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!!