Grespania: Design And Sustainability In Perfect Balance

Grespania continues to redefine architectural surfaces with ultra-thin, large-format porcelain tiles that are suitable for both interior and exterior spaces, blending beautiful design with an eco-conscious approach. Designed for contemporary architecture and interior design, Coverlam represents the evolution of porcelain: lighter, stronger, and engineered with respect for the planet.

Large-format technical stone represents the next evolution in architectural surfaces - an engineered material created from a precise blend of natural minerals and advanced compounds. Compacting under 30,000 tons of pressure and firing at over 1,200 °C fuse these components into ultra-dense slabs of exceptional strength and stability. The result is a lightweight, non-porous material that illustrates the natural beauty of stone with the superior performance, and sustainability demanded by future forward architecture and Grespania as a company.

Technical Features include:

• Durability

• Stain Resistance

• UV Resistance

• Heat Resistance

• Hygiene

• Design Versatility

• Environmentally Friendly

Sustainability For The Future

Coverlam was conceived not only as a technical innovation but as a sustainability statement. Produced using more than 90% natural raw materials, and with a manufacturing process powered by renewable energy and closed-loop water recycling, Coverlam, as a product, clearly demonstrates how innovation can lead to meaningful reductions in environmental impact. Its thickness - at just 3.5 mm or 5.6 mm - means up to three times less raw material is required and significantly lower transport emissions are produced compared to traditional porcelain. 

Every square metre of tile reflects reduced energy use, waste and resource extraction - proving that genuine design innovation can go hand in hand with a care for the environment. Grespania’s manufacturing facilities operate under stringent environmental management systems, they provide ceramic solutions that optimise efficiency and comply with the most demanding environmental standard, this is key. The result is a product line that supports LEED, BREEAM, and other sustainable building certifications internationally recognised, giving architects measurable environmental performance data they can trust. 

Facades That Benefit

When used in a ventilated facade system, Coverlam becomes an environmental gain. The ultra-thin slabs, measuring up to 1200 × 3600 mm, form a durable exterior layer that allows air to circulate between the wall and the façade. This natural ventilation reduces thermal bridges, reflects solar radiation and regulates building temperature, cutting energy consumption for both heating and cooling. There is an additional acoustic improvement with noise reduction throughout. 

Even more remarkably, façades finished with the H&C Tiles photocatalytic coating from Grespania actively purify the air. The titanium-dioxide treatment reacts with sunlight to break down nitrogen oxides (NOx) and organic pollutants, effectively transforming building surfaces into self-cleaning, air-purifying membranes. 

According to Grespania’s data, 10,000 m² of treated façade neutralises as much NOx as 740 cars emit daily, equating to the purifying power of nine football pitches of green space. This dual benefit of reduced building energy demand and active air purification—making Coverlam the ideal choice for forward-thinking, sustainable architecture and design.

Technical Excellence

Behind Coverlam’s refined surface aesthetics lies robust engineering. Its porcelain composition achieves water absorption below 0.1%, delivering a high resistance to frost, UV exposure, and pollution. Despite its ultra-thin profile, it offers exceptional flexural strength thanks to its reinforced fibre mesh backing, ensuring durability in both new-build and renovation projects. It is lightweight and easy to install which allows facades and interiors to be transformed without the need for structural reinforcement or demolition, reducing waste and installation time. 

The material is certified under ETA 24/0747, confirming its performance for exterior facades, cladding, and flooring. The large-format slabs allow seamless coverage and minimal joints, creating a calm, continuous surface that highlights the precision of contemporary architecture. The clever combination of proportion, scale, and natural finish gives designers freedom to explore materiality without compromise.

The Concepts Collections: A Unified Vision

Grespania’s Concepts Collections is inspired by a holistic design philosophy - coordinating surfaces, furniture, and architectural elements through a shared material language. Each collection offers multiple finishes, thicknesses, and applications, ensuring design continuity across all spaces. The Imperium series, for example, reflects the beauty and sophistication of marble with fine veining and a luxurious polish; it is available in formats up to 1600 × 3200 mm for large, uninterrupted flowing expanses. Meanwhile, Coverlam Top extends this concept for kitchens and furniture, offering 10 mm and 12 mm thicknesses for countertops, tables, and bespoke joinery allowing for a coherent design flow. Each tile is designed for ease of handling, the mineable side and weight of each tile enables ease of installation. Perfectly suitable for single-person installation allowing for improved efficiency on-site. This integrated approach allows architects and designers to create interiors and exteriors that continuously flow fluently - stone, metal, or cement effects translated across floors, walls, facades, and furnishings.

Design But Make It Lighter

Beyond its visual impact and endless design possibilities, Coverlam’s sustainability credentials are tangible. Its thin profile reduces CO₂ emissions from production and transport, while its long lifespan and low maintenance requirements further cut environmental impact over time. The ventilated facade system improves building performance, acoustic insulation and protects structures from weathering. Simultaneously, the self-cleaning surfaces maintain their aesthetic integrity with minimal upkeep - rainwater naturally washes away dirt and surface pollutants. Through balancing technical performance, ecological advances, and design versatility, Coverlam proves that sustainability does not require an aesthetic compromise. It represents a material evolution aligned with the architectural priorities of our time: durability, lightness, and responsibility.

A Material For The Next Generation Of Architecture

As cities grow denser and environmental regulation grows, the materials we specify matter more than ever. Coverlam’s contribution goes beyond form and function - it plays an active role in the shift toward carbon-conscious design. Each facade or interior finished in Coverlam becomes part of an architectural ecosystem that generates less waste, consumes less energy, and even cleans the air we breathe. Whether creating a serene interior or shaping a landmark facade, Coverlam stands as proof that the future of architecture lies not only in what we build, but in how we build it.

For further information, imagery, or technical data, please contact: Grespania UK | architects@grespania.co.uk |  | +44 0121 457 6900  |  www.grespania.com/en

Marmox Multiboard Used By NE Renovation Specialist To Tackle Damp And Cold

A highly experienced contractor, specialising in energy upgrade refurbishments, underfloor heating and heating installations, has cited ease of installation, as well as the waterproofing and high insulation values of Marmox Multiboard, for his practice of using the coated XPS boards for all of his bathroom fit-outs and many other projects.

Richard Percy, a former firefighter, who has been carrying out challenging contracts across the country for the past 15 years and trading as RDP Solutions, recounts: “I work across the North-East and the country as a whole, for underfloor heating and greywater recycling and I have made it my speciality to take on refurbishments which other people say can’t be done!  In the case of the very old building where I am currently working in Mitford, Northumberland, the place had been very badly rebuilt in the past, with poor installation to the vaulted ceiling, no cavity closers and all of the pipework run under the floors. In addition, chipboard flooring had been laid over battens on out-of-level concrete."

"This required a full strip out to enable the installation of underfloor heating. Overlapping layers of Kingspan were installed in the roof-space and different thicknesses of Marmox Multiboard installed across the walls and floors in all the rooms. For example, I uprated all the window reveals using 12.5 mm Multiboard.” 

During the rebuild, all of the pipework for the plumbing was relocated within the studwork, to allow the Uponor minitec underfloor heating system to be laid across a 40 mm thickness of Multiboards. This ensured the maximum amount of heat was delivered to the occupied room above, creating much improved comfort levels for the occupants.  Interestingly, as a proponent of hydronic underfloor heating, he has also adopted the practice of extending it beneath the actual shower tray: in this case, one of Marmox’s own linear wetroom trays.  Other products from the Marmox range employed on the contract include the jointing tape, 360 adhesive and special washers for installation of the different thicknesses of Multiboard. Richard concludes:

“I use Multiboard for all my bathrooms – virtually every job I do – primarily for their waterproofing performance, but also because they significantly reduce heat loss and are very straightforward to cut and fit.  A lot of people go for a cement-based product in bathrooms, but Multiboard is better and easier to install and in new-build situations it also meets the NHBC guidance.”

Marmox Multiboards are manufactured from extruded polystyrene or XPS encapsulated in reinforced polymer concrete, produced in a range of thicknesses up to 60mm and offer a variety of positive physical characteristics in addition to being fully waterproof.  They are both light to handle and easy to cut, while still being able to sustain substantial loadings if required, such as for flooring applications. They further offer good thermal insulation performance, helping to cut condensation risk. Full packs of Multiboard and the ancillary products from the Marmox range were all purchased through the local branch of MKM Building Supplies.  

www.marmox.co.uk

Quieter Classrooms With Optimise 70

For contractors tasked with classroom refurbishments, Optimise 70 could well be the perfect recommendation. Modern school classrooms are a tough place for any floor, but the IVC Commercial Optimise 70 range might well be the perfect solution. Affordable, tough, easy to maintain and with class-leading impact noise reduction, it upgrades any classroom floor in need of replacement.

Made in Europe by IVC, Optimise 70 is a heavy-duty (0.70mm wear layer) heterogeneous vinyl floor that delivers more than just outstanding wear characteristics. With a choice of 40 designs, including everything from wood plank and herringbone to terrazzo and bright colours, it can certainly create an inspiring classroom setting while supporting pupil concentration thanks to its 19dB of impact sound reduction. And with Sanitec anti-bacterial and Hyperguard+ protection, it’s a floor that’s hygienic and easy to maintain too.

Jake Parks, national sales manager, IVC Commercial, says, “Today’s classroom not only needs to deliver excellent long-term value, but must also support the needs of pupils. The importance of setting a high-quality learning environment is now well recognised and so schools are looking for floors that are not only exceptionally tough and easy to look after, but that can also inspire and support the next generation. Optimise 70 has all the characteristics needed and is widely available from distributors across the UK. It is the perfect go-to classroom floor for contractors refurbishing school environments.”

Highlights in the Optimise 70 range include the ‘endless’ wood design of Elias, chevron plank of Olympus and the terrazzo looks of Cevennes and Coronet. These are well suited to a more sophisticated look for secondary settings. Standard designs such as the wood plank of Camargue and Toronto, as well as the bright colours of Rochus are ideal for primary and junior learning environments, where they can be used to create zones. Optimise 70 is available in 2m width and comes with a 12 year commercial warranty.    www.ivc-commercial.com