Building teams throughout North America are realizing a rapid movement toward green building. New design strategies and an increasing use of more sustainable products will be required to support this movement. Such effort will maximize points toward the voluntary LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building projects. It will also result in compliance with new national sustainability standards and updated local building and energy codes. Because of this reality, Cosentino N.A. manufacturers of Silestone® Natural Quartz has outlined how building teams can benefit from and derive valuable LEED credits when Silestone® Quartz surfaces are included in:

1) the design and construction of new buildings AND,
2) renovations to existing buildings

Sustainable “green” or high performance building design strategies are desirable.

1) they can cut long-term energy needs to improve indoor environment quality, AND
2) they serve to reduce the overall environmental impact of a building.

Many building owners and communities believe that it is proper and environmentally responsible to build facilities which have a minimum impact on our earth’s resources. Green building is one of the ways they attempt to fulfill that mandate.

Of the many possible green design strategies, Cosentio N.A. specifically addresses the role of  Silestone® Quartz surfaces in a green building environment. Silestone’s unique manufacturing process of built-in Microban® antimicrobial product protection, NSF Certification and GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification make Silestone® Quartz a Cleaner, Greener surface to use in all of your design projects.

An additional purpose is to assist architects, specifiers, and design teams who want to maintain aesthetics and safety within a building’s interior design with the use of  Silestone® Quartz while pursuing LEED Green Building Rating System points toward certification.

LEED Points Available when using Silestone® in your projects:

1) Recycled Content: 10% (post-consumer + 1/2 pre-consumer) = 1 point
In several Silestone® colors there is a minimum of 35% post consumer recycled content. Coffee Brown, Absolute Green and the six colors in the Stellar Series contain a 35% post consumer recycled glass content. The color “Dali” is composed of more than 70% post consumer recycled glass.

2) Recycled Content: 20% (post-consumer + 1/2 pre-consumer)  = 1 point
In several Silestone® colors there is a minimum of 35% post consumer recycled content. Coffee Brown, Absolute Green and the six colors in the Stellar Series contain a 35% post consumer recycled glass content. The color “Dali” is composed of more than 70% post consumer recycled glass.

3) Regional Materials 20% Extracted, Processed & Manufactured Regionally  = 1 point
Silestone® countertops are fabricated regionally within 500 miles of a project. Cosentino N.A. has  a network of regional fabricators to support your needs.

4) Emitting Materials: Adhesives & Sealants  = 1 point
The Silestone® network of Fabricators use DAP® caulk for countertop installations. To assure point availability make certain to request the use of DAP® caulk. DAP’s VOC content is less than the current VOC content limits of South Coast Air Quality Management District Regulation 8, Rule 51.

The USGBC is a non-profit coalition of building industry professionals. They seek to improve the environmental quality of buildings and communities. The USGBC has set the leading national standard for green building: The LEED Green Building Rating System. LEED is a voluntary consensus-based national standard developed by the USGBC to support and validate green building design, construction and operations.