On Wednesday, July 17 and Thursday, July 18, 2024, the Flooring Sustainability Summit – a first-of-its-kind conference with the goal of advancing the flooring industry’s leadership in green building – will take place in Washington, DC. The Summit will provide participants with a unique platform to outline sustainability objectives and prioritize standards, certifications and initiatives that drive the flooring industry forward. Attendees will engage in dynamic panel and working group discussions that present learning opportunities and foster direct lines of communication among key sustainability decision-makers.

The Natural Stone Institute (NSI) will be among the organizations attending the Summit. Sarah Gregg, NSI marketing director, shared some insight into what NSI hopes to gain from the Summit, as well as its overall efforts for spreading the word on the sustainability of natural stone. Here’s what Gregg had to say:

SW: How did the Natural Stone Institute first get involved with the Flooring Sustainability Summit?

SG: The Natural Stone Institute (NSI) first became involved with the Flooring Sustainability Summit as a natural progression of our longstanding collaborative relationships with the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) and the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA). Our initial interactions were rooted in a common commitment to sustainability -- emphasizing healthy materials, low embodied carbon and durability, as well as qualified labor in our industries. These shared values laid a solid foundation for mutual understanding and cooperation. Through this relationship, the need for a more structured platform to drive these initiatives was apparent, which naturally led to our involvement in the Flooring Sustainability Summit. Here, we could further our advocacy for sustainable practices and continue to build awareness about the inherent attributes of our materials and how they contribute to green building goals in the building industry. 

SW: What are some reasons you believe are important why NSI should work together with the other organizations for this cause?

SG: Knowledge sharing and collaboration not only strengthen our relationships, but also enhance our collective capabilities to address the sustainability challenges our industry faces. Together we can do more!

SW: What are some things NSI would like to accomplish being a part of the Summit?

SG: Our involvement in the Flooring Sustainability Summit will amplify our impact, leverage the collective expertise of all stakeholders and foster a deeper understanding of sustainable materials within the wider construction and architecture communities.

SW: We know that natural stone is a sustainable building material, but what are some points you can share for those who are unaware?

SG: Natural stone is an exceptional choice for projects with green building goals, and it deserves more attention. Unlike artificial materials, natural stone is nearly complete in its natural state, requiring minimal processing. The simple quarrying and fabrication processes result in significantly lower embodied carbon compared to the complex manufacturing of materials like precast concrete, engineered quartz, porcelain and brick.

While these artificial materials start with raw material extraction like natural stone, they require additional transportation and energy-intensive processes, often involving high temperatures, harmful emissions, chemical reactions and potentially hazardous ingredients. In contrast, natural stone’s environmental impact is much lower, as evidenced by our Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which quantify its global warming potential.

SW: What are some other NSI initiatives for sustainability?

SG: Our commitment to maintaining relevance and awareness of the Natural Stone Sustainability Standard is paramount. This credential provides third-party verification of responsible sustainability practices among quarriers and producers, with metrics that align with the Mindful Materials framework: Ecosystem Health, Social Health and Equity, Climate Health and Human Health.

We are also organizing efforts to develop more industry-wide Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and provide guidance and affordability for individual natural stone companies to generate their own EPDs.

We are really prioritizing sustainability initiatives this year, so there are even more exciting things in the works!

SW: Is there anything else you would like to share?

SG: I think that’s it. Thank you so much for the opportunity to share!