LEED®

An institutional polished concrete floor

Mechanically polished concrete and terrazzo will contribute LEED® points towards accreditation in New Construction and Major Renovation and Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance.

Mechanically Polished Concrete

There has been a surge of architects and designers specifying polished concrete as a finished floor surface as a result of its green and sustainable qualities. Polished concrete, processed to a polished finish with proprietary methods defined by Cuviello, can help achieve LEED® points in every category of New Construction and Major Renovation and is the only flooring option that can be renewed on site. Mechanically polished concrete also helps achieve points in Buildings Operations and Maintenance, since it eliminates the need for floor finish, wax, stripper and consumables that end up in a landfill.

There are three components that make Cuviello's polished concrete green and sustainable - the concrete itself, the process of polishing, and the final floor finish.

Concrete

Concrete is primarily made from natural materials and can incorporate recycled materials such as recycled glass or fly ash. Even the concrete itself can be recycled and then used in other projects. Concrete is extremely durable, the ingredients for making it are readily available, obtaining many of its ingredients does not cause any permanent environmental harm, and there is no toxic off gassing. Concrete also has the ability to absorb, store, and later release significant amounts of heat better than many other flooring materials.

Polishing Process

All products used for installation of Cuviello's proprietary methods fall well within VOC limits. The installation process yields acceptable indoor air quality limits.

Polishing the existing concrete eliminates the need for an additional flooring material to be manufactured and transported. Cuviello's polished concrete has a longer life span than any other flooring currently available. This keeps more old worn out carpet out of the landfills and prevents the environmental impact of transporting and remanufacturing materials into recycled products.

Final Floor Finish

Materials such as VCT and resilient materials have extensive maintenance cycles that require stripping and refinishing with caustic chemicals, as well as repeated energy usage. Coatings and epoxies have the potential to flake or peel and also require refinishing or replacement. Carpet requires frequent cleanings. Unlike carpet, the polished surface provides better indoor air quality because it does not trap or hold pollutants. The polished surface of concrete reflects light and increases the effectiveness of overhead lighting. Polished concrete has significant sustainable benefits not made available by any other flooring material currently on the market.

Mechanically Polished Terrazzo

As a result of terrazzo surface polishing's green and sustainable qualities, more and more facility managers and building owners are mechanically polishing terrazzo surfaces to achieve a shine, instead of using floor finish and wax. Polishing terrazzo to a shiny finish using the proprietary methods defined by Cuviello eliminates the need for floor finish, wax, stripper and consumables that end up in a landfill. This helps to achieve LEED® points in Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance.

All products used in Cuviello's proprietary polishing process and methods fall well within VOC limits. The installation process yields acceptable indoor air quality limits.

Floor finishes and waxes have extensive maintenance cycles that require stripping and refinishing with caustic chemicals, as well as repeated energy usage. Polished terrazzo has significant sustainable benefits that are not available when using floor finish or wax. For example, the polished surface of terrazzo reflects light and increases the effectiveness of overhead lighting, lessening energy demands.

For information on exactly what categories Cuviello Polished Concrete and Terrazzo will help achieve LEED® points in, email us at info@cuvielloconcrete.com.