Esther ValeroA combination of changes in social priorities together with increased government backing for more responsible corporate environmental practices, has obliged all sectors to reconsider both their own function and what it is they offer their own market ecosystem.
The building sector – far from ignoring the issue – has chosen to meet the challenge head on. In addition to prioritizing finding new materials that are more sustainable, it is also looking to come up with innovative production processes that will have a minimally harmful impact on our surroundings. It is proven that the use of sustainable materials, in construction, not only favors the environment; it also lessens costs for those who choose to go with raw materials of this type, as they lend themselves to creating structures that are more energy-efficient.
Ceramic products head the pack when it comes to materials capable of complying with the sector’s most recent demands. Ceramic stands out as one of the construction materials that best adapts to current market demands, both from a sustainability and from an energy-saving perspective. Why? Because it hails from a blend of natural raw materials such as clay, water and fire; and also because, as a result of its high resistance to meteorological fluctuations, using ceramic as a central element in construction guarantees buildings a much longer life.
Basically, the use of ceramic materials in construction affords three fundamental advantages:
- it saves energy
- the materials can be recycled
- it doesn’t give off harmful substances
Saving energy
What makes ceramic a material with a bright future is the fact that one of the biggest obstacles the construction sector faces lies, not only, in the energy costs involved in the production of materials, but also in the energy-efficiency those materials are likely to guarantee throughout the useful life of a finished building. In this regard, the ceramic industry has evolved to a point such that it can, now, boast an extremely efficient production process: one that gives off fewer and fewer greenhouse gases; one that consumes very little water; and one that generates only minimal levels of waste matter. Ceramic materials also offer excellent thermal insulation properties – thus reducing additional demand for heating and refrigerating energies in the day-to-day use of the building. Add, to this, their high-resistance properties, and ceramic products become a certified guarantee of eco-sustainability.
Recycling materials
The very fact that the raw materials, present in ceramic, are elements we find in nature is conclusive proof as to the material’s sustainability. Not only does clay, the main component element in ceramic, abound in nature; it, also, emits no volatile organic compounds that are harmful to humans. Producing ceramic is a process that, basically, involves: mixing clay with water, kneading the aggregate, shaping it and baking it in a kiln. Over time, the process has been substantially optimized, making it more efficient and creating less of an environmental impact. Furthermore, because ceramic withstands changes in temperature, aging and contact with external agents, its sustainability is fully compatible with the product’s durability and longevity.
No harmful substances liberated
The fact that ceramic is made from raw materials that are 100% natural, and free of solvents and other polluting elements, means that its production process generates no compounds that are either detrimental to our health or to the environment – a characteristic that holds true beyond the production process and throughout the building’s useful life; and one that guarantees that construction with ceramics is safe, both during its manufacture and, later, as regards the indoor air quality of the buildings where it is used.
In choosing materials for the construction of buildings of any kind, therefore, not only do ceramic products satisfy all of the most demanding industry benchmarks, in terms of quality and durability, but also those to do with standards of sustainability and environmental impact, that have become so fundamental for our society, for public administrations, for the planet and for the very sustainability of our businesses.
Esther Valero
