Smart, sustainable and stylish: Engineered stone products breaking new ground

Session Synopsis

Since its introduction in the late 1980s, engineered stone has established itself as a genuine alternative to natural stone. Solid, durable, and non-porous, it is ideal for countertops, backsplashes, walls, and even floors.

At the same, engineered stone – or more specifically the quartz crystalline silica found in engineered stone products – poses a potential health risk. In cases where correct procedures are not followed, dust generated during the fabrication process can cause a range of serious illnesses, including silicosis.

The good news on this front is that a new generation of engineered stone products, containing significantly reduced levels of quartz crystalline silica, has emerged. Combined with continued strong regulation and education concerning correct fabrication and installation techniques, these products have proven themselves safe to work with. On top of that, given that they contain up to 56% recycled material, these new generation products meet another key requirement, that of sustainability.

This CPD Live presentation examines all of the above and more. Outlining the advantages of engineered stone, in terms of quality, performance, durability, and aesthetics, it details why these products can be correctly described as both safe and sustainable.

Key Learning Outcomes

At the end of this presentation you should be able to –

• Identify the Occupational, Health, and Safety concerns associated with quartz crystalline silica and some engineered stone products.
• Explain how some of the most recently introduced products of this type address these concerns.
• Explain why and how the range of engineered stone products vary in terms of environmental sustainability.
• Identify the benefits of engineered stone, in terms of aesthetic considerations, durability, and performance.
• Outline the best ways to identify products that meet all the above requirements, and are therefore not just functional and durable, but also address the issues of safety and sustainability.

(PC 24 PROJECT INITIATION AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN, PC 28 PROJECT INITIATION AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN, PC 31 PROJECT INITIATION AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN, PC 45 DETAILED DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION)

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