sustainability

Sustainable Design / Green Building Standard:

1. Minimal materials used per square meter of ceiling area with increased durability and improved acoustical performance

One of the main objectives when developing Techstyle® Acoustical Ceilings was to minimize consumption and depletion of materials/natural resources per square meter while achieving a product with maximum performance. Techstyle ceilings weigh 1.22kg/sqm – four to five times lighter than the standard mineral fiber tiles (weighing 4.9kg/sqm to 6.1kg/sqm). If we then consider the lifecycle impact of the materials on the environment – i.e. assuming that ONLY the non-recycled materials end up in the landfill – note the remarkable calculation below:

Lifespan is another major product consideration. The structure of Techstyle ceilings allows the panel to absorb normal impact and “bounce back”. The panel is also downwardly accessible so “normal” scratches and broken corners common to mineral fiber tiles are not a factor. Techstyle panels should easily have double the life in a ceiling compared to “regular” tiles.

Also concerning lifespan – moisture – a mineral fiber tile exposed to any kind of moisture at all (even minor changes in humidity) can sag, discolor, and possibly grow mold, mildew, or fungi. Techstyle panels’ open honeycomb structure allows the panel to “stay dry” and the inorganic composition keeps the panel from growing mold or fungi.

Hunter Douglas is also exploring programs where the impact on the environment is further minimized by researching recycling projects that may, in the future, consist of the panel being separated into its base components and re-used as some other form of building material.

2. Impact on indoor air quality

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in high concentrations can lead to poor indoor air quality. Some products immediately “off gas” – i.e. that “new car” or “fresh paint” smell we can all identify. Other products emit slowly over a long time. VOCs can cause of variety of symptoms including, but not limited to, nose and throat irritations. Formaldehyde, often a major component as an “off gas”, has been listed as a probable human carcinogen and the manufacturing of products that contain formaldehyde may also have adverse effects on the environment

The main component of Techstyle Acoustical Ceilings is a non-woven fiberglass specialty mat bound with formaldehyde-free binders. Similar binder technologies are also applied in formaldehyde-free thermal insulation. At this time, Techstyle Acoustical Ceilings is the only high performance fiberglass ceiling that does not use urea-formaldehyde binders.

Another important indoor environmental quality issue is the resistance to the growth of mold and fungi. Mold and fungi growths have been linked to an increase in allergic reactions. Most products containing organic fibers like paper faced drywall or mineral fiber ceiling tiles support fungal growth. Techstyle ceilings have been tested in accordance with ASTM C 1338-00 and the test report reads “not shown to support fungal growth”.

3. OIKOS Environmental Benefit Coding System:

Techstyle Acoustical Ceilings could be coded as:

AQ => Products that promote indoor air quality
LT => Low-toxicity
RE => Resource efficient products use less material