Active Pietra Serena

Active Clean Air & Antibacterial Ceramic™ is the result of years of commitment and sensitivity that GranitiFiandre has shown towards eco-sustainability.

Active Clean Air & Antibacterial Ceramic™ is the latest form of ceramics that helps to purify the air that we breathe offering cleaner, more hygienic and ultimately healthier floors and coverings, which also reflects on the environment in which we live.

Active Clean Air & Antibacterial Ceramic™ is an exclusive production methodology involving the high-temperature application of micrometric particles of titanium dioxide (TiO2), which exploits photocatalysis activated by natural or artificial light to allow the production of ECO-ACTIVE ceramic slabs for flooring and wall coverings with real anti-pollutant and anti-bacterial properties, that make an effective contribution to improving quality of life. Active efficiency has been certified by the TCNA (Tile Council of North America) and Centro Ceramico Bologna (Italian Ceramic Center). Reports issued by both the TCNA and the Italian Ceramic Center certify that 1000 sqm of Active material provides a reduction in nitrogen oxides (NOx) equivalent to 20 mature trees.
The CSTB (Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment) has awarded Active Clean Air & Antibacterial Ceramic™ with Pass’Innovation, which bears authoritative testament to its innovative value. Active is a revolutionary breakthrough: inert ceramics become eco-active. Active, indeed, belongs to the new wave of sustainable materials; that is “living”, “intelligent”, and able to interact actively and positively with the environment.

Active Clean Air & Antibacterial Ceramic™ has transformed GranitiFiandre slabs into an exceptional eco-active, non-polluting and antibacterial material.
In fact, Active interacts with the environment by reducing pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxide up to 70%. These are either generated by irresponsible industrial activities or derive from heating, air conditioning, cigarette smoke, odours, ammonia, sulphur dioxide, benzene and ethanol. As well as anti-pollution properties it has also an antibacterial action: Active eliminates dangerous bacterial strains that tend to damage surfaces and coverings, such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. These are the pathogens of potentially serious diseases, as certified by the Centro Ceramico Bologna (Italian Ceramic Center) and by the TCNA (Tile Council of North America).

How is all this possible?

It is thanks to the action of titanium dioxide (TiO2) that is applied to the slabs at high temperature. Through simple exposure to light this activates the photocatalysis process, which is responsible for the product's anti-pollution and bactericidal properties.
The above treatment is applied by following an innovative, sophisticated and exclusive production method developed by GranitiFiandre.
Completely different from the common and less effective systems based on nanotechnology (nowadays controversial in the scientific field for their potential harm to human health), the ACTIVE method retains the eco-active properties of titanium dioxide in time and excludes any risk to human health and to the environment during the manufacturing process: a veritable revolution in the world of flooring and coating materials.

Active Clean Air & Antibacterial Ceramic™ is environmentally friendly: 1,000 m2 of Active Clean Air & Antibacterial Ceramic™ material has the same beneficial effect of 20 mature trees.

Active Clean Air & Antibacterial Ceramic™ is clean: outdoor coverings made with ACTIVE slabs are dirt repellent, as photocatalysis prevents smog from settling on them. This practically eliminates the need to use detergents. A simple shower and the rain will wipe the wall surface clean.

Active Clean Air & Antibacterial Ceramic™ is safe: tests performed on ACTIVE slabs guarantee their effectiveness both as outdoor and indoor coverings and as flooring. Thanks to their properties, ACTIVE slabs are suitable (in fact recommended) for environments where cleanliness, sanitation and hygiene are important requirements: residences, wellness centres, hotels, restaurants, gyms, schools, surgeries, laboratories and hospitals.

Recent research conducted by the University of Milan has shown that 100 m2 of White Ground Active tiles made by the GranitiFiandre group break down the same amount of NOx pollutants (nitrogen oxides and their mixtures) in six hours as the daily work of 30 trees corresponding to 22 m2 of leaf surface area. The study was carried out by simulating what happened in Milan during the month of November 2011 (Via Pascal - Città Studi Unit) and the results showed that this material can bring the pollution values back down below the threshold of 40 mcg/m3 in just over three hours. In the event of critical levels of nitrogen oxides, the tiles have even broken down the pollutant, bringing levels back below the threshold limit in 6/7 hours.

All this is due to the photocatalytic action of this material. “The Active tiles are very stable materials which, in the first place, maintain their main characteristic of hardness and resistance over time, typical of porcelain stoneware materials, but they also have new added surface properties thanks to the presence of titanium dioxide in the most external layer, which allows them to be defined as photocatalytic” commented the study supervisor Claudia Bianchi, lecturer of industrial chemistry and chemical plants.

“Products like Active - added the expert - can also be defined as self-cleaning materials". In fact, because of their proven ability to break down pollutant molecules including dirt (grease and cigarette smoke) they allow easier cleaning with just water and therefore limit the use of detergents which are also a source of pollution. “The tests carried out in my laboratories, at the University of Milan - continued Bianchi - confirmed that Active tiles can break down nitrogen oxides, hence allowing an improvement in the air that we breathe, in a relatively short timescale”.

Laboratory certifications confirming the effectiveness of Active Clean Air & Antibacterial CeramicTM have been issued by the US laboratories of TCNA (Tile Council of North America), the leading promoter of ceramic tiles and developer of international standards in North America for this sector, by the Centro Ceramico Bologna (Italian Ceramic Center), the University Consortium (Centre for Research and Experimental Study in the Ceramics Industry), the national facility for research in this sector and the official testing laboratory, which was accredited for trials, controls and for granting national and international quality branding to ceramic materials, and by the French Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment which attested its innovative value.