The following 12 products represent the latest offerings in ceiling and acoustical systems.
1. EZ Stab
CertainTeed Ceilings
The EZ Stab Bolt Slot and EZ Stab Tier Drop suspension systems feature the stainless steel EZ Stab clip, which is stronger than standard clips on the market, according to the maker. Its double-stitched web and staggered rivet holes add stability and reduce twisting. Both systems feature a mitered design on the cross tee and main runner intersections for a clean, continuous slot with multiple lengths.
More on CertainTeed Ceilings’ EZ Stab system.
2. Techstyle
Hunter Douglas
Designed in collaboration with HOK and designer Guillaume Martin, this acoustic tile line offers a selection of organic, abstract, and geometric patterns that can be re-colored to fit the design of any room. A honeycomb design absorbs both high and low frequencies for robust acoustical performance. The Greenguard Gold-certified panels are made of formaldehyde-free, fiberglass composite construction.
More on Hunter Douglas’ Techstyle ceiling.
3. Series 487-ar
C.R. Laurence
Double-glazed, demountable interior office partition system delivers an acoustical rating of up to 47 STC to keep exterior sound out and interior sound in. The system’s 3-1/2-inch air cavity between the two glass lites maximizes acoustical privacy while allowing ample natural light to flow through office interiors. With available snap-in pocket fillers, the Series 487-AR can be converted into a single-glaze system for enhanced versatility.
More on C.R. Laurence’s Series 487-AR office partition system.
4. Simple Modern
Pure + Freeform
This new collection of interior and exterior metal wall panel and ceiling systems offers nine finishes that were inspired by the design team’s discovery of ancient objects during recent travels. Blue Rust, for example, is a fresh take on rust, with purple and sea blue tones, that was inspired from the Beverly Pepper sculpture outside of the Ara Pacis in Rome. Parisian Rust (pictured) was inspired by an 18th-century manuscript found in Paris.
More on Pure + Freeform’s Simple Modern panels.
5. Echostar panels
Kirei
This line of diamond-shaped acoustic panels is designed to be installed in specific areas that require enhanced acoustical control. The diamond facets deflect sound waves while the surface absorbs sound, reducing echo and controlling noise. The single or linked units are available in five colors: white, ivory, speckled gray, gray, and charcoal. The distinctive units also serve as an architectural effect.
More on Kirei’s Echostar panels.
6. Metalworks Blades
Armstrong Ceilings
Line of aluminum ceiling blades has been expanded with 24- and 48-inch lengths—joining the existing line of 96-inch panels—offering designers more flexibility to achieve custom-looking ceiling designs with standard items, including striated, geometric, herringbone, cellular, and linear. The blades are available as perforated or unperforated panels, and in nine colors and six effects.
More on Armstrong’s MetalWorks Linear Blades.
7. Soundedge
Arktura
This collection of modular acoustical fins is constructed from the company’s Soft Sound material (100% PET plastic with up to 50% recycled content) to drastically reduce sound reverberation. The fins are available in a multitude of lengths and depths, are easy to install, and can be mixed and matched in numerous configurations. The material can be spaced to accommodate off-the-shelf lighting systems. Starting price: $150/fin.
More on Arktura’s Soundedge.
8. Integrity 4200
Rockfon
Designed for museums, art galleries, hotels, event spaces, office lobbies, airports, and other high-profile interiors, the Chicago Metallic Integrity 4200 suspension system features a double reveal for a high-end look with a smooth, white surface. It uses Rockfon acoustic stone wool panels with a square tegular narrow edge. The panels rest flush with the center bar of the grid profile to produce the double reveal.
More on Rockfon’s Integrity 4200 ceiling system.
9. Miami-dade-ready ceilings
usg
Six exterior ceiling systems by USG have received Notices of Acceptance (NOAs) from Miami-Dade County for performance during severe weather testing. Included in the approvals are USG’s drywall suspension system and a series of metal exterior ceilings, including Paraline Plus Linear, Celebration Snap-In, and Celebration Torsion Spring. Applications include soffits, parking garages, and covered entrances.
More on USG Miami-Dade-ready ceilings.
10. cmp-alu6010
GKD
The historic King of England building in Stuttgart, Germany, is the first suspended-ceiling application for GKD’s CMP-Alu6010 composite mesh panel. The panels were used for the grid-free installation of ceiling elements made of gold-anodized aluminum mesh, creating a striking space on the top floor of the building. Made of metal mesh and aluminum honeycomb plate, the material delivers sag-free performance.
More on GKD’s CMP-Alu6010 composite mesh panel.
11. qmark panels
Marley Engineered Products
Radiant ceiling panels are designed to provide localized spot heating or primary heating for a range of applications, from hotels to offices to hospital rooms. The panels can be specified by dimension and output level, and are offered in custom colors and finishes. Panels are available in standard 24x24- and 24x48-inch drop ceiling panels, as well as custom sizes up to 28 inches wide and 96 inches long.
More on Marley Qmark panels.
12. Integrated Solar Nightlight
solatube
Tubular daylighting device for light commercial and residential applications features a solar panel that harvests and stores power, so that when the sun goes down it’s illuminated as a nightlight. During the day, the system functions as a daylighting device, transferring light down a highly reflective tube—which bends up to 90 degrees and can be up to 70 feet long—and distributes it evenly into an interior space.
More on the Solatube Integrated Solar Nightlight.
Related Stories
| Sep 13, 2010
China's largest single-phase hospital planned for Shanghai
RTKL's Los Angles office is designing the Shanghai Changzheng New Pudong Hospital, which will be the largest new hospital built in China in a single phase.
| Sep 13, 2010
Data Centers Keeping Energy, Security in Check
Power consumption for data centers doubled from 2000 and 2006, and it is anticipated to double again by 2011, making these mission-critical facilities the nation's largest commercial user of electric power. With major technology companies investing heavily in new data centers, it's no wonder Building Teams see these mission-critical facilities as a golden opportunity, and why they are working hard to keep energy costs at data centers in check.
| Aug 11, 2010
Average annual pay increases at A/E/P firms continue to rise in 2010
Despite the economic challenges that many architecture, engineering, planning(A/E/P) & environmental consulting firms have faced in recent years, a large majority of firms continue to include pay increases for their staff in their annual budgets, according to a new report released by ZweigWhite. According to ZweigWhite's 2010 Policies, Procedures, and Benefits Survey of Architecture, Engineering, Planning & Environmental Consulting Firms, the average pay increase that A/E/P firms project that they will provide in 2010 has increased from 2009. ZweigWhite, March 2
| Aug 11, 2010
ASHRAE Receives NIST Grant to Study IAQ in Retail Stores
The American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has been awarded $1.5 million dollars in grant money from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to conduct a three-year research project on ventilation and indoor air quality in retail stores.
| Aug 11, 2010
Georgia Tech requires LEED Gold for all new buildings and renovations
The Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta is currently updating its facilities design standards to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold as set by the U.S. Green Building Council. Energy Ace, Inc., an Atlanta-based sustainability consulting firm is assisting Georgia Tech in preparing the Standards upgrade.
| Aug 11, 2010
UC Merced researchers receive $568,000 grant to develop solar sensing, tracking system
Alberto Cerpa, an engineering professor at the University of California Merced, has received a $568,202 grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a system that will measure and track the amount of sunlight that reaches ground level where photovoltaic panels and solar concentrators used in solar energy systems collect light and heat to turn into electricity.
| Aug 11, 2010
Mark McCracken named chair-elect of USGBC Board of Directors
Mark MacCracken, CEO of CALMAC, Inc., a producer of cold storage energy solutions, has been selected as Chair-elect of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Board of Directors for the 2010 calendar year. The USGBC Board of Directors is responsible for articulating and upholding the vision, values and mission of USGBC. In 2009, MacCracken was elected to serve a second 3-year term as Director in the Energy Services Seat.
| Aug 11, 2010
Only four out of 337 cities added construction jobs in 2009
Construction employment grew in only four out of 337 metropolitan areas in 2009 as spending on construction projects dropped by $100 billion in December to a six-year low of $903 billion, according to a new analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of federal figures released recently.
| Aug 11, 2010
Zero Energy Buildings + Homes' Call for Editorial Contributions & Contributors
BD+C will publish its 8th Annual White Paper on Green Buildings, "Zero Energy Buildings + Homes," in November-and you can contribute to it. We're looking for highly qualified experts (or teams of experts) to write individual chapters (about 2,000-3,000 words). We've started the outline here, but we'd like your suggestions about additional chapters. What did we miss? Help us shape this important report.
| Aug 11, 2010
Blue ribbon panel unveils recommendations for NYC's green building codes
In response to City's request, the task force unveils more than 100 recommendations for greening NYC buildings, in most sophisticated analysis ever conducted by a municipality
