If the stone industry does not take advantage of the opportunity carbon reduction in construction offers it will lose out to materials that do – and concrete and steel are already heavily promoting their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint.
To make sure stone stays in the loop, it needs to be proactively involved in activities such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ (RICS) current consultation on the second edition of its influential Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment.
The methodology is currently endorsed and adopted by several governments, leading industry bodies and supranational organisations including the World Economic Forum.
RICS is now updating its ‘standard’, which aims to provide a consistent approach to calculating whole-life carbon emissions in the built environment.
It is more ambitious than the earlier version as it covers all built assets and infrastructure, throughout the whole built environment life cycle, from production of materials to construction processes, uses, and the disposal or recycling of built assets over their entire life cycle.
RICS says it is only by accurately measuring and recording carbon emissions that the construction industry can work towards meeting Net Zero goals that attempt to avoid the worst effects of global warming.
Carbon reporting and accounting should be a priority across all sectors because it is increasingly relevant to clients, investors and property managers, who are already looking for property with a reduced carbon footprint, partly because it reduces energy bills.
The built environment accounts for 43% of all man’s greenhouse gas emissions. Significantly reducing that makes a big step towards Net Zero in 2050.
The RICS ‘standard’ aims to enable the industry to offer reliable and comparable data on carbon output, which will help it to set and meet targets and improve its ability to reduce harmful environmental impacts.
And with moves like the Future Home Standard (FHS) now just two years away, with its requirement to cut carbon emissions from new homes by 75-80% compared with current regulations, time for action is running out.
The current edition of the RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment is used in the early design stages of many building projects and continues to influence government policy.
In the UK, a Net Zero Carbon Building Standard is being created with the intent to incorporate the RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment Professional Standard’s methodology to assess up-front, embodied, operational, user and whole-life carbon.
RICS hopes governments in other countries will also adopt the standard as they tackle climate change impacts, with the second edition acting as a catalyst for wider adoption.
Ann Gray, RICS President, says: "RICS calls on the global built environment community to engage with this crucial consultation on Whole Life Carbon Assessment.
“The built environment contributes significantly to global carbon output, and RICS is committed to supporting the real estate industry in meeting the challenge of net zero head on.
"Our greatest asset is our members; their knowledge and experiences are second-to-none. This consultation is a historic opportunity for all of us to shape the sector's response to the global challenge of climate change and make a profoundly positive difference to our planet.
"The international scope of this consultation will enrich the breadth and diversity of insight we gain.
“This is important as we recognise that nations and their respective built environment sectors are at different stages in their response to the climate crisis.
“The global nature of our consultation will ensure that the final output is capable of adoption around the world while retaining its role as the principal methodology recognised in the UK.”
To find out more and add your comments, click here.
On 8 March 1723 Sir Christopher Wren died in his 91st year. He was the architect behind the rebuilding of London in Portland limestone after the Great Fire of 1666, and to mark this tercentenary the Square Mile Churches of the City of London are holding a year-long education and conservation programme about Wren's work.
Wren300, as it is called, is supported by a £241,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and contributions from the Royal Academy of Engineering, The Linbury Trust and the London Fire Brigade Museum.
Wren is best known as the architect of St Paul’s Cathedral, where today he is buried under a gravestone with a Latin inscription, part of which translates as: 'If you seek his memorial, look about you.'
And look further than St Paul’s, because Wren also had responsibility for the rebuilding of 50 other churches in the City of London after the Great Fire as well as many other buildings.
His tercentenary is being marked by the churches with a year-long programme of conservation, heritage, and musical activities intended to be of interest to children and adults alike.
It includes school pupils building a replica of the dome of St Paul’s, a ‘Wrenathon’ of choirs across the City of London and a series of workshops run by stone and conservation specialist Cliveden Conservation on construction techniques and sustainable construction materials inspired by Wren’s work.
To introduce the tercentenary programme to the Press, on 6 March Harry Mount, the architectural historian and editor of The Oldie magazine, led a walking tour of Wren’s London, visiting four of Wren's churches, starting and ending at St Stephen's Walbrook. Paul Slade was there for Natural Stone Specialist.
Honorary Patron of Wren300 Square Mile Churches is architect Lord Norman Foster of Thames Bank. He says of the project: “Sir Christopher Wren was one of our greatest ever citizens. I admire him not only as a great architect but also as a surveyor and manager who, remarkably, came up with a plan for rebuilding the City only days after the Great Fire. What is even more extraordinary is that he succeeded in carrying it out, supervising the rebuilding of 51 churches, including St Paul’s Cathedral, where he used a completely new architectural language not previously seen in England. His influence continues to this day.”
Annie Hampson, who Chairs the Wren300 programme, says: “Wren300 is a celebration of an extraordinary and prolific career that occurred at a changing point in British history and transformed our architecture.
“The Great Fire of London decimated the City and Wren brought his pragmatism and skill to the rebuilding of the City Churches, providing him with the expertise and knowledge to achieve his greatest masterpiece in the rebuilding of St Paul’s.
“The Wren300 project provides a range of activities that will ensure these Churches are better known and appreciated, that they are an enriching experience to all who come to them, a learning resource for young people living in and around the City of London and a lasting legacy that will ensure their survival for generations to come.”
As Joe headed off for visits to three of the World’s major tile exhibitions he contemplated the trends he was expecting to see.
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Read Natural Stone Specialist magazine to find out what else is going to be setting the interior design agenda in the months ahead. And for a hands-on experience of ceramics and other hard surfaces making their way to the UK, be sure to visit the Hard Surfaces exhibition running alongside the Natural Stone Show at ExCeL London on 6-8 June. I will be curating the seminars being run in association with the exhibition and I hope to see you all there.
This is the time of the year when my thoughts turn towards trends. While Cersaie in Italy, always held in late September, remains the world’s foremost showcase for ceramic tile innovation, February through to April is when it becomes clear if the tiling sector is following the design direction set out in Bologna.
Three shows – Cevisama in Valencia, Spain, at the end of February, Revestir in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in mid March, and Coverings in Orlando, USA, just after Easter – will establish what’s hot (and what’s not) for the rest of 2023 and beyond.
I am attending all three events and reporting back for Natural Stone Specialist; but advance trend predictions were arriving in my inbox before I boarded a ’plane. I’m happy to take most with a generous pinch of salt, but the latest communication from Coverings – North America’s premier tile and stone exhibition and conference – has real credibility.
It sets out the top 10 ceramic tile trends for 2023 as forecast by the three leading international tile associations – Ceramics of Italy, Tile Council of North America and Tile of Spain.
“From sustainability, safety, and hygienic properties to the durability, stylishness, and beauty of tile, this year’s trends manifest every imaginable merit of tile,” observes Alena Capra of Alena Capra Designs, one of Coverings’ official spokespersons.
Alena is right. These top trends really capture the diverse influences that are driving today’s ceramic tile sector.
Tiles Top 10 Trends, according to Ceramics of Italy, Tile Council of North America and Tile of Spain.
It starts with bricks. In this trend, the launch pad is the humble house brick which conjures a hand-made feel while also serving as a versatile module for many different compositions.
With this format, ceramic tile can be stacked horizontally or vertically, used monochromatically or in careful colour mixes, arranged into stripes, chevrons, herringbones or many others.
Some brick-effect collections offer finishes and intense chromatic variations to generate even more visual interest in walls, worktops, and beyond.
The next trend – Cemented – is a continuation of a long-established design direction.
Designers appreciate that concrete looks can bring visual harmony to a space and still evoke a raw urban energy.
A worn patina effect, sometimes layered, sanded, or tinted, tells a story. The subtle colour variation and texture of cement-effect tiles make them versatile enough to suit a wide range of applications.
The third trend is Cobbled, an aesthetic featuring large-scale aggregate looks ranging from time-worn terrazzo through cobblestone to Byzantine mosaics.
This look can ground a space with a foundation of history, while offering the modern technical performance of porcelain panels.
Another long-term favourite that still has legs aplenty is the Wood-Look. In this design space, the natural world is made even more wondrous. Ceramic tile companies have perfected the art of timber-effect tiles offering a very naturalistic vibe, but one that provides the ease of maintenance of ceramics.
Colour is to the fore in Emerald City, a trend that celebrates jade, sage, mint, and aloe. No other hue conjures nature like green, and select manufacturers have released show stopping porcelain slabs featuring saturated colours, giant palms, and exotic stones like green onyx and Patagonia green marble.
Others take a more subtle approach, offering large- and small-format tiles in muted shades of green and subtle textures like Moroccan plaster.
Trend six is Enduring Elegance, with subtle shading and colourways and creative use of naturally forming striations that give added depth. The result is large-format ceramic tiles that make a real design statement and deliver elegant and enduring aesthetics.
The Mother Nature-inspired Indoor-Outdoor trend has been one of the dominant themes in house design for several years now – one that has been given added impetus by pandemic lockdowns and the trend for home working.
Designers increasingly understand the need to create environments that nourish the soul. Connecting interior and exterior living spaces with ceramic tiles inspired by Mother Nature blurs the line between the built environment and natural settings, which encourages a better, more-flexible use of available space.
In trend eight, Sensory Seduction, every ceramic surface begs to be touched and experienced. This trend is experienced in many types of tiled settings that beckon the senses and create a desire to experience the space to its fullest, often giving rise to a feeling of relaxation or excitement, depending upon the chosen application and essence of design.
We step back in time to head forward with trend nine: The 1970s. This was a decade defined by dichotomies. On one hand, it celebrated spectacle: with glam rock artists, flashy prints, and metallic accessories. On the other, it was naturalistic and breezy, materials and patterns conjuring the sailing lifestyle becoming popular, including stripes, wavy patterns, and wood panelling.
Earthy tones and pop art florals were also prevalent, which can be seen in today’s version of this ‘groovy’ ceramic tile trend.
The final trend identified by these three leading trade associations is Undulated. This recognises a current desire for goods made for a human by a human.
You could define it as artisanal authenticity. Subtle undulations in the surface emulate manually applied thick glazes. Gently uneven surfaces draw the eye and create the sense that each tile was intentionally crafted by a skilled artisan.
Hand-pressed or not, the visual is so authentic you could expect a hand-written note from the maker to accompany each tile.
As I headed off I anticipated seeing examples of all 10 of these trends in Valencia, Sao Paulo and Orlando.
Joe Simpson has been an award-winning influencer in the tile industry for 30 years. He created the Diary of a Tile Addict blog to shine a light on artists, architects and designers as well as sharing the work of talented and inspiring individuals who help make the ceramic tile world so creatively diverse, technically advanced and intellectually fascinating. He was the Founding Editor of Tile UK in 1996, has edited Tile & Stone Journal and The Specifier’s Guide to Ceramic Tile & Calibrated Natural Stone, and acts as International Correspondent for Tile Today and Discovering Stone in Australia. Joe will be leading the seminars at the Hard Surfaces exhibition running alongside the Natural Stone Show at ExCeL London in June 2023. You can catch up with Joe on his TileCast podcasts on diary-of-a-tile-addict.castos.com.
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Tiles & Ceramics: Joe Simpson says... These are the trends I expect to see at this year's major exhibitions
The Dimension Stone Committee (C18) of ASTM, the American standards organisation, is developing a new standard to test the resistance of natural stones to freeze-thaw cycles.
Frank Strickland from ASTM says because stone is so variable its resistance to the effects of freezing and thawing cycles is also highly variable.
In the UK, freeze-thaw tests concentrate on the amount of material lost as the result of the testing.
The proposed new standard (WK84902) will specifically examine the changes in mechanical properties of compressive strength, tensile strength, and flexural strength, all widely used in designing installations with natural stone.
The new standard will complement WK81245, which examines the effect of freezing and thawing cycles on the appearance of natural stone.
The procedure described in the proposed test method will determine the effect on the mechanical properties of stones by subjecting samples to 100 freeze-thaw cycles in worst case conditions, simulating decades of potential exposure as part of a building.
Frank Strickland: “Freeze-thaw durability data will be most useful to the quarry producing stone, architects and engineers designing applications, contractors doing installations, and end customers who will be living with the results.”
ASTM welcomes participation by industry in the development of its standards and invites anyone connected to the natural stone industry to join in the development of this standard. You can become a member of ASTM at www.astm.org/JOIN.
ASTM stands for American Society for Testing & Materials. The organisation is committed to serving global societal needs with the aim of positively impacting on public health and safety, consumer confidence, and overall quality of life. It integrates consensus standards, developed with its international membership, and innovative services to improve lives. It’s stated aim is to help the world work better.
Restricting the importation and use of engineered quartz might have come a step closer in Australia.
On 28 February the work health & safety ministers of all states and territories unanimously agreed with a proposal by Federal Workplace Minister Tony Burke to ask Safe Work Australia (Australia’s equivalent of the Health & Safety Executive) to prepare a plan to ban the products.
The decision follows a warning by the powerful Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining & Energy Union (CFMEU) in November (read the report on that here) that its members would stop fabricating quartz if the government did not ban it by 1 July 2024.
In Victoria, one of Australia’s states, companies already have to be licensed to fabricate engineered quartz. The law requiring licensing was introduced last year. Companies have to prove compliance with safety measures in order to obtain a licence and are required to provide information to job applicants about the health risks associated with exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS). They have to ensure employees are given personal protective equipment (PPE) and training to control risks of exposure to the dust.
Cosentino, the maker of market-leading Silestone quartz, has said in a statement that it believes the regulations in Victoria strike the right balance between improving worker safety, protecting the jobs of 4,500 stonemasons (as well as jobs in the wider construction and home building sector), and still providing consumers with high-quality, sustainable products for their homes and / or businesses.
On 28 February Tony Burke expressed the hope that regulations could be drafted by the end of this year restricting or banning the use of engineered quartz in every state.
He is reported by 7News (and others) in Australia as saying: “If a children’s toy was harming or killing kids we’d take it off the shelves – how many thousands of workers have to die before we do something about silica products? We can’t keep delaying this. It’s time we considered a ban. I’m not willing to wait around the way people did with asbestos.”
However, Safe Work Australia is taking a more nuanced approach, suggesting that there could be a cut-off level for crystalline silica in products and that a ban might relate to dry cutting rather than the material itself.
The manufacturers of engineered quartz have become victims of their own marketing when it comes to silica. They used to like to emphasise the high levels of natural quartz in their products, often claiming they are 95% (or something similar) natural quartz (which is crystalline silica).
It is a bit misleading because that is when components are measured by weight, and quartz is a lot heavier than the resin that binds it together in a quartz worktop. By volume, quartz is often 50% or less of the product.
A cynic might suggest that by simply changing the way the proportion of quartz in the product is presented, engineered quartz could avoid any ban based on the proportion of crystalline silica in a product.
Cosentino has gone a step further by replacing some of the quartz in its Silestone HybriQ+ with glass, which is a different form of silica not known to cause silicosis. Cosentino now prefers to call its reformulated Silestone a ‘hybrid mineral surface’ rather than quartz.
In a statement about the crystalline silica content of its Silestone with HybriQ technology, Cosentino says it contains less than 40% crystalline silica. UK Director Paul Gidley says that is measured by weight.
It is not only silicosis that can result from the inhalation of dust when fabricating worktops. There are various lung conditions that have been associated with the work and there has been some suggestion that the resin in engineered quartz slabs contributes to the danger of inhaling dust as a result of cutting and polishing them, which might explain why those fabricating it seem to be particularly vulnerable and why silicosis seems to develop rapidly in them.
A report by Safe Work Australia is to be presented to the ministers. It is expected to recommend three actions: an education and awareness campaign; better regulation of silica dust across all industries; further analysis and scoping of a ban on the use of engineered stone.
Safe Work will present a report on the potential ban within six months and will draft regulations by the end of the year.
The ministers will meet again later in the year to review progress.
North American quarry company Polycor is to buy all of the French company Rocamat (subject to various approvals by French authorities) for an undisclosed sum.
The move follows Polycor entering an agreement with Rocamat five years ago, becoming a minority-share holder and taking over operations at five quarries.
It runs the quarries of Chassagne, Massangis, and Rocherons in Burgundy and has the rights for quarrying at Lens in the Gard region.
Taking over the whole of Rocamat, founded in 1857, will give Polycor nearly 30 quarries in France, four processing plants and an additional 160 employees.
Polycor France Holding, a subsidiary of the Polycor Group, has signed a preliminary offer to acquire 100% of the shares it does not already own.
Polycor, which sells its French stones in the UK and is a member of Stone Federation Great Britain, says the move will consolidate its position as a natural-stone industry leader and strengthen its presence in Europe and internationally.
Patrick Perus, Polycor CEO, says: “This acquisition project is a natural step for Polycor’s growth.
“Since its foundation in 1987, and by establishing a long-term vision, we have built alliances with companies that share our values.
“Rocamat’s heritage counts over 170 years of expertise, in addition to a knowledge and mastery of natural stone that is unmatched in France.
“This industry flagship is the perfect ally for the future of sustainable construction materials. The acquisition of Rocamat would allow us to enrich our offering by proposing an even more comprehensive portfolio of products that meet unparalleled standards of quality.”
Stone extracted from Rocamat’s quarries are sold as blocks and slabs, flooring and facades, masonry and carvings.
Rocamat President Jean-Louis Marpillat says the sale will mean “Rocamat can now enter a development phase by seizing the opportunities that the natural and ‘green’ materials market is opening.
“In order to tackle this new area of development, Rocamat is pleased to be backed by a major group within the industry that is capable of financially ensuring the achievement of these new challenges.”
Pierre Brousse, Rocamat’s majority shareholder, adds: “The outlooks for the natural stone market in France call for high-capacity industrial investments. We consider it wise to entrust such execution to the world leader in ornamental stone, which, I am confident, will know better than anyone how to develop the company’s capabilities.”
North American quarry company Polycor is to buy all of the French company Rocamat (subject to various approvals by French authorities) for an undisclosed sum.
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Polycor bids for the rest of French quarry company Rocamat
The Natural Stone Industry Training Group (NSITG), leads training in the stone industry. Funded by CITB and supported by Stone Federation Great Britain, it invites the whole industry to engage with training the workforce. Anyone from the industry is enthusiastically welcomed to participate by contacting Claire Wallbridge (contact details in the box below). At its recent meeting, NSITG heard about a scheme for companies to take on apprentices for the duration of short-term projects.
Natural Stone Industry Group (NSITG) members heard at their latest meeting about a scheme for allowing companies to engage apprentices just for the duration of a project.
Steve Farrow of apprenticeship training agency (ATA) Evolve Apprentices told the group about the work of Evolve, which manages the CITB Shared Apprenticeship scheme and Flexi Job Apprenticeship Agency (FJAA) in London & the West Midlands.
Steve conceded that ATAs in general do not have a great reputation, but said they work well in construction because many construction projects do not last for the full two years of an apprenticeship. So Evolve employs the apprentices and takes responsibility for them and their college placings, and finding them projects to work with contractors for the duration of the project for their on-the-job development.
Steve said one of Evolve’s aims is to increase diversity in the construction industry.
‘Diversity’ is a term frequently used to encourage businesses to recruit and employ people from outside their traditional pool of labour. There has been a lot of research that shows there are considerable benefits to firms of widening the diversity of the people they employ. In construction, most people are male and white. Evolve is trying to broaden that demographic.
Steve said Evolve employs 50 apprentices in London and the West Midlands, and 67% of them do not describe themselves as ‘white British’. He admitted most are male, but not all of them, and said they cover a wide age range. He said 30% of Evolve’s staff are female.
Evolve has identified specialities where there are shortages of apprentices, which includes the stone industry, especially in the heritage sector and roofing.
A problem is that many companies operating in these sectors do not have projects lasting long enough to cover an apprenticeship and the companies are, therefore, reluctant to take on apprentices that they might not be able to keep fully employed for the duration of a two-year apprenticeship. Many specialist contractors also have relatively small workforces and are reluctant to lose any of them for the college training that apprenticeships require.
However, firms can find themselves obliged by Section 106 agreements to provide employment and skills initiatives if they want to win a tender, so Evolve’s solution is to employ the apprentices itself, taking away all the administration and responsibilities that it involves, including college places, and fit them into various projects as required.
If there is no job to move them on to, Evolve will continue to employ them until one becomes available, so that the apprenticeship continues. It also takes responsibility for them when they are attending college courses.
Steve said Evolve covers its costs of paying the apprentices, providing personal protective equipment (apart from site requirements such as hard hats), and its administration fees by charging host companies that offer the apprentices positions to cover the costs for the duration of the project.
Of course, a host company will want to be sure an apprentice will fit in with its team and the way it works, and work experience and trial periods can be arranged before a firm commits to taking on an apprentice. Placements are normally expected to last between three and 12 months.
It is a good way of introducing people to specialities and many of Evolve’s apprentices are recruited by the companies they are placed with before the end of their apprenticeships. “We’re happy about that,” said Steve.
For more information about Evolve go to evolveuk.org.
Independent stone consultant Robert Merry has answered a call from ‘Our Future Health’ to take part in research to identify health risks. He believes one way the construction industry could reduce ill health in it is by de-stressing the way it works.
I am now officially a guinea pig for the nation. ‘Our Future Health’ has invited me to join research to identify future health risks such as dementia, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
Apparently I have been randomly selected to take part. I question whether I want to know the potential risk of dying, and when, and from what. Still, when the nation calls…
At my age there is a lot for the researchers to get their stethoscopes into.
Firstly, there’s the on-going prostatitis that comes in two flavours – acute or chronic. Then there’s the bakers cyst and the arthritic knee. The 30-year-old anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) operation now needs doing on the other knee as well. Also two shoulder / neck sprains / ricks or whatever you want to call them – left and right.
From the exercise regime provided by the NHS physio to fix the shoulders, I appear to have strained my oesophagus, leaving me with something called ‘Globus’.
To improve health I started drinking an additional litre of water a day, thinking this would be good for flushing out infections and keep the system in good order. Instead, I can’t sit through a movie now without having to find a loo. I have officially joined the old man brigade.
I have remodelled working practices by reducing the long hours sat at the computer. I have reviewed my sitting position and bought a second hand desk with adjustable height from the local office clearance warehouse. I can now work from kneeling (usually when I’m chasing payment) through to fully standing up on my hind legs (mornings only).
All of this is particularly galling as I have lost two and half stone in the past two years. I exercise regularly, am careful what I eat and drink and have reduced my cholesterol from dangerously high to normal without taking any statins. Round of applause please.
So what is my secret to having a long list of niggling health issues? Old age for one. Checking with male friends of a similar age I discover we all have similar failing bodies and functions. There is also a communality in our working lives. Working in construction, we all experience or have experienced high levels of stress. Not that this is a sole cause, but I think there is a correlation between stress and some illnesses.
Interrupted sleep, churning an issue over and over in my internal monologue often results in physical symptoms – upset stomach, mysterious aches, fatigue, as well as poor mental health, leading to rash decision making (like that ill-advised email) and risk-taking that can put me in danger.
It’s common knowledge that working in construction is stressful. Men are three times more likely to commit suicide than the national average. There are two suicide-related deaths every day. The contributory conditions experienced in construction are well documented: short-term contracts, job insecurity, long hours, lengthy commutes, sometimes living away from the family, impossible timescales, unrealistic budgets, unending snagging and late payment.
For many in management roles there is the added burden of responsibility, not just for the project but also for the livelihoods and welfare of your staff working on it.
The ‘macho’ culture stops us talking about stress, which can bury the problem even deeper. This same culture has historically prevented the industry from creating more roles for women, and the male dominated statistics still reflect this, even though there are a lot more women in the industry nowadays than there used to be.
There is also a study published by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) called Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment, which is free to download from tinyurl.com/CIOBmentalhealth. It offers examples, statistics and further contacts if you want to know more.
If you get passed thanking your lucky stars you haven’t got a list of ailments as long as mine, then you might want to give some thought to looking after yourself and your staff this year.
Finding ways to de-stress from the grind of construction could be a worthwhile ambition for the year ahead.
