Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 8478 2016 | TECH Sustainability Tony Pasquarelli, marketing services manager Custom Building Products www.custombuildingproducts.com Sustainability in construction mate- rials continues to be part of every- day conversations among progres- sive building owners, homeowners, contractors, architects and interior design professionals. In terms of tile- setting products, this can take many different forms. Incorporating prod- ucts with pre- and post-consumer recycled content is an important step, along with programs that go even further, such as the purchase of carbon offset credits that are used to support other projects which reduce greenhouse gasses and reduce our carbon footprint. These programs work to consider the total impact of a project on the community. The ability to purchase products manufactured close to the construction site further reduces the manufacturing impact and in turn, the project’s impact. Curt V. Rapp, CEO The Tile Doctor thetiledoctor.com Advances in mixing and blending platforms are now available to dis- tributors and contractors that can create “locally-sourced” installation materials for big profits in a challeng- ing category.  From the environmental stand- point, this new innovative way of supply-chain management will sub- stantially lower trucking and material movement, which lowers costs for all, saves on fuel and reduces the environmental impact of any project.  From a product standpoint,  these new innovations provide the ability to make only what is required for the project, and at the time it is needed. This lowers inventory carry costs and provides fresh products. Cement- based products lose performance as they age, so keeping these products in inventory reduces performance, and keeping them on shelves costs money and takes up valuable space. From a cost stand- point, these systems cre- ate a brand new value opportunity, since only 3-5% of any installation product is the actual chemical required for the product – the rest is the cement and aggre- gates. Therefore local- ly-sourced raw materi- als can comprise up to 97% of any product. This can provide a cost savings to a distributor or contractor of up to 30-50% depending upon product. Though our industry has had many innovations in terms of product types over the years, until now we have not seen an innovation that creates value from locally-sourced ingredi- ents along with supply and inventory management for these products.  With these new innovations we can alter the method of supply and create value and profit where it was never before attainable: value for our environment, value in our prod- ucts’ performance, and value to our bottom-line. SUSTAINABILITY PRODUCTS–––––– The Tile Doctor introduces the Personal Factory System, a system A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, sustainabil- ity, environmental-friendliness, “green” products and processes were optional in the construction and instal- lation business. With the rise of LEED, EPDs, HPDs, and the earth-consciousness of many A&D professionals and clients, that “option” has become more of a necessity. Manufacturers looking to protect the earth – and their bottom lines – have jumped on the sustainabil- ity bandwagon. Many have found that recycling in their production processes or using recycled components and materials translate to good business sense. With the pro- liferation of more Green Squared Certified® tile and set- ting materials, manufacturers can show themselves to be earth-conscious, which is a favorable consideration when projects call for a high level of sustainability. This is still an up-and-coming trend, often impacted by budgetary considerations. But each day, there are more and more sustainable options available. Explore some directions the category is taking and the products avail- able below. – Lesley Goddin Nano Stucco is one of thousands of products made by Personal Factory System, a big category in the EU coming to North America. This cement Nano-Stucco Coating is applied over vir- tually any substrate (this exterior application is over steel), and polished to create a one-of-a-kind look for exteriors, interiors, walks, stairs, decks, walls, pools and even furniture.