HIGHLIGHTS:
Material definition: Aggregate of glass or stone chips (sometimes recycled) and binders. This handmade mosaic surface has been used for flooring for nearly 2,000 years but designers are now using it for kitchen and bathroom countertops and backsplashes for a fresh new take on an old material. Traditionally, old Italian terrazzo was made with cement and marble but today's manufacturers are incorporating seashells and other objects for a highly personalized statement.
Tips for Selection: Look for locally manufactured products with high recycled content, preferably post-consumer. Some binders may emit VOCs. Available as both tiles and poured-in-place integral floor slab (with epoxy or cement binder).
Advantages:
- recycled content
- highly durable
- easy to clean
- resistant to stains and burning
Disadvantages:
- because of its heavy weight, high embodied energy for transport
Average Material Cost: $20 - $50 per square foot for slab
OVERVIEW on Kitchen Countertops: The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home, and the right choice for kitchen counter tops is key to the successful execution and ongoing use of the space. Now more than ever, you can choose from a diverse range of kitchen counter materials. For each aspect of home design and remodeling you can also strive to make choices that are 1) Functional, 2) Stylish, 3) Cost-Effective, and 4) Environmentally Sustainable. These are the four key guiding principles in the GREENandSAVE strategy. You will find that in certain cases, one or two of the criteria take precedent over others. However, as you review the home improvement options that are right for your home, you may be surprised to learn that reaching all four is more achievable than you thought.
Selection Tip: In choosing a kitchen countertop material make sure to think through its integration with your kitchen cabinets, appliances, and the backsplash that will work best for your design and installation. Solid surface and natural stone materials typically need to be precut prior to installation versus tiles that can be cut and set right on the job site. Kitchen countertop backsplashes sometimes look great when they match the countertop material, but you can alternatively enhance the countertop material by choosing a different tile to run from the top edge of the counter all of the way up to the underside of the head cabinet. If you decide on the tiles, also take care in choosing the right color grout and look for new tile grouts that are stain resistant.
DETAILS on Kitchen Terrazzo Countertops: Terrazzo style countertops are eco-friendly greener alternatives for your kitchen or bathroom remodel. These countertop products are made from recycled components such as glass and porcelain, and held together with special mixtures depending on the manufacturer (usually a resin or a cement).
GREEN Considerations: Terrazzo consists of crushed stone and glass set in a cement or epoxy substrate that is buffed smooth. Overall, terrazzo can be a good green choice due to its 40-year-plus lifespan, low maintenance and high recycled content, especially if you use local materials to avoid transportation-related energy use and emissions. Glass, stone and other recycled materials can make up as much as 95 percent of the materials in terrazzo. Products like those from EnviroGlas and Icestone have particularly high recycled content.
The environmental and health impacts of terrazzo lie in the epoxy or cement substrate, which is up to 30 percent of the material. Epoxy is petroleum-derived, cannot be recycled and can contain a number of potentially harmful chemicals such as phthalates. Once epoxy has cured, it has little impact on air quality, is nonporous and does not need to be sealed.
Cement binders have high embodied energy and contribute greatly to global CO2. Cement-based terrazzo should be sealed to limit staining; it resists scratches extremely well. It can be crushed and incorporated into new terrazzo, effectively recycling it.
