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Comparative LCA of Flooring materials: Ceramic vs. Marble Tiles

Comparative LCA of Flooring materials: Ceramic vs. Marble Tiles. Mari Nissinen. Background. Italy is the most important producer of ceramic and marble tiles for buildings Italy covers 23% of the world output of ceramic tiles 18% of the world output of marble tiles

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Comparative LCA of Flooring materials: Ceramic vs. Marble Tiles

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  1. Comparative LCA of Flooring materials: Ceramic vs. Marble Tiles Mari Nissinen

  2. Background • Italy is the most important producer of ceramic and marble tiles for buildings • Italy covers 23% of the world output of ceramic tiles • 18% of the world output of marble tiles • Growing interest in environmental concerns in the building sector

  3. The Goal and Scope (1/2) • To compare environmental profiles of the ceramic and marble tile  which one has the best environmental profile? What are the hot-spots of the systems? • Single-fired ceramic vs. marble tile • Functional unit: 1m2 and period: 40 years • Few operations have been excluded

  4. The Goal and Scope (2/2) • No allocation procedure was done • Impact assessment methodology is problem-oriented • Impact categories: abiotic resources, global warming,ozone layer depletion, human toxicity, aquatic toxicity, acidification, nutrification and photochemical oxidant creation • Normalisation factors by Directoraat-Generaal Rijkswaterstaat • Weighting factors by NOGEPA

  5. Assumptions • Emissions of the electric energy production are relative to the Italian energy system • The distance of the transport of the packaging materials is 10km from the collection point to the municipal solid waste incinerator • The distance of the tilling demolition to the landfill is 20km

  6. Ceramic Tile • Average weight: 18kg/m2 • Manufacturing in North Italy • The main countries from which raw material are imported, are identified using the Italian Trade Statistics • Flue gas amounts are averages of different plants • Manufacturing waste is recycled into the system • Average life of the tiles: 20 years

  7. Marble Tile • Average weight 48,6kg/m2, thickness 1,8cm • Manufactured in the centre of Italy • Manufacturing waste is recycled out of the system after the required treatments • Distance from the sedimentation tank to the landfill for sludge is 10km • Filter-press solid waste (marmettola) disposal in landfill, distance 10km • Average life 40 years

  8. Ceramic tile inventory analysis (1/6) • Two stages of productive cycle: 1) Body & glaze manufacturing and 2) Laying of the glaze to the body and the firing of the glazed body • The process starts with the wet grinding of raw materials, after the forming it is dried in kilns • 1,15-1,2t raw materials is needed to obtain 1t of finished product

  9. Ceramic tile inventory analysis (2/6) • Raw materials: • Argillaceous materials (45%) • Degreasing materials (15%) • Soldering materials (40%: feldspars (25%) and limestone (15%)) • Recovered materials

  10. Ceramic tile inventory analysis (3/6) • Mix preparation consists of grinding, mixing-soaking and regulation of the water content • The main emissions in to the atmosphere are related to the movement and grinding of raw materials (dust & burning of natural gas) • Aim of forming is to mould the tile in the spesific ”green” format. Pressing process is used in forming • The water content of a dried tile is <1%

  11. Ceramic tile inventory analysis (4/6) • Glazes can be transparent, opaque or coloured • 1kg/m2 of glaze is required for the enamelling • Fuel for firing kilns is methane • Water required is 12 l/m2 • Packaging: cardboard boxes with polythene sheets • No emissions during the use phase • Disposal: landfill

  12. Ceramic tile inventory analysis (5/6)

  13. Ceramic tile inventory analysis (6/6)

  14. Marble tile inventory analysis (1/2) • Productive cycle consists of • Quarry operations • Raw blocks cutting • Cutting of the standard size blocks • Polishing, buffing • Packaging: wooden boxes • Disposal: landfill

  15. Marble tile inventory analysis (2/2)

  16. Impact Assessment (1/8) • Electric and thermal energy needed to manufacture of 1m2 ceramic tile is 161,67MJ • Marble tile 161,83MJ • Ceramic tile process requires lots of thermal energy and marble electric energy • Most important categories in eco-indicators are global warming, human toxicity and acidification

  17. Impact Assessment (2/8)

  18. Impact Assessment (3/8)

  19. Impact Assessment (4/8)

  20. Impact Assessment (5/8)

  21. Impact Assessment (6/8)

  22. Impact Assessment (7/8)

  23. Impact Assessment (8/8)

  24. Results • Marble tile (1,90e-12) scores about two times better than ceramic tile (4,21e-12) • Emissions to air for both over 90% of emissions • The highest environmental burden for marble tile system is preproduction • For ceramic system: preparation of the body, fusion of the frit and the firing of the glazed body • Marble tile process requires much electric energy, ceramic process thermal energy • Improvements suggested be done: more efficient technology for marble  energy costs ↓ Ceramic: thermal energy ↓

  25. THANK YOU!!

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