CHOOSE THE STONE
STONE IS ECO-COMPATIBLE
The eco-compatibility of building materials is a fundamental element for assessing the environmental sustainability of the entire building.
The eco-sustainability of a material takes into account:
The eco-sustainability of a material takes into account:
mining and production processes
- environmental impact and “distant” pollution, namely in the extraction/production area
- energy required in quantity and in renewable/non-renewable form
transport to the place of use
- energy required and pollution produced
the product life cycle from its installation to its disposal
- emissions during the installation, which affects the operators’ health
- emissions in confined environments, which affects the inhabitants health
- external pollution and degradation over time
- possibility and form of reuse or disposal at the end of the life cycle
Analysing these aspects, compared to other materials such as concrete and brickwork similarly used for paving, it is clear that natural stone is an excellent biocompatible material.
In fact, natural stone: is found in nature in almost infinite quantities; the extraction and processing phases consume energy with a lower incidence than most of the traditional building materials; the strict regulations on environmental extraction and restoration, combined with recent methods, allow a tangible protection of the natural environment in the extraction area; the reuse of exhausted quarries has also become a sensitive and topical subject, with increasingly effective methods for recomposing the environment starting from greening and reforestation. Finally, if excavation, processing on site and return to nature are taken into consideration, practically there is no waste in the stone production cycle.
In fact, natural stone: is found in nature in almost infinite quantities; the extraction and processing phases consume energy with a lower incidence than most of the traditional building materials; the strict regulations on environmental extraction and restoration, combined with recent methods, allow a tangible protection of the natural environment in the extraction area; the reuse of exhausted quarries has also become a sensitive and topical subject, with increasingly effective methods for recomposing the environment starting from greening and reforestation. Finally, if excavation, processing on site and return to nature are taken into consideration, practically there is no waste in the stone production cycle.
Local natural stone is more sustainable than imported stone, more distant is the country of origin from the place of installation and more this is true. This is due to the significant negative impact of transport, one of the causes of increase in the greenhouse effect, and to the consumption of energy resources for the goods handling, storage and disposal, or that which, in jargon, is defined as "grey energy".
There is certain level of danger during the processing phase for the production of dust that can be easily inhaled by the operators in service, adequate protection equipment combined with suction systems substantially reduce this risk factor. No dyes, colourants or carcinogens are used for installing stone; instead, cement and/or adhesives are used in compliance with their instructions for use; generally no chemical auxiliary substances are required, except for possible post-installation treatments.
Natural stone is a good thermal insulator as it has excellent thermal conductivity and a high capacity to store heat; it is not flammable ("class A" material in accordance with DIN 4102); it does not release substances that are harmful or toxic to human health and is not electrostatically charged.
The energy requirement for heating and cooling environments with façades covered by stone is considerably lower compared to aluminium or glass façades and considering their entire life cycle, there is a considerable energy saving, proving to be economically and ecologically advantageous.
For further information, see Benoit Misonne’s study on the environmental impact of Pierre Blue Belge conducted according to ISO 12069, analysing the environmental impact of a square meter of outdoor paving for its entire life cycle and obtaining values for total consumption of energy, CO2 emission, SO2 emission, PO4 emission, production of waste and formation of photochemical oxidants. This study confirms that stone has an overall environmental impact lower than most traditional building materials, revealing to be ecological by nature.
There is certain level of danger during the processing phase for the production of dust that can be easily inhaled by the operators in service, adequate protection equipment combined with suction systems substantially reduce this risk factor. No dyes, colourants or carcinogens are used for installing stone; instead, cement and/or adhesives are used in compliance with their instructions for use; generally no chemical auxiliary substances are required, except for possible post-installation treatments.
Natural stone is a good thermal insulator as it has excellent thermal conductivity and a high capacity to store heat; it is not flammable ("class A" material in accordance with DIN 4102); it does not release substances that are harmful or toxic to human health and is not electrostatically charged.
The energy requirement for heating and cooling environments with façades covered by stone is considerably lower compared to aluminium or glass façades and considering their entire life cycle, there is a considerable energy saving, proving to be economically and ecologically advantageous.
For further information, see Benoit Misonne’s study on the environmental impact of Pierre Blue Belge conducted according to ISO 12069, analysing the environmental impact of a square meter of outdoor paving for its entire life cycle and obtaining values for total consumption of energy, CO2 emission, SO2 emission, PO4 emission, production of waste and formation of photochemical oxidants. This study confirms that stone has an overall environmental impact lower than most traditional building materials, revealing to be ecological by nature.