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Home > Issue by Date > May 2007

Ceiling Tile Selection: Pay Now Or Pay Later

Several criteria influence decisions with regard to ceiling purchase and disposal practices.

By Tim Tu

Finding the right ceiling solution in commercial and institutional buildings is a juggling act that requires a great deal of dexterity. Facility managers must balance decoration, functionality, and cost. Building conditions factor into the decision because age, maintenance history, traffic, and how space is used will influence what to buy.

One of the first things facility professionals should consider during this process is the choice of a ceiling tile that either engenders the desired appearance or accommodates the activities of the users. The next step for the customer is fairly obvious: go shopping, but keep in mind that inexpensive products usually lead to repetitive repair or replacement.

In the wide spectrum of lay-in ceiling tile selection, there is one key decision every facility manager needs to make early on in the process: is the primary goal of the purchase to enhance the appearance of the facility? Or is it more important to satisfy practical criteria for building visitors and occupants?

Considered independently, the price for aesthetics can generally be rather high. But if performance is the most important factor, the two most common issues will more than likely come down to prioritizing between acoustics and humidity resistance.

Moisture Proof

Moisture is the most common enemy to ceiling tiles. Simple clues to identify problems include evidence of brown stains, peeling paint, flaking dust, or pest and insects.

For example, water spots on fiber based ceiling tiles are a tell tale sign there is a problem caused by a dripping pipe, a condensating HVAC unit, or a leaking roof. Soaked into absorbent material, this incubator of mold can lead to health concerns besides the ugly visual aspect. To save from repeated replacements, waterproof tiles are long lasting and cost effective—especially in damp areas or older facilities.

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Any time indoor air quality (IAQ) and health codes are strict, ceiling tiles must be extremely resistant to mold, mildew, and bacteria—microbial growths that can contribute to sick building syndrome. These conditions are especially important in health care and institutional environments.

Facility managers should select tiles that have been tested using ASTM D 3273 (a standard designed to improve hygienic conditions) and have received an exemplary score. Tiles that can be scrubbed and disinfected on the face and the back should be seriously considered under these circumstances.

Sound And Sustainable

Noise in a room can be reduced using sound absorbing technology. Open areas such as offices, hospitals, schools, and libraries require products that help to lower decibel levels.

Acoustical ceiling tiles are typically made from fiber based materials with perforated surfaces. Generally, facility managers should look for tiles with a high Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) or good Acoustical Absorbance (AA).

While present day trends lean toward sustainable building materials to reduce maintenance costs and generate the greatest return on investment (ROI), durable ceiling tiles cost more initially, but long-term performance makes them economical solutions. [For more on ceiling sustainability, see the accompanying sidebar entitled “Old Ceilings Never Die” by Joann Davis Brayman.]

A simple quality test of how well a ceiling tile may hold up over time is how easy it is to handle. If the surface or corners are easily damaged or the tile crumbles when cut, service life may be short.

Ceilings are important to the overall impression of a facility, and by extension, to the company that it houses. Any instance of aesthetic imperfection might be regarded as unprofessional, implying that the company is unable to meet expected standards of a quality operation.

Since maintenance crews often work around business hours to avoid degrading public appearances, replacement budgets and new construction specifications ought to include tiles that are easy to maintain and well suited to their environments. The payoff can result in lower operating costs and a healthier, more attractive building.

Tu (Tim.Tu@ParklandPlastics.com) is national distribution sales & marketing manager for Middlebury, IN-based Parkland Plastics, Inc. For more on his company’s products, visit the Web at www.waterproofpanels.com

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Old Ceilings Never Die

By Joann Davis Brayman

Sustainability is an increasingly important concern in commercial buildings. As a result, when acoustical ceilings reach the end of their useful lives, facility managers should consider recycling them rather than dumping them.

Ceiling recycling programs enable facility managers to ship old, discarded mineral fiber and fiberglass ceilings from renovation projects to a ceiling manufacturer’s plant as an alternative to landfill disposal. Under these programs, the manufacturer even pays freight costs for shipping the old ceilings (30,000-square-foot minimum), which it uses as raw materials in the manufacture of new ceilings.

The programs are designed to help facility managers reduce their impact on the environment by redirecting used ceiling tiles from landfills back to a manufacturer, thereby creating a closed loop process and offering a valuable end to what typically would have been thrown away.

A ceiling recycling program usually involves four steps. First, provisions for ceiling recycling should be included in the renovation project’s specifications or construction waste management plan.

Second, facility managers need to verify with the ceiling manufacturer recycling the old ceiling tiles that the materials can indeed be recycled. The old tiles do not necessarily have to be that manufacturer’s products to qualify for the program.

Third, following verification, managers or contractors must stack the old ceiling tiles on pallets and shrink wrap or tightly band them for pickup. More information on other packaging procedures and options (and the availability of consolidation locations for smaller quantities) is available from the ceiling manufacturer.

Finally, once there is a full trailer load of old ceilings (30,000 square feet), the manager or contractor needs to contact the manufacturer, who will then arrange for a truck to pick up the material and transfer it to its nearest manufacturing facility.

In addition to its economic benefits, ceiling recycling also has a significant impact on the environment. For example, recycling just one ton of old ceiling tiles accomplishes these milestones:

• Eliminates 980 kilograms of greenhouse gases—the equivalent of not driving a car 1,500 miles.

• Saves 10 tons of virgin raw materials required for manufacturing new ceilings, which also saves 1,000 gallons of water.

• Saves 2,800 kilowatt hours of electricity—enough energy to power four homes for a month.

• Recycling ceilings can also contribute to LEED® Material and Resources, Waste Management MR Credit 2.1 and 2.2.

In time tests, the process for recycling old ceilings has proven to be nearly as fast as dumping them, so the program has little, if any, adverse impact on demolition schedules. And it can be less costly than that of local handling, transport, container, and landfill fees.

Share your experiences by e-mailing schwartz@groupc.com.

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