carbon of your products?”, my answer always starts at the source, the kiln.
Porcelain manufacturers are making huge strides towards greener production. During many a lunchtime presentation, I am asked to break this down in more detail.
My top example would be Iris Ceramica, who run Zero Emission lines – no VOCs and their excess heat is reused in production through a closed loop.
Up to 40 % pre-consumer recycled content goes straight back into the body, trimming raw-clay extraction. Examples of this can be old TV screens.
Surface sustainability has also changed. Take Iris’ ACTIVE Surfaces® Technology. A photocatalytic system which combines titanium oxide and silver ions into the glazed surface of the tile, reacting with sunlight / LED light to degrade Nitrogen Oxides in the air and killing 99 % of bacteria. That means healthier air and fewer harsh chemicals during cleaning.
Finally, having such hardwearing materials ultimately amounts to the most sustainable option of all, longevity. Often overlooked, if you can design for the future, and selecting materials with timeless design in mind, it provides the ultimate sustainable model – not having to rip up the floor!
My top tip: put any sustainability metrics on the finish schedule.
Sustainability ticks become project-saving line items when value-engineering strikes.
Emilio Mudrak, Director of Mudrak & Sons