By Ron Chen, Bureau Chief, Asia

The official umbrella brand that represents the Spanish Ceramic Tile Manufacturers Association, Tile of Spain plans to lead the field of sustainable ceramic tile usage in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Sustainable ceramics have multiple benefits includingraising the environmental efficiency of housing and buildings in the country in addition to many other advantages in their application

Although the UAE continues to derive at least 30 per cent of its GDP directly from oil and gas, with the majority of the remaining amount coming from industries like tourism and construction, the country has stated its ambition to attain net zero emissions by 2050.

Determined to adapt its production processes to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, the Spanish ceramic tile sector has been making technological and innovative improvements to its production processes to achieve results that go beyond reducing its carbon footprint. Its goal is also to optimise processes in other areas, such as raw materials and water management.

Tile of Spain, a global leader in the construction of sustainable ceramics and a pioneer in acquiring the first Environmental Product Declarations class III environmental badges, according to the ISO 14020 standard, aims to raise the region’s bar of sustainability and green cities in the120 billion dollar industry.

Positive impact

Sustainable construction has particular importance in the Middle East. Several countries in the region are undergoing rapid expansions in the establishment of new and modern cities. On their part, regional governments have developed several regulations to ensure the foundation of green buildings.

Construction companies are eager to research and develop innovative new façade products and solutions that will help build better cities for a greener future in the region.  Spanish ceramic tiles contribute to the establishment of green buildings and play a major role in the achievement of sustainable construction which became the norm in several GCC countries in general and the UAE in particular.

As a natural material made up of inorganic minerals and water, and because it is fired at high temperatures, Spanish ceramic tiles are free of components and emissions of toxic substances. As far as glaze and stain formulations are concerned, the Spanish sector tends to reduce the  use of heavy metals, always complying with the relevant regulations.

The construction and refurbishment of buildings is associated with the consumption of large amounts of natural resources (materials, energy and water), as well as the generation of waste and greenhouse gas emissions into the air. Adopting more sustainable building practices and innovative technologies like the usage of Spanish ceramic tiles, offers a wide range of benefits such as improved energy efficiency, lower maintenance and consumption and reduced pollution.

Major projects that encourage sustainable buildings in the region include the Dubai Frame, a 150m-high window frame-shaped observatory, the latest of the iconic building projects to be carried out in the Emirate. This is in addition to over 300 green building projects currently underway in Saudi Arabia, accounting for 15 per cent of the 2000 such projects under development across the Middle East.

Advantages of Tile of Spain

The application of Spanish ceramic tiles provides numerous advantages over and above the decorative richness through textures, colors, and volumes. Spanish ceramic tiles are extremely resistant to all sorts of conditions and are easy to clean and disinfect.

Hygiene is of the utmost importance in several businesses, and ceramic doesn’t get stained or build up dirt. Ceramic tiles are the most resistant floors to different cleaning agents.  No wonder ceramic has traditionally been used in markets. There is still no other option that comes close to it.

Another remarkable advantage is that Spanish ceramic is versatile and, with just one material, solutions are provided for various uses such as floors, walls, terraces, façades, counters, shelves, shop’ windows, and many other usages.

Choosing ceramic Tile of Spain, means choosing a long-lasting, non-toxic material with a low environmental impact during their life cycle which means a timeless decision.

Energy saving

In all projects established in GCC and all over the world now, energy saving is a vital element in construction. This is another way the usage of Spanish ceramics pays off. Most of the ingredients of ceramics are made from natural materials, mainly a blend of earth, water, and fire.

The thermed mass of ceramic tiles supports preserving the temperature inside buildings, either if it is hot or cold. This enables people, in residential and commercial places to reduce energy by lowering the usage of air-conditioners in hot areas and heaters in colder regions.

Another great benefit of Tile of Spain in terms of sustainability is that its production is more sustainable than any other similar materials and it is even getting more sustainable a day after day. 

Furthermore, due to their high level of resistance, Spanish ceramics are long-lasting and can flawlessly survive in any weather conditions, even the hot weather of the gulf. This makes Tile of Spain the ultimate and perfect solution for all the construction projects in GCC in general and the UAE in particular.

All these elements would support the UAE to achieve its vision to reduce energy consumption by 25 percent and to attain its net zero objectives by 2050. Tile of Spain represents the future of green buildings in the country.