Glass tile can provide several benefits to green building projects, including long-term durability and substantial cost savings across the structure's entire life cycle as recycled glass tile to buy. These benefits can help achieve LEED certification and other sustainability goals. The production settings of many artisan manufacturers who make handcrafted glass tiles use daylighting and natural ventilation. Kilns controlled by computers are significantly more energy efficient than their predecessors, and many resources, such as water, are recycled as part of closed-loop processes. In addition, the products' foundational components contain silica, often known as sand. According to the European business organization Eurima, silica is a permanent resource, and as such, it is regarded as being both essentially unlimited and rapidly renewing. 9 (Other organizations, such as the United Nations Environment Program, have voiced concerns about the excessive use of sand, despite the undeniable fact that it is a resource that is abundant.) In addition, glass tile has an extraordinarily long lifespan and excels in life-cycle analyses (LCAs). 
The majority of glass tiles are made with recycled glass. The goods may contain anywhere from 30 percent to 98 percent total recycled content of the recycled glass, with the exact percentage varying depending on the hue of the glass tile. This includes both post-consumer and pre-consumer recycled glass. Recycled glass from bottles or other types of post-consumer and post-industrial recycled glass materials can be used to produce glass tile. The producer can provide specifics regarding the gathering, sorting, and utilization of recycled glass. Architects who design with glass tile should be familiar with all of the important standards established by the key groups that are covered in this course, both in these specific areas and in other areas as well. According to Donato Pompo, CTC, CSI CDT, MBA, an expert consultant and the founder of Ceramic Tile and Stone Consultants, this is of utmost significance when it comes to the installation of glass tiles in damp environments. 
Ceramic Tile and Stone Consultants. In an article for TileLetter, Pompo explained that "industry standards are created by industry consensus groups consisting of installers, producers, and industry experts through organizations such as ANSI (American National Standards Institute), TCNA (Tile Council of North America), ASTM (America Society for Testing and Materials), or ICC (International Code Council" (Tile Council of North America). According to Pompo, one of the most significant difficulties that can arise when applying tile to on-grade slabs is the absence of continuous moisture or vapor barriers as well as appropriate flashing. To help guide proper specification and construction, he refers to the standard ASTM E1643: Standard Practice for Selection, Design, Installation, and Inspection of Water Vapor Retarders Used in Contact with Earth or Granular Fill Under Concrete Slabs. In particular, he emphasizes the importance of ensuring that the vapor retarder continues up from under the slab to its sides and footings. In most cases, specific construction is required for steam rooms and steam showers. Additionally, sealants that fulfill the requirements of ASTM C920 should be used on movement joints. These standards, along with a great number of others, can provide specifiers and installation teams with valuable direction. According to two technical specialists from a prominent North American manufacturer named David Fatula and Brian Fitzgerald, the following are the architectural references that are the most important for architects to consult:
- the TCNA Handbook, which provides an overview of the industry; • ANSI A137.2-2013: American National Standard Specifications for Glass Tile, which outlines the minimum product conformance requirements; • ANSI A108.16: Installation of Paper-Faced, Back-Mounted, Edge-Mounted, or Clear Film Face-Mounted Glass Mosaic Tile, which guides the most effective methods for utilizing glass tile in various settings.
Fatula and Fitzgerald, who have contributed to the TCNA Handbook and have chaired or worked on the glass tile committees for the ASTM and ANSI standards, contend that these standards are essential for avoiding common specification and installation errors by project teams with even experienced professionals. These errors can be costly to the project. The handcrafted glass tile art that dates back millennia remains one of the most forward-thinking and cutting-edge material categories thanks to the adoption of standards, advancements in fabrication techniques, and education on best practices. Handcrafted glass tile manufacture and hand tile laying, mounting, and installation are praised as advantageous by industry leaders in this niche today, despite the breakthroughs in technology that have occurred in this sector. This artisan legacy helps architects develop designs that are not only timeless but also durable and sustainable and offer a wide variety of aesthetic options. To get the most out of the opportunities presented by the world of glass tiles, architects need to have a solid understanding of the quality standards that are in place for both the manufacturing of glass tiles and the installation of mosaic tiles. Glass tile has several eco-friendly benefits, including the fact that it may be made from recycled glass, which design teams might investigate. 
According to Marckx, an executive in the manufacturing industry, "Architects may communicate their strong desire for authentic and pleasing design, a colorful experience of human values, pleasant vibes, and cultural vision" when they have this information at their disposal. The majority of glass tiles are made with recycled glass. The goods may contain anywhere from 30 percent to 98 percent of total recycled glass, with the exact percentage fluctuating depending on the hue of the glass tile. This includes both post-consumer and pre-consumer recycled glass. During manufacturing, by-products such as scrap and trimmings are transformed into pre-consumer materials. Recycled bottle glass, also known as cullet, is one example of a post-consumer item obtained through curbside recycling programs. This helps to fulfill the requirements for the LEED credit MRc4, which awards one point toward certification if post-consumer and pre-consumer recycled materials make up 10 percent of the total cost of the project's materials. Two points could be given out when the percentage reaches 20 percent. 
Some construction projects that may involve the installation of glass tiles are likely to be located close to factories in North America, such as in Southern California. LEED provides credit for "building materials or products that have been extracted, harvested, or recovered, as well as manufactured, within 500 miles of the project site for a minimum of 10 percent (based on cost) of the total materials value. " This credit is intended to encourage an increase in the demand for products that are created close to the location where construction is taking place. This covers materials that are permanently installed in the project, but it is possible that mechanical equipment and elevators are not included.
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