Armstrong Bioguard Acoustic OP suspended ceilings
The new post-pandemic reality in offices is not only a change in work patterns, but also in the rooms themselves. We will pay less attention to the design of the interiors and more to their hygiene. That's why Armstrong is now introducing a new line of Bioguard Acoustic OP suspended acoustic ceilings. These are ceilings with specifications previously recommended for the medical segment. They have a special coating that is resistant to disinfectants and prevents the growth of bacteria, including MRSA.
Clean as... in the office
Recent years have been conducive to the development of the entire branch of office design. New company headquarters surprised with non-standard interiors. One could even say that there was a race for who had a more designer office. COVID-19 is changing all that. Designers, employers and developers will now start a new race - for safe and hygienic workplaces or buildings. The standards previously in place for the medical interiors sector will in some part certainly be transferred to offices as well, predicts Armstrong, one of the world's largest manufacturers of acoustic suspended ceilings.
For years, our ceilings have been present in Poland mainly in two sectors: office and medical. We are already seeing a change. In the new reality, these two types of buildings will start to be similar in terms of user requirements, comments Maciej Kiepal, Armstrong sales manager for Poland.
This is, of course, mainly about sanitary safety. Armstrong has a number of ceiling lines dedicated specifically to the medical sector. Now it is also introducing these solutions to the office market. Here hygienic conditions, due to concentrations of people, will also be extremely important. That's why interior materials developed in laboratories and certified for medical facilities can also find application in office spaces.
Technologies used in the production of solutions for medical interiors focus, among other things, on improving air quality and minimizing particle emissions in the interior. This increases interior hygiene and reduces bacterial contamination," explains Maciej Kiepal.
Armstrong for selected lines of ceilings has tests confirming compliance with Europe's most stringent French sanitary standard NF S 90-351:2013, which deals with limiting the spread of pollutants in the air.
Armstrong Bioguard Acoustic OP suspended ceilings
Clean air in office spaces
Armstrong has just introduced a novelty - ceilings from the Bioguard Acoustic OP line. These are tiles with increased sanitary requirements also dedicated to offices. Also those arranged in the open space model, as the panels have the highest noise absorption coefficient at the A-class level (0.95 αw). So they combine two needs: the need to take care of employee-friendly acoustics, but also their health. Bioguard-coated panels have increased resistance to cleaning with detergents, in addition, the coating does not promote the growth and multiplication of bacteria, mold and yeast, including, for example, the MRSA Staphylococcus aureus, dangerous for years in hospital wards.
It is possible that the dark, industrial ceilings with exposed technical installations, which have been fashionable in recent years, will now be frowned upon by employers due to increased levels of air pollution (dust lingering on technical installations). Their advantage was design, but they also had disadvantages, including difficulty of cleaning and poor interior lighting. White acoustic panels may be experiencing a renaissance due to the fact that they help light up interiors. Bioguard sanitary white-coated lines have a light reflection of up to 87%.
Hygienic Bioguard Acoustic OP ceilings for offices are available in classic 600×600 mm and 1200×600 mm modules (mineral panels). In addition to the new line, Armstrong also has more than a dozen hygienic solutions for ceiling installation, including not only mineral boards, but also as Bioguard-coated metal ceilings and special support grids dedicated to clean rooms.
For more information, visit the company's Armstrong Building Products BV B.V. Sp. z o.o. Oddział w Polsce page on the A&B portal.
