TCNA Green Squared Certification Grows Up!

On August 15^th, the USGBC recognized the tile industry’s Green Squared mark for tile and installation products in the LEED v4 construction program.  USGBC LEED BD+C: New Construction LEED v4: Certified Multi-attribute Products and Materials.  Intent: Use products from manufacturers who have validated multiple environmental attributes relevant to the product via independent, consensus-based, third party certifications.
Approved 3rd party certifications: Green Squared/ANSI A138.1 – 2011 v2 for ceramic tile, Glass Tiles and Tile Installation Materials*
-Must achieve credit 3.8.1 and
-Credit 3.1 Level 1 and/or Credit 3.2 Level 1 products contribute 50% of the total product cost
-Credit 3.1 Level 2 and/or Credit 3.2 Level 2 products contribute 75% of the total product cost
-Credit 3.1 Level 3 and/or Credit 3.2 Level 3 products contribute 100% of the total product cost

MAPEI has proudly supported G2 since its inception and has the only Green Squared Certified systems of mortar and grout products to combine with certified tiles.  This is a great achievement for the Green Squared program, but personally rewarding for me as the chairman of the Tile Council of North America’s (TCNA) Green Initiative committee.  As the person that sat at the front of the room for countless meetings (and the voice on countless more phone conferences) finalizing the details for Green Squared, it’s a validation that was well worth the time and effort.

In 2008, the landscape looked considerably different.  LEED 2009 was just coming out and was pointing architects to specific certifications, none of which applied to the tile industry.  TCNA decided to put together a Green Initiative committee to get ‘plugged in’ to the sustainability community and took a chance on a relative newcomer to standards development by naming me the chair of the committee.  Working closely with Bill Griese at TCNA, we have navigated a path through the often changing tides of sustainability using the idea of a multi-attribute sustainability standard (ANSI A138.1 - Green Squared) coupled with a life cycle assessment tool (Environmental Product Declarations or EPDs) to address the requirements of multiple programs.

Part two of that approach has been getting Green Squared listed in the many sustainable building programs.  We have had great success with the International Green Building Code (IgCC), ASHRAE, Green Globes, NAHB’s residential construction program and many others. Like many other 'pilot programs' it has taken longer than expected to navigate USGBC's credit approval process to get Green Squared listed as a credible benchmark for sustainable projects.  That is finally changing with the recent announcement naming Green Squared as a direct path to LEED points.

More than just a way to comply with requirements, Green Squared was designed to ‘push’ manufacturers with a roadmap for making greener products.  It has been successful in that regard with our Ultracolor Plus FA grout which now includes recycled content.  It replaces a version that did not.  A program similar to Green Squared is being developed internationally by an ISO working group as well.

Of course, I don't work in a vacuum and the MAPEI team has been great in supporting Green Squared.  From Don Miller's hard work with SCS to obtain our certification to David Mowery and Brian Pistulka's marketing of the brand for our grout and mortar products, to the financial commitment from our US and Italian management it has truly been a team effort.

I’ve been privileged to be involved from the birth of an idea through its sometimes painful toddler years to now when it is a mature, important part of the sustainability landscape.  Throughout the process I spent a lot of time explaining ‘why’.  Why it mattered, why people should buy in, why I cared.  Bill Griese and I have spent many hours giving presentations on Green Squared for architects, designers, and the industry at venues such as Surfaces, Coverings, Total Solutions Plus and dozens of magazine articles.  Now, with USGBCs announcement I look forward to getting the much simpler question ‘which products do you offer that are Green Squared certified?'