GRANIT DESIGN CERTIFICATION
GREENGUARD® Certification, NSF® Certification and Microban®
Make Silestone® A Cleaner, Safer Countertop
Houston, Jan., 2007—Leading the movement towards cleaner, safer surfacing materials,
Silestone Quartz has been awarded GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification from the
GREENGUARD Environmental Institute. This Certification means that Silestone Quartz emits
low-to-no-emissions (off gassing) of toxic chemicals into the indoor environment.
Incorporating products such as Silestone Quartz can help reduce the level of harmful indoor
air pollutants in your home. The only countertop with built-in Microban protection, this
Greenguard Certification added to National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) 51 certification for
food preparation areas truly makes Silestone a cleaner safer countertop.
What does Greenguard mean to Silestone?
Studies conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection agency show that indoor air
pollution can be more than 100 times higher than outdoor pollution levels. As homes become
more energy efficient, contaminants tend to remain trapped within your living space instead
of being circulated into the outdoor environment. “We spend most of our lives indoors, so it is
important to choose building materials, such as Silestone Quartz, that do not promote the
off-gassing of harmful contaminants into the air we breathe,” said Travis Dupre, Executive
Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Cosentino North America. “Silestone is a cleaner, safer
product for your home.”
Some of the worst indoor polluters include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon
monoxide, cooking particles and nitrogen oxides.
Silestone GREENGUARD Certification
sick building syndrome, a condition characterized by dizziness, nausea and related illnesses. Choosing environmentally friendly products such as Silestone Quartz can greatly reduce the level of toxins and create a safer indoor environment.
The unique combination of GREENGUARD Certification, NSF Certification and built-in Microban protection make Silestone Quartz a cleaner, safer surface ideal for all interior applications and preferred by educated homeowners and professionals in the building and design industries.
Exclusive Microban Protection
Silestone Quartz is the only countertop with built-in Microban antimicrobial protection. Microban safely deters the growth of odor-causing bacteria, mold and mildew for cleaner countertops. Microban protection does not protect users from food borne illnesses and is not a substitute fornormal cleaning practices.
About the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute
The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute™ (GEI) is an industry-independent, non-profit organization that oversees the GREENGUARD Certification Program. As an ANSI Accredited Standards Developer, GEI establishes acceptable indoor air standards for indoor products, environments, and buildings. GEI’s
mission is to improve public health and quality of life through programs that improve indoor air. A GEI Advisory Board consisting of independent volunteers, who are renowned experts in the areas of indoor air quality, public and environmental health, building design and construction, and public policy, provides guidance and leadership to GE.
NSF
The NSF Mark can be found on millions of consumer, commercial, and industrial products today. Products evaluated and certified by NSF International include bottled water, food equipment, home water treatment products, home appliances, plumbing and faucets, and even pool and spa components. The NSF Mark is your assurance that the product has been tested by one of the most respected independent certification companies in existence today, NSF International.
About Cosentino®
Cosentino, a global natural stone giant, began harvesting precious stones from the finest quarries in Europe close to a century ago. In 1998, Cosentino expanded its commitment to innovation and introduced Silestone quartz, now the leader of the quartz industry. Cosentino has an unequaled manufacturing capacity, a reliable network of dedicated distributors and the most unique surfacing products on the market.
About Silestone®
The leader in Quartz Surfaces, Silestone was created in Spain by Cosentino, global natural stone giant. Silestone combines sophisticated style with sophisticated functionality through its fashion forward color and texture offerings and its unique blend of physical attributes that make it a cleaner, safer surface. With a palette of more than 60 colors and 2 distinct textures, Silestone is the only countertop in the
world to feature the unique combination of built-in Microban protection, NSF Certification and GREENGUARD Certification. Silestone is available coast-to-coast in North America through a mature network of distributors, Certified Installers and more than 4,500 retailers. Additional information about
Silestone is available by calling 800-291-1311 or by visiting www.silestoneusa.com.
Silestone quartz countertops in
Yukon Blanco from River Series™
Silestone®Quartz and LEED Certification
A Guide to LEED Certification and Silestone Natural Quartz
Section 1 - Background & Purpose
Building teams throughout North America are realizing a rapid movement toward green building. New design strategies and an increasing use of more sustainable products will be required to support his movement. Such effort will maximize points toward the voluntary LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building projects. It will also result in compliance with new national
sustainability standards and updated local building and energy codes. Because of this reality, Cosentino
N.A. manufacturers of Silestone® Natural Quartz has outlined in this document the possible LEED credits valuable to building teams when Silestone surfaces are included in:
1) the design and construction of new buildings AND,
2) renovations to existing buildings
Sustainable “green” or high performance building design strategies are desirable.
1) they can cut long-term energy needs to improve indoor environment quality, AND
2) they serve to reduce the overall environmental impact of a building.
Many building owners and communities believe that it is proper and environmentally responsible to build facilities which have a minimum impact on our earth’s resources. Green building is one of the
ways they attempt to fulfill that mandate.
For example, carbon dioxide emissions generated from the burning of fossil fuels are considered by many to be one the largest contributors to climate change, a contribution that humans can and should control in coming years. A green building can lessen the structure’s reliance on electricity generated by burning coal or other fossil fuels.
Section 1 -
Background & Purpose continued
Of the many possible green design strategies, this document specifically addresses the role of Silestone Quartz surfaces in a green building environment. Silestone’s unique manufacturing process of built-in Microban® antimicrobial product protection, NSF Certification and GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification make Silestone Quartz a Cleaner, Greener surface to use in all of your design projects.
An additional purpose of this document is to assist architects, specifiers, and design teams who want to maintain aesthetics and safety within a building’s interior design with the use of Silestone Quartz while pursuing LEED Green Building Rating System points toward certification.
The major benefits to pursuing LEED with Silestone Quartz are:
1) Improved thermal energy mass,
2) The potential for reuse of existing building materials and/or
3) Inclusion of post-consumer and post-industrial recycled materials.
The Next Generation’s Perspective Will Increase Green Building:
Perceived Advantages of Building Green:
• 8-9 % decrease in operating costs
• 7.5 % increase in building values
• 6.6% improvement in ROI
• 3% rent increase
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Section 2 -
Silestone’s Role in LEED-NC Projects
In general terms, building teams can gain points toward LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for a building project with Silestone Quartz surfacing. Silestone Quartz surfaces are a cost-effective alternative to natural stones laminates and other surface materials. LEED does not assign points for a project. However, the information below provides detailed information for building teams that want to use Silestone and pursuing LEED for New Construction and Major Renovations, Version 2.2, U.S. Green Building Rating System.
MR Credits 4.1 - Recycled Content: 5% (post-consumer + 1/2 pre-consumer) - 1 point
The Intent
To increase demand for building products that incorporate materials containing recycled content. This practice helps reduce the impact that can result from the extraction and processing of virgin materials.
Requirements
To use materials with recycled content. Here, the sum of their post-consumer recycled content plus 1/2 of their pre-consumer recycled content must constitute at least 10% (based on cost) of the total value of the materials in the project.
MR Credits 4.2 - Recycled Content: 20% (post-consumer + 1/2 pre-consumer) - 1 point
The Intent
Same as credit 4. However, the requirements differ. Here, building teams must use materials with recycled content such that the sum of their post-consumer recycled content plus 1/2 of their preconsumer content constitutes as additional 10% beyond MR Credit 4.1 (total of 20%, based on cost) of the total value of the materials in the project.
Section 2 -
Silestone’s Role in LEED-NC Projects continued Submittals
Provide the Leed Letter Template, signed by the architect, owner of other responsible party, declaring that the credit requirements have been met and listing the recycled content products used. Include details demonstrating that the project incorporates the required percentage of recycled content materials and products and showing their cost and percentage(s) of post-consumer and/or post-industrial content, and the total cost of all materials for the project.
Potential Technologies & Strategies
Establish a goal for recycled content materials and identify material suppliers that can achieve this goal. During construction, ensure that the specified recycle content materials are installed and quantify the total percentage of recycled content materials installed.
MR (Materials & Resources) Credits 5.1, 5.2 Regional Materials 10% Extracted, Processed & Manufactured Regionally - 1 point
The Intent: MR Credits 5.1 - 10%
To increase demand for building materials and products that are extracted and manufactured within the region. Thereby, it supports the use of indigenous resources and reduces the environmental impacts resulting from transportation.
The Intent: MR Credits 5.2 - 20%
Similar to Credit 5.1. The difference here is that use of building materials or products that have been extracted, harvested or recovered, as well as manufactured, within 500 miles of the project site must come to an additional 10% beyond MR Credit 5.1 (total of 20%, based on cost) of the total materials value.
Submittals
Provide the Leed Letter Template, signed by the architect, owner of other responsible party, declaring that the credit requirements have been met and listing the recycled content products used. Include calculations demonstrating that the project incorporated the required percentage of regional materials/products and showing their cost, percentage of regional components, distance from project to manufacturer, and the total cost of all materials for the project.
Section 2 - Silestone’s Role in LEED-NC Projects continued
EQ Credit 4.1: Low - Emitting Materials: Adhesives & Sealants - 1 point
The Intent
To reduce the quantity of indoor air contaminants that are odorous, irritating and/or harmful to the comfort and well being of installers and occupants.
Requirements
The VOC content of adhesives and sealants used must be less that the current VOC content limits of South Coast Air Quality Management District Regulation 8, Rule 51.
Submittals Provide the Leed Letter Template, signed by the architect, or responsible party, listing the adhesives and sealants used in the building and declaring that they meet the noted requirements.
Potential Technologies & Strategies
Specify Low-VOC materials in construction documents. Ensure that VOC limits are clearly stated in each section where adhesives and sealants are addressed.
Section 3 - Environmental Support and Prevention Leaders
Cosentino’s Environmental Commitment:
Cosentino is committed to respect, prevent, and control our environment in all of our production processes from the extraction and transformation to the distribution of our products; to accomplish this, Cosentino is investing in the best technology to preserve our most direct surroundings to favor the environment.
During the past few years, Cosentino’s rapid growth has positioned our company as a worldwide leader in the stone industry. Due to this, it is worth mentioning the opening of our new international infrastructure and the continual improvement of our industrial park in Cantoria (Almería), as well as the implementation of new production lines and product innovations, such as the addition of
Microban® into our Silestone® quartz surfaces.
All these investments would not have been possible without the establishment of strong policies of respect, prevention, and control for our environment in all aspects of our industrial processes. From the beginning, the company has established the appropriate measurements to prevent and improve the environmental variables within the company’s most direct surroundings by investing in the latest available technology, allowing the development of Cosentino to be closely tied with respect for the environment. The objective is to implement the best environmental system to every process, and to continually improve our daily operations. In order to achieve this, Cosentino has invested a significant percentage of its annual income in the
installment and operations of various environmental systems within the stone industry. All of this make it possible for Cosentino to be one of the stone industries most green conscience companies with respect to the environment.
Cosentino’s commitment in terms of sustainability can be summarized as follows:
• Continually improving our processes and our products using as a “tool” the Quality Management and Environmental System;
• Compliance with established environmental rules as well as the requirements of both the market and society;
Section 3 -
Environmental Support and Prevention Leaders continued
This set of systems has imposed an investment of more 20 million dollars in the last five years. Facilities for the Volatile Organic Compound Purification (COV’s) by means of Thermal Oxidation. It is important to emphasize the expenditures invested on the systems for treating Volatile Organic Compounds (COV´s), which have surpassed 1.4 million dollars, and that have allowed the purification of 99% of the emissions generated by the factories, currently obtaining a quality of air far superior to the one established by the European legislation from the present year 2007.
These systems are based on the use of heat exchangers in the form of ceramic blocks that facilitate the combustion of organic compounds to convert them into carbon dioxide and water. The uninterrupted operation of the system generates enough combustion heat to maintain the necessary temperature for decontamination, guaranteeing adequate levels for the heating system and therefore the optimization of energy requirements.
Water Treatment in the Production Processes
The investment in water processes, one of the most fundamental and sensible components to transform natural stone, has escalated to nearly 6 million dollars in the past few years. This investment is shown in the new technology implemented in our productive processes, allowing optimization of the use of water and the attainment of our “zero discharge” goal. The process of sizing, cutting, and polishing of Silestone and other natural stones employ the use of water. Therefore, Cosentino uses 98% recycled water. Our factories have modern settlings and filtration systems with micro bubbles that have been designed exclusively for Cosentino, improving the
old systems of decanting by gravity. Through a mud reserve and a high-pressure dam, the wastewater sludge is expelled from the factories,
separating the existing water as an input to the closed-circuit feed factory, favoring the subsequent controlled management of sludge and “zero discharge.”
We therefore get a double benefit: we generate efficient use of a scarce resource such as water and improve the efficiency of the machinery.
Section 3 - Environmental Support and Prevention Leaders continued
Restoration of Quarries Cosentino cooperates with the quarries restoration plan as well as with the rubble places in Macael (Almeria) to recover its environment and original landscape.
The environmental actions taken by Cosentino pursue the recovery of space and landscapes of its surroundings. To achieve this goal, Cosentino cooperates with the stabilization of quarries, optimization of rubble generation, and natural erosion control. These, as well as some other actions, are helping us interact with our quarry surroundings in a respectful manner by generating new vegetation and the propagation of native species in the area. By doing so, we are trying to not only
minimize the visual impact produced by the quarries’ presence, but also to utilize material which would not be used otherwise. All these steps are taking us to improve both the profitability of our quarries and the ecology of the area.
Cosentino’s challenge is to improve the quality of its surroundings and is concerned about reforestation and maintenance of the extraction areas throughout the years. By doing this, Cosentino fulfills its commitment with both the environment and society, and gives back to the area some of what has been taken out.
Silestone® Production
When clearing the production area of Silestone, we use natural solutions; specifically an ecologic solvent that helps avoid emissions into the environment and improve working conditions as well as minimize residues that need to be treated in a specific way. For the Silestone manufacturing process we have also made improvements during the past few years. Many of our existing colors have among their components recycled glass, specifically the color “Dali,” composed of more than 70% recycled glass.
Scalea® Production
The extraction of raw material from our quarries is performed in a very efficient way, obtaining 95% of our extractions for either the Scalea products (marble, slate, granites, travertine…) or the elaboration of arid with the generated sub products.
The left over stone residues from our production process that cannot be reused are measured to elaborate arid material so we can use 100% of the recycled material in other products.
Section 3 - Environmental Support and Prevention Leaders continued
To Cosentino, the pursuit of sustainability is a permanent challenge. The actions described above are not an arrival point but a permanent effort to achieve economic, social, and environmental prosperity in those areas in which Cosentino has business.
Cosentino’s environment commitment is related to its development and economical growth. At Cosentino we take the environment as a challenge to consolidate the company’s leadership and to continue the implementation and development of the most advanced systems to measure and support our environment.
To achieve its goals, Cosentino is constantly looking in the stone sector for new technology coming either from universities, clients, providers, specialized forums, or above all our employees.
Cosentino owns a system that accepts suggestions and awards the best ideas to improve both the social and the environmental aspects proposed by our employees.
The initiatives lined with our objectives are: To be a better person each day as well as respectful with our society and our surrounding environment.