Comparative LCA of Flooring materials: Ceramic vs' Marble Tiles

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Comparative LCA of Flooring materials Ceramic
vs. Marble Tiles

• Mari Nissinen

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Ceramic tile inventory analysis (2/6)

• Raw materials
• Argillaceous materials (45)
• Degreasing materials (15)
• Soldering materials (40 feldspars (25) and
  limestone (15))
• Recovered materials

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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 lt1

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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

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Ceramic tile inventory analysis (5/6)
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Ceramic tile inventory analysis (6/6)
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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

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Marble tile inventory analysis (2/2)
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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

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Impact Assessment (2/8)
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Impact Assessment (3/8)
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Impact Assessment (4/8)
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Impact Assessment (5/8)
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Impact Assessment (6/8)
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Impact Assessment (7/8)
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Impact Assessment (8/8)
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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 ?

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THANK YOU!!