GCS12A

Understanding Recycled Content Surfacing Materials:

Its value under LEED

and beyond

Credit for this course is 1 AIA/CES HSW/SD CE Hour
1 GBCI CE Hour For LEED Professionals
0.1 CEU for Interior Designers

GreenCE, Inc. 2010
Barb Lyons
Cosentino North America
13124 trinity drive
stafford, tx 77477
281-380-9778
barbl@cosentinousa.com

Please note: you will need to complete
the conclusion quiz online at
greence.com to receive credit
An American Institute of Architects (AIA)
Continuing Education Program
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GreenCE, Inc. is a registered provider with The American Institute of Architects
Continuing Education System. Credit earned upon completion of this program will be
reported to CES Records for AIA members. Certificates of Completion are available
for all course participants upon completion of the course conclusion quiz with +80%.

This program is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As
such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval
or endorsement by the AIA or GreenCE, Inc. of any material of construction or any
method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or
product.
An American Institute of Architects (AIA)
Continuing Education Program
Course Format: This is a structured, web-based course with a final exam.
Course Credit: 1 AIA Health Safety & Welfare (HSW), Sustainable Design
(SD) CE Hour
Completion Certificate: A copy is sent to you by email or you can print one
upon successful completion of a course. If you have any difficulties printing
or receiving by email please send requests to certificate@greence.com

Design professionals, please remember to print or save your certificate of
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Please note: you will need to complete the conclusion quiz
online at greence.com to receive credit
GreenCE, Inc.
1
Understanding Recycled Content Surfacing Material:
Its value under LEED
GBCI Course ID: 90003939

GBCI CE Course
IDCEC
This CEU is registered with the Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC) for
continuing education credits. This credit will be accepted by the American Society of Interior
Designers (ASID), International Interior Designers Association (IIDA) and Interior Designers of
Canada (IDC).
The content included is not deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by IDCEC
of any material or construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing or
dealing in any material or product.
Questions related to specific materials, methods and services should be directed to the
instructor or provider.
This program is registered for 0.1 CEU (continuing education credit).
IDCEC Course Details:
Author: Dennis Rickman
Designation: Health & Safety / Welfare
Subject: 5.3
Classification: Basic
IDCEC Course number: 5975



**Participants must submit their completed NCIDQ CE Registry Participant Form to NCIDQ directly.**
Online at MyNCIDQ CLICK HERE
By completing this course, the design professional will be able to:
Define the difference between green buildings and green
products
List the benefits of recycling
Describe the basic content of recycled surfacing products
Compare and contrast traditional surfacing materials to recycled
content surfacing products
Describe how the manufacturing process of recycled content
surfacing materials can be environmentally responsible.


Course Learning Objectives
Course Learning Objectives
Explain the advantages of resin-based recycled content surfacing
to other products that are typically specified
Explain how recycled products can contribute (directly and
indirectly) to obtaining points under the LEED program
Describe what Cradle-to-Cradle and GREENGUARD certifications
are and why they are important
Explain the importance of specifying and using recycled content
surfacing products as related to environmental issues
Explain the importance of going beyond green

Building Green
LEED certified buildings are designed to:

Efficiently use energy, water, and other resources
Protect occupants health and enhance the comfort and well-being
of the occupants
Reduce waste, pollution and environmental degradation
Utilize sustainable design options
Provide these qualities through the entire buildings life-cycle

* Remember: LEED ACCREDITS individuals and CERTIFIES buildings
(certified, silver, gold, platinum) but does neither for materials!
There are NO green materials under LEEDJust environmentally
conscientious materials/products that can contribute to a project obtaining
LEED points.

Green Building Materials
Building materials typically considered to be green include:
Rapidly renewable plant materials like bamboo and straw
Lumber and wood based materials certified in accordance with FSC
standards
Recycled stone
Recycled steel
Other products that are non-toxic, reusable, renewable, and/or
recyclable (i.e. glass, ceramics, linoleum, sheep wool)

Benefits of Product Recycling
Benefits of Product Recycling
Environmental Benefits
Reduces the materials in landfills
Facts
Over 300,000,000 tons of waste
placed in landfills annually, nearly
one ton per person, and it is
growing every year
Plastic cups take over 250 years
to decompose
Glass essentially NEVER does
Currently only 28% of glass is
recycled

Benefits of Product Recycling
Environmental Benefits
Reduces the amount of air pollutants
Facts:
For every ton of glass that is
recycled, 750 lbs. of carbon
pollution can be eliminated
Production of glass is very energy
intensive
The carbon emissions combine with
oxygen to form CO & CO
2
thus the
enormous weight

Benefits of Product Recycling
Economic Benefits
Saves energy consumption
Facts
Recycling of a single glass
bottle daily saves enough
energy in a year to power:
A compact fluorescent bulb for 3.5 months
A computer for over 5 days
A television for 3.3 days
Recycled surfacing products from a single manufacturer
currently uses over 60 million bottles annually

Products Available
Recycled Content
Glass
Paper
Ceramics/Porcelain
Ash
Metals
Stone
Combination

Products Available
Matrix/Binders
Cement
Resins
Polyester
Vegetable based

In-Depth Analysis
Ash
Granite
Glass/Ceramic
Mirror
Pigment
Micronized glass
Vegetable-based resin
In-Depth Analysis
All of these elements are recycled except for the resin, which
constitutes less than 7% by weight and a minuscule amount of
pigment.

Contribution towards a LEED credit is based not on the percentage
that the glass is recycled (ex: contains 100% recycled glass) but
rather on the percentage of recycled glass in the products total
content by weight.

So, for a 100lb surface, if 75% of the total content is recycled, the
product contains 75lbs of recycled content.

This can be made up of multiple recycled products

Recycled Content
Micronized Glass
Post-Consumer Micronized Glass
Post-Consumer glass becomes
micronized and incorporated into
the slab
Micronized glass is a recent
innovation
The use of micronized glass
makes its possible to have a
high percentage of recycled
glass by weight

Crystallized Ashes
Post-Industrial Crystallized Ash
Derived from the ashes produced during the
burning of charcoal in industrial furnaces
These furnaces release a ceramic residue that
comes into contact with the charcoal ashes
When the mixture of ashes and ceramic residue
come into contact with water, they turn into solid
rocks
These rocks are then pulverized and used as a
binder/filler for the matrix

Note: Ash used here is known as bottom ash and should
not be confused with fly ash, which is used in concrete
Vegetable-Based Resin
Environmentally Friendly Resins
Resins are used to bind the elements
Resins make the end product virtually non-porous, thereby
eliminating sealing while providing a mold/mildew free surface that
is also highly stain resistant
Vegetable-based resins
are a lot more
environmentally friendly
than pure petroleum or
polyester resins which are
commonly used

Recycled Materials
Post-Consumer and Post-Industrial
LEED makes a distinction between
Post-Industrial and Post-Consumer recycled materials. Glass is no
exception.

Recycled Materials
Although the use of both of these are environmentally
beneficial decisions, under LEED the use of post-
consumer waste is twice as valuable.
The primary reason is that PI glass has not gone through
the natural life cycle and, secondarily, it is generally used
to produce more glass products, which requires melting
and a higher energy consumption than crushing the
material for recycling.
Crushing conserves the embodied energy while
expending very little.

Recycled Porcelain and Ceramics
Post-Consumer and Post-Industrial
From bathrooms, dishes, cups, shower pans and defective
porcelain tiles
There is no other use for this material; it cannot be incorporated
into any other industrial product
The reasons for recycling of these materials are very similar in
nature to that of glass, however they may actually be of increased
value because of the limited programs for recycling cumbersome
elements and therefore, a much larger % is found in landfills.

Note: Obtaining Water Efficiency LEED points in a renovation may contribute
towards the increased waste of porcelain and ceramics.

Recycled Porcelain and Ceramics
If we replace all of the existing toilets with low-flow
models, what happens to the old ones?
Every year, tons of these materials end up in landfills
There are increasing amounts of urinals and toilets being
discarded as we convert to low flow or dry flush systems

Recycled Mirror
Post-Consumer and Post-Industrial
This product has no other lifecycle
Every year, tons of mirror fills our landfills
It is much more important to use these products due to the fact that
converting mirror waste is even more energy intensive than that of glass
because of the separation of the reflective materials (chromium, nickel,
and silver)

Other Raw Materials
Quarry Waste
Quartz: the second most abundant mineral on earth, and therefore
nearly sustainable. Use of quarry waste not only helps by using a larger
percentage of a natural mineral/element, but it also assists in the
reclamation/reforestation of quarries
Other Raw Materials
Pigments
Although much of the coloration
can be contributed by the
various elements (glass,
ceramics, ash) there are natural
and man-made pigments used
in minute quantities.

Manufacturing Process
The BRETONSTONE

process known as "Vibrocompression under

Vacuum," makes it possible to work a dry mixture composed of
glass/ceramics, stone aggregates, and a vegetable-based resin
binder into a usable compound product.

Manufacturing Process
This particular process is used to manufacture
Slabs
1.2cm & 2cm thickness
63 x 128
Countertops
Walls
Tiles
1.2cm
Standard and Custom sizes
Floors
Walls
The slab size is extremely large and can
effectively reduce the percentage of waste
normally associated with smaller slabs

Manufacturing Process
This is how the RAW slab would look:
Compaction under vacuum:
Greatly reduces porosity and strengthens the physical
bond


Manufacturing Process
Manufacturing Process
This machine is the true essence of the process.

The raw slab is simultaneously subjected to near violent
vibration and nearly 3 million pounds of pressure per
square foot. This force effectively duplicates what nature
produces in the formation of granite.

After this process, the final density is approximately 94%
of that of granite.

Manufacturing Process
The compressed slabs are then sent to a highly efficient/low
temperature vertical oven where the internal temperature of
the slab is raised to approximately 145 F. Only a minimal
amount of energy is required to cure the resins through this
process.

Manufacturing Process
The next phase of manufacturing
is essentially the same as that
used in the processing of natural
stone slabs or tiles.
The slab is now calibrated, honed
and finally polished using a
series of ceramic heads
embedded with industrial
diamonds
This is a close-up view of the
ceramic (diamond embedded)
polishing heads and the foam
that is produced during the
process

Manufacturing Process
The polishing process produces extremely fine airborne particles,
which contributes towards poor indoor air quality and is extremely
harmful to workers.

In order to prevent these problems, this entire operation is conducted
with the use of 94% recycled water.

The remaining 6% is evaporated and the slurry remnant can be
reincorporated into other products.

The following photo on the right depicts what would normally be
discharged into the natural water system by less environmentally
conscience plants/facilities and where strict pollution control is not
enforced or existing.

Manufacturing Process
Manufacturing Process
Comparing Surface Products
Until the advent of recently engineered products, the A/D community
really had only two general categories of materials that would be
specified for the large majority of surfaces:

Natural Stone Surfaces

All of these materials tend to have inherent structural problems and are
prone to staining and require initial and periodic sealing, which are
typically chemically-based and due to high VOC content, contribute
towards poor indoor air quality.

Additionally, it should be noted that the finished natural stone products
represent less than 25% of the original quarried material. This is not an
efficient use of natural resources.



Comparing Surface Products
Acrylic Solid Surfacing

These products are scientifically known as Polymethyl Methacrylate
(PMMA), an acrylic based thermoplastic that is produced from a
chemical reaction between acetone and hydrogen cyanide resulting in
acetone cyanohydrin. This is then heated with methanol and sulfuric
acid and becomes a monomer called methyl methacrylate monomer or
"MMA." It then becomes a polymer via a free radical process using
peroxides.

Essentially, solid surfacing materials are plastic produced from a
variety of harmful chemicals.

Comparing Surface Products
Yes, despite its popularity, it is truly an environmental disaster;
from the extraction of the raw materials through the manufacturing
process, to its limited life cycle and eventual non-biodegradable
presence in our landfills.

More over, this plastic product is
based on a non-renewable
resource, oil.

Comparing Surface Products
Concrete or Concrete Composite
Many products on the market today have recycled glass in them.
Unfortunately, when you consider the Embodied Energy of the
concrete with a nominal amount of recycled glass, is it worth it?
Actually, concrete itself has an inherently low embodied energy,
but it must be quarried, produced and transported. Additionally, it
is the most widely-used material in existence, thus producing a
high net effect of emissions. So widespread is the use of
concrete, that nearly 2 tons is produced for every person on the
planet.
Every ton of cement manufactured for use in concrete emits a ton
of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO
2
) into the atmosphere.

Comparing Surface Products
Comparing Surface Products
The following chart is an accurate comparison of the typical products
that are specified for a commercial project.

The TOP row represents the basic/generic materials. The products
are listed from right to left in ascending order of DURABILITY

The far left column represents the most important
characteristics/attributes that a designer/architect/owner would like to
see in the specified materials

It is obvious from the chart that each of the materials have some of
these traits, but only recycled surfacing products have ALL of them.

Material/Attribute
Recycled Surface
made w/ vegetable resin
Granite Solid Surface Ceramic Tile Laminate
Stain Resistant Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Burn Resistant Yes Yes No Yes No
Scratch Resistant Yes Yes No No No
Large Color Palette Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Mold/Mildew Resistant Yes No Yes Yes Yes
5 Year Warranty Yes No Yes No No
Sustainable Yes No No No No
Comparing Surface Products
LEED

- USGBC
USGBC is the governing body
LEED is the rating system
REMEMBER it is LEED, NOT LEEDS (there is no S)
Buildings are Certified
People are Accredited
Products are not recognized as
accredited or certified by USGBC
or LEED

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed by the
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), provides a suite of
standards for environmentally sustainable construction

Since its inception in 1998, LEED has grown to
encompass more than 14,000 projects in 50 US States
and 30 countries covering over a billion square feet of
development area


LEED
The hallmark of LEED is that it is an open and transparent
process where the technical criteria proposed by the LEED
committees are publicly reviewed for approval by more than
18,000 membership organizations that currently constitute
the USGBC.

LEED
LEED Green Building Market
This is a graphic representation of how the green
movement has and will continue to grow.
Since 2005, when the green building movement gained
momentum and began being charted until nearly 2008,
the growth was minimal. However, each subsequent year
it has increased by nearly 50% and projections for the
future are even higher
LEED Green Building Market
Direct LEED Contributions
Lets now look at how recycled content surfacing
materials can DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTE towards
obtaining LEED points for building certification
Although the formula is a little complicated, the
application is fairly simple.
FIRST we must assume that all prerequisites are met.
Direct LEED Contributions
The $ value of the material for the entire building must be
ascertained. This can either be done by using the LEED
simplified method (assumes that the total material cost is
50% of all building costs) OR the exact cost is calculated by
adding all the material invoices (this method usually
produces a smaller figure but is much more involved). It
may be beneficial to take the more difficult approach
because the less the overall material costs are, the less the
GOAL for recycled content is.

Direct LEED Contributions
Once the dollar goal is established, then the calculation for
the value of the recycled material content is made. The
dollar value of each material that is used is derived from
multiplying the cost of the material by the % of recycled
content. If the recycled content is ALL Post Consumer, you
will get 100% dollar value credit toward the goal. If the
recycled content is 100% Post-Industrial, you will receive
only half (50%) of the $ value of that material. If the product
contains both PC & PI, you will be awarded a $ value pro-
rata.

Direct LEED Contributions
LEED v3 2009 for New Construction and Major
Renovations
MR Credit 4.1
Recycled Content: 10%
(post-consumer + 1/2 pre-consumer)
1 Point
MR Credit 4.2
Recycled Content: 20%
(post-consumer + 1/2 pre-consumer)
1 Point
ID Credit 1 (Path 2)
Exemplary performance 30% recycled content
1 Point

Indirect LEED Contributions
LEED v3 2009 for New Construction and Major Renovations
MR Credit 7: Certified Wood = 1 Point

The inherent tensile and flexural strength of certain recycled
content surfacing products effectively eliminates the required
usage of composite wood and agrifiber products (particle board,
MDF and plywood) that is necessary as an underlayment which is
required when using other surfacing products. Necessary
incorporation of these products will detract from obtaining a project
goal for obtaining this FSC-certified wood credit
Indirect LEED Contributions
LEED 2009 for New Construction and Major Renovations
EQ Credit 4.1
Emitting Materials: Adhesive and Sealants
1 Point
Materials recommended for installation are readily available
and their VOC content is less than the current VOC content
limits of South Coast Air Quality Management District
Regulation 8, Rule 51
Recycled content surfacing products made with resins
never require sealing, thereby eliminating the need for
products that generally contain VOCs, are odorous, irritating,
and/or harmful to the comfort and well-being of the installers
and occupants


Indirect LEED Contributions
LEED 2009 for New Construction and Major Renovations
IEQ Credit 4.4
Low Emitting Materials: Composite Wood and Agrifiber Products
1 Point

We have established that the underlayments used are NOT from
FSC wood. They are made from, or at least bonded with, urea-
formaldehyde resins, which produces air contaminants and is
potentially harmful. Not having to use these materials will not only
enhance the air quality and the environment, but will contribute
towards attaining this point.

Cradle to Cradle certifies that products are designed to maximize
their life and reduce the waste once it reaches the end of its cycle

It also assures that products are manufactured in a respectful
manner, so as to not squander the resources employed during the
manufacturing process

It audits manufacturer statements about green
content by checking all raw materials and
fabrication process and gives a third party
certification on the product

Cradle to Cradle is the most recognized
certification for the sustainably concerned
specifier

Beyond LEED Cradle to Cradle Certified
Important components of Cradle to Cradle product certification:

Using environmentally safe and healthy materials
Design for material reutilization, such as recycling or
composting
The use of renewable energy and energy efficiency
Efficient use of water, and maximum water quality associated
with production
Instituting strategies for social responsibility
Beyond LEED Cradle to Cradle Certified
The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) is an
industry-independent, non-profit organization that oversees the
GREENGUARD Certification Program
SM
. As an ANSI
Authorized Standards Developer, GEI establishes acceptable
indoor air standards for indoor products, environments, and
buildings. GEIs mission is to improve public health and quality
of life through programs that improve indoor air.
The GREENGUARD Certification Program
SM
is an industry-
independent, third-party testing program for low-emitting
products and materials.
All GREENGUARD Certified products are listed in the
GREENGUARD Online Product Guide, an indoor air quality
(IAQ) resource that is provided at no charge.

Beyond LEED GREENGUARD Certified
Beyond Green - Durability
Recycled Content Surfaces
The durability of buildings lies at the core of sustainable architecture,
yet it remains to be fully assessed as a measure of sustainability. Non-
durable building components, especially the envelope, result in high life
cycle costs due to maintenance, repair and premature replacement.
Durability should never be compromised when design decisions are
being made.
Beyond Green - Durability
Scratch Resistant

Scratching is probably the most prevalent problem that affects the
aesthetic look or wear on a surface.

Recycled content products made with resin are extremely scratch
resistantonly quartz surfacing products would perform better.

Just keep in mind, these products perform better than stainless steel,
natural stone, and solid surface, but they are not scratch proof!

Resistance to scratch and wear is critical to keeping more surfaces
out of our future landfills.

Beyond Green - Durability
Stain Resistant
Heat and Scorch Resistant
Beyond Green - Performance
Maintenance Free
When the only thing needed to clean the surface and maintain the
finish is warm water and, when absolutely necessary, only a very mild
detergent, there is no need to purchase, store or use harsh chemicals.
There will be no harmful residues left on the surface or VOCs in the
air that can endanger the occupants or visitors.
And since the surface is non-porous, there is no periodic sealing
required. Thereby eliminating the cost of sealants (good ones are
very expensive), the cost of application, as well as eliminating VOCs
and health issues that result from their use.

Design Options - Applications
Vertical surfaces Interior
Walls
Tiles
Countertops

Design Options - Applications
2CM
EASED EDGE BULLNOSE EDGE
EASED EDGE BULLNOSE EDGE
Design Options - Edge Details
4CM
DEMI BULLNOSE EDGE BEVEL EDGE
DEMI BULLNOSE EDGE BEVEL EDGE
2CM
4CM
Design Options - Edge Details
AIA and FGI Draft
For The 2009 Edition of The Guidelines for Design and Construction of
Hospital and Healthcare Facilities A5.1.A1.e Preferred surface characteristics
(the ideal product):

1. Ease of maintenance, cleaning
and repair
2. Does not support microbial growth
3. Non-porous-smooth
4. Sound absorption/acoustic
5. Inflammable- Class I fire rating
or better
6. Durable
7. Sustainable
8. Low VOC/no off-gassing
9. Low smoke toxicity
10. Initial and life-cycle cost-effectiveness
11. Slip resistance-appropriate
coefficient of friction
12. Ease of installation, demolition,
and replacement
13. Non-problematic substrate
and/or assemblies
14. Seamless
15. Resilient, impact resistant
16. Control of reflectivity/glare
17. Option for color, pattern, and
texture
18. Non toxic/non-allergenic

AIA and FGI Draft
The AIA does not endorse or promote any particular product,
HOWEVER, the annual meeting between the national AIA committee
and the Federal Guideline Institute develops the qualities,
characteristics, and attributes that should be considered when
specifying products. The IDEAL product would incorporate ALL of
these attributes if possible.

The list for the construction of Hospitals and Healthcare facilities
(there are others for different type facilities/buildings) was chosen to
use as an example because it has the harshest of environments and
has the most demanding requirements

Recycled surfacing products meet or exceed 17 of the 18
requirements. No other surfacing product does.

Conclusion
Conclusion
Recycled Content Surfacing Products utilize and incorporate products
that have reached the end of their life-cycle. This means that
materials employed in the manufacturing of these surfacing products
cannot be incorporated into any other industrial product and would
otherwise collect in landfills.

Look for products that have their recycled content listed by weight, as
this is a representation of the total product. If the labeling of a
surfacing product states 100% recycled glass, but only 10% of the
product is glass, it can lead to poor results for projects seeking LEED
certification.

Some surfacing products offer up to 75% recycled content by weight
(40% Post-Consumer, 35% Post-Industrial)

Course Summary
Now, the design professional will be able to:
Define the difference between green buildings and green products
List the benefits of recycling
Describe the basic content of recycled surfacing products
Compare and contrast traditional surfacing materials to recycled
content surfacing products
Describe how the manufacturing process of recycled content
surfacing materials can be environmentally responsible.

Course Summary
Explain the advantages of resin-based recycled content surfacing to
other products that are typically specified
Explain how recycled products can contribute (directly and indirectly)
to obtaining points under the LEED program
Describe what Cradle-to-Cradle and GREENGUARD certifications
are and why they are important
Explain the importance of specifying and using recycled content
surfacing products as related to environmental issues
Explain the importance of going beyond green

GCS12A
Understanding Recycled Content Surfacing Materials:
Its value under LEED

and beyond

Credit for this course is 1 AIA/CES HSW/SD CE Hour
1 GBCI CE Hour For LEED Professionals
0.1 CEU for Interior Designers

GreenCE, Inc. 2010
Barb Lyons
Cosentino North America
13124 trinity drive
stafford, tx 77477
281-380-9778
barbl@cosentinousa.com
Please note: you will need to complete
the conclusion quiz online at
greence.com to receive credit