For Immediate Release:
January 31, 2017

(WASHINGTON) – Green Squared®, the American National Standard Specifications for Sustainable Ceramic Tiles, Glass Tiles, and Tile Installation Materials, has been added to the current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Recommendations of Specifications, Standards, and Ecolabels for Federal Purchasing, updated at the close of 2016, the Tile Council of North America (TCNA) announced today. These recommendations were made to all U.S. government purchasing officials to aid in identifying and procuring environmentally sustainable products and services.

“In establishing a sustainability initiative, it was our desire to put in place one standard and one mark across the tile industry to cover the products used over the course of an installation. Green Squared is the result of that – the first holistic tile sustainability standard,” says Bill Griese, director of standards development and sustainability initiatives at TCNA. “We’re incredibly proud to see it now be accepted as part of the United States federal government’s benchmark for sustainability, and to garner credibility both from the government, and by association with similar, recognized industry marks for categories like furnishings and paint.”

“The federal government’s ability to sort through the myriad numbers of products with private ecolabels can provide a critical roadmap for how the public sector can do this,” said Jim Jones, assistant administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, U.S. EPA. “By allowing federal buyers to make more informed decisions on environmentally preferable products and services, federal agencies are leading by example, stimulating the supply of greener products and services, and protecting our health and the environment.”

About Green Squared

Green Squared connects one industry, one standard, and one mark and covers the full range of products used in a tile installation. As the first multi-attribute sustainability standard developed for tiles and tile installation materials, Green Squared uses the transparency and consensus of the ANSI process combined with third-party certification to evaluate, validate and communicate products that have a positive impact on the environment and society.

Green Squared covers product characteristics, manufacturing, end of product life management, progressive corporate governance, and innovation to establish sustainability criteria for products throughout their full lifecycle.

About TCNA

TCNA is a trade association representing manufacturers of ceramic tile, tile installation materials, tile equipment, raw materials and other tile-related products. Established in 1945 as the Tile Council of America (TCA), it became TCNA in 2003, reflecting its membership expansion to encompass all of North America.

Tile Council is recognized for its leadership role in facilitating the development of North American and international industry quality standards to benefit tile consumers. Additionally, TCNA regularly conducts independent research and product testing, works with regulatory, trade, and other government agencies, offers professional training, and publishes industry-consensus guidelines and standards, economic reports and promotional literature.

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For more information, contact:
Roxanne Shiflet
rshiflet@tcnatile.com
(734) 735-1891