Innovation, sustainability and design now play an important role in many areas of life. One competition that judges these three aspects (in conjunction with overall impression, elaboration and impact) is the international Green Product Award. This award has been presented annually since 2013 in 14 categories, such as bathroom, consumer goods, mobility, etc., and in each case to established companies and start-ups. This year's winner in the architecture category (established companies) is the DryTile system.
DryTile and innovation
The pioneering system fulfills the Green Product Award's claim to innovation by enabling up to 8 times faster "dry laying" (without tile adhesive) than the conventional method and is also quickly and completely deconstructible. DryTile consists of carefully coordinated components that have been tested in practice over many years. The basis is formed by high-quality ceramic floor tiles with a cork layer on the reverse side, which protrudes slightly in a precisely defined manner. By simply butting against each other, an elegant narrow joint is created almost automatically, which is then filled with the specially designed joint compound. The system is predestined for shopfitting, hotels, commercial buildings, restaurants and similar areas where floor surfaces are to be installed at lightning speed or replaced or dismantled at a time of your choice.
DryTile and sustainability
DryTile covers the criterion of sustainability comprehensively: All components consist of natural (ceramics, cork) or mineral (joint compound) materials and are harmless to humans, flora, fauna and the environment. The binder of the cork backing layer is free of plasticizers, chlorine compounds or biocides. It also meets FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and BfR (German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) requirements and is suitable for food contact. Another intelligent advantage is DryTile's low-packaging delivery form: The tiles are simply stacked on top of each other on a shrink-wrapped and banded pallet, with the cork backing acting as a buffer and transport protection. This avoids annoying individual packaging lying around, which would also have to be disposed of at high cost and would pollute the environment. In addition, the low-dust and low-dirt installation ensures pleasant working conditions. The finished covering is also convincing: DryTile tiles can be completely dismantled at any time without great effort and are uncomplicated to dispose of: not as hazardous waste, but as harmless mineral construction waste (waste code 170904), whereby positively a material separation of ceramic, cork and grout is not necessary. According to the test certificate of the Institute for Energy and Buildings of the TH Nuremberg, DryTile is also suitable for underfloor heating systems: Heat is emitted comfortably over a large area instead of selectively by convection. Even when heated actively or passively (for example, by intense solar radiation), odors, vapors or emissions are neither released nor absorbed. The sustainable advantages of DryTile are rounded off by the "Hytect" factory finish, which is based on the principle of photocatalysis: Odors and air pollutants are neutralized, tiles provided with it are extremely easy to clean and have an antibacterial effect without chemical substances. This reduces the use of cleaning agents and cleaning effort, saves time and money and protects the environment.
DryTile and design
However, it is not only the technical-rational arguments that are convincing, but also the appearance and design: 20 series in attractive surfaces, colors and formats (15x90, 22.5x90, 30x60, 45x90, 60x60, 75x75, 90x90 and 60x120 cm) offer an impressive range of aesthetic design options. There are also several colors to choose from for the special grout, so that both tone-in-tone solutions and contrasting combinations of tile and grout are feasible. Background information on the award The sum of DryTile's advantages also impressed this year's expert jury (which could award up to a maximum of eight points each for the individual criteria):
- Sebastian Backhaus (Backhaus Kommunikationsberatung / Germany)
- Dr. Thomas Bade (Universal Design e.V. / Germany) Prof. Martin Charter (Centre for sustainable design / Great Britain)
- Prof. Claus-Christian Eckhardt (Lund University / Sweden)
- Tina Kammer (Interior Park / Germany)
- Prof. Kiersten Muenchinger(University of Oregon / USA)
- Prof. Xin Liu (Tsinghua University / China)
- Katja Lucas (Dutch Design Week / Netherlands)
- Dr. Sascha Peters (Haute Innovation / Germany)
- Dr. Robert Pludra (Academy of fine arts Warsaw / Poland)
- Mimi Sewalski (Avocadostore.de / Germany)
- Susanne Tamborini-Liebenberg (MD Interior Design Architecture / Germany)
- Anna Theil (Startnext / Germany)
- Hon. Prof. Meike Weber (Ex-Publishing Director of Detail / Germany)
- Julius Wiedemann (Taschen Publishing / Germany)
The jury's statement on the DryTile system in the wording:
"A remarkable solution that has left a strong, well thought-out impression over its entire life cycle - from construction and materiality to transport and packaging, installation and usage properties, and deconstruction." The initiator of the Green Product Award and the Green Concept Award (for concepts) is Berlin-based creative mind Nils Bader. The award has been offered annually since 2013 - in 2020 in 14 categories, with a new record number of participants with a total of 1463 submissions from 52 countries and all continents. The awards were presented in March 2020 at the University of Television and Film, Munich. The international Green Product Award sees itself as a platform for products and services that excel in terms of innovation, sustainability and design. Nils Bader comments: "With the awards, we not only present exceptional achievements and sustainable alternatives, but also network the players. With the exhibition and the talks, we want to surprise and show what is already possible. No one should leave as he or she came, but in the future plan, design and ultimately consume with a different view."
Background information on DryTile
The DryTile system is an innovation of Deutsche Steinzeug Cremer & Breuer AG (Germany's most important manufacturer of ceramic tiles for private and public applications) in cooperation with trison GmbH. Market support is provided by the two sales subsidiaries DryTile Ceramics GmbH and Agrob Buchtal GmbH. www.gp-award.com/de / www.drytile-ceramics.de
