Award

R aised access flooring systems have always been designed to enable efficient facilities management and cost-effective heating and cooling. But the latest raised access offerings go further than ever with respect to simplicity and efficiency. New raised-floor panels are lightweight and easy to handle. They fit perfectly with high-grade carpet tiles and are made to enhance the comfort of interior spaces. Raised access floor providers are also putting more effort into reducing the environmental impact of their own manufacturing operations. Tate Access Floors, Inc., for one, recently expanded its portfolio of modular, cost-effective raised floor and airflow management systems. The company's latest advancements provide efficient cooling in data centres, where air conditioning plays an important role in ensuring ideal temperatures for servers, switches and other computer equipment. In June, Tate introduced DirectAire Al, a directional airflow panel that sends air from the plenum toward the computer equipment, where cooling is needed most. DirectAire Al features a 60 per cent open area, which together with directional airflow offers high air volume and cooling capacity. What makes the panel unique is its material: made of aluminum, it's lighter than steel panels. "That saves on shipping costs and it's more manageable for facilities managers to move around if they need to," says Scott Alwine, Tate's marketing manager. Building owners and managers always look for ways to simplify their work, so Tate's new panel speaks to an ongoing concern for many customers. But in certain respects, data centres are changing. As Alwine puts it, "They're under a lot of pressure from governments and utility companies to save energy. Computer manufacturers support those efforts by making equipment that's more efficient. So now, when the equipment isn't working, it spins down and enters an idle mode." That spin-down feature helps reduce energy usage, but it also complicates data centre cooling requirements. They become variable. "That changes the way we need to deliver airflow," Alwine says. That's why Tate developed SmartAire, an automatic damper. It monitors the temperature in the data centre environment. If the thermometer dips below a set level, the damper closes automatically to reduce cold airflow. "You're not wasting energy cooling equipment that doesn't need as much air conditioning as it does during peak operation," Alwine says. Energy efficiency isn't Tate's only focus these days. The company also aims for environmental friendliness and easy installations. In 2013 Tate announced it would partner with carpet manufacturer Interface, Inc. whereby Interface would create a PosiTile carpet tile for Tate's raised access floors. Alwine explains that Interface's standard carpet tile is 50-centimetres square, while Tate's panels are 60-centimetres square. They work well together, but if a facilities manager wanted to move a diffuser or two, he would have to install new carpet tiles to fit the new configuration. That process would inevitably require carpet cutting and waste of carpet material. Through its partnership with Tate, Interface now offers 60-centimetre PosiTile tiles. "The tile indexes one-to-one with the panel," Alwine says. "That indexing allows you to move the panel and the carpet any time you need to move a box or a diffuser in the floor." The panel-matched PosiTiles help save time: installers don't have to cut tiles to fit new panel configurations. Meanwhile, the button attachment system means no adhesive is involved, which is good for the environment. "That partnership is a big one for us," Alwine says. "Interface makes high-quality products and it has a good environmental track record." Interface seems pleased with the partnership, too. According to VP Mike Schwartz, Interface was eager to work with other companies to raise the bar for sustainable building practices. He also points out that Tate now offers a broader range of carpet styles and options from Interface's vast collection. In addition to creating new products for sustainable construction projects, raised access floor manufacturers are investing to become greener themselves. Haworth Inc., for example, announced in April it plans to remove 56 environmentally harmful chemicals from its global product line by the end of 2015. The plan involves ensuring products it makes, and sources from other companies, no longer contain the chemicals of concern, such as brominated flame retardants, PVC and hexavalent chromium. Haworth aims to remove the On Higher Ground Raised access floors are now easier to install and reduce energy waste by Stefan Dubowski chemicals by re-engineering products and, if necessary, buying materials from providers that don't use the chemicals. This effort was already underway before the company announced it. By December 2013 Haworth had removed about eight per cent of the chemicals. By the end of 2014, the company expects to have removed 40 per cent. "We feel this is an important part of our historical sustainable journey given the impact chemicals have on human health and the environment," said Steve Kooy, Haworth's Global Sustainability Manager. "We intend to continue to improve our material selection by implementing green chemistry practices throughout the supply chain. Working with suppliers is an important part of our vision." Alongside Haworth and Tate, Camino Modular Building Systems provides access flooring systems designed for versatility and durability. Camino has been manufacturing and installing products for over 30 years in Canada and the U.S. The company's installation and project management team is experienced in new installation, refurbishment and tenant fit-out. The firm specializes in raised access flooring for offices, classrooms, casinos, data centres and libraries. Among its products is the FS Series Panel system, which consists of a composite welded steel shell with a cementitious core. This combination helps keep footfalls quiet as people walk across the surface. Camino offers FS panels unfinished or with typical data centre finishes such as durable high-pressure laminates, and conductive and dissipative vinyl. Camino's SC Panel is another option, manufactured in Canada with a composite cementitious treated wood core and a galvanized steel shell precisely sized for superior performance with underfloor air applications. This panel is available in both bolted corner and bare corner styles and can be manufactured with high-pressure laminate or conductive vinyl finishes for computer room applications. The SC Panel meets Class 1 and Class A fire ratings. The advanced compositions of Camino's panels illustrate the company's focus on innovation. Likewise Haworth's environmental efforts and Tate's work with Interface – and the introduction of its latest panels – indicate these firms are keen to help building owners and managers reduce costs, save time and, to at least some degree, help save the planet. n illuStration: architetta 50/ october 2014 raised Access Floors Williams

• Cover