Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/423872
Envirowall walls are reusable and recyclable, and thanks to easy installation and resistance to mould, don't bring any irritating dust or allergens into an area where people with sensitivities may be affected. And though the Envirowall line comes in a variety of tex- tures and patterns, they're easy to customize too – a definite bonus for today's consumer. Due to recent code changes, the team at Power Dry- wall Ltd., has seen an increase in demand for exterior insulation systems, and thanks to the company's new method of pre-engineering wall panels, it's easier than ever to meet that demand. "Even if it is a brick build- ing, these days the insulation is going on the outside whether it is rigid, behind brick or the stucco system," says Bill Couvion, project manager. Because Power Drywall's pre-engineered panels are assembled in a controlled warehouse environment, it's simple to con- trol cost and stay on schedule; the finished product is simply shipped and installed on site via crane. "The difference between that and what's happening now is that there are many steps involved when you're doing it on site," explains Kevin Amyot, Power Wall Systems Ltd. manager. "You're installing steel studs, stick frame, interior drywall, air barrier – whether it's a membrane or a wet product – insulation, a furrowing system and then an exterior finish. All those steps are now done in shop. It gives us an opportunity to show off what we do best and it's growing in demand." In inclement weather conditions in particular, these pre-engineered panels make a world of difference: they could shave months off the construction process, Amyot estimates. "In a two-year build for a high-rise in a market like Calgary or Edmonton where you'd have to stop during the snowy seasons, you could save 25 to 30 per cent of your time using these panels." In terms of esthetics, the Power Drywall team has noticed a resurgence of exterior acrylic coatings like stucco, though the latest technologies deal with water egress and rainscreening better than ever. Consumers can get finishes that resemble anything from granite to a metal sheen, and the plentiful options are very appealing. Power Drywall handles more than just walls, though; the team works on many ceiling projects too, and have particular experience in lecture halls and auditoriums, manufacturing and installing acoustic fibreglass. "We have completed a number of educa- tional spaces that utilize the acoustical baffle-type of ceilings," notes Vic Semenov, general manager. "That seems to be a predominant change to previ- ous ways of controlling the acoustical vibrations. Now its forming part of the ceiling instead of hanging off the ceiling as it was previously," Semenov says. These technologies are rapidly being incorporated into the residential market, too: "There are new products that appear just about quarterly, all aimed at creating a bet- ter acoustical surrounding and naturally with nicer esthetics," he adds. "Acoustical products are increasingly popular," agrees Lyle Fuller, president of Wallworks Acoustic Architectural Products. "What's come on the market this past year isn't substantially different, but there have been some changes to their decorative fabric improvements." Companies are now coming out with suspended forms that are acoustic in nature, which look like anything from funnels to pyramids. "They're fun and decorative, yet functional," Fuller says. New to Canada are the Acoustiblok noise-stopping products, which evolved out of NASA sound-barrier developments. Noise stopping, Fuller explains, is different than resonance reduction, which the industry is more famil- iar with. With Acoustiblok, proprietary viscoelastic polymer material with a high-density mineral content flexes when hit with sound waves: internal friction then occurs, dissipating the acoustical energy with just a trace amount of heat. These technological and stylistic advancements in the ceiling and wall industries are changing the face of homes and commercial spaces, inside and out, now and well into the future. n Acoustiblok was used in a sound studio in a residential home in Northern California. Room within a room construction was utilized and all surfaces were treated with Acoustiblok. The customer stated: "The silence inside the sound room is deafening! You can yell at the top of your lungs inside the room and not a whisper of sound comes through outside." Photo courtesy Wallworks Acoustic Architectural Products. december 2014 /53 Walls & ceilings