Ceramic tiles - the sustainable choice

What does sustainability mean for tiling?

The UN defines sustainability as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of future generations. For tiling, that means ensuring that the materials, methods and processes of our industry are achieving targets for Net Zero by 2050.

To meet this challenge, the tiling industry is committing to reducing, reusing and recycling. The main focus currently in the tiling industry is on circular design, meaning that product design should carefully consider the lifecycle of a product in order to efficiently extend its use. This involves practices such as using long-lasting materials, reusing offcuts, introducing take-back schemes and recycling old tiles into rubble for other construction uses.

An illustration of the tile cycle can be seen below.

TTA is committed to helping its members and the wider industry tackle the issues where the tiling sector needs to improve its sustainability position. These include:

The extraction of finite raw materials

Energy usage in tile production and CO2 emissions

Transportation since for the UK market tiles tend to be sourced a long way from where they are used, incurring a significant carbon footprint

VOCs and chemicals used in ancillaries adhesives, grouts, cleaners etc.

Material waste from the tiling industry