Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/755184
DECEMBER 2016 | 27 PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY NEDLAW LIVING WALLS & KASIAN ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN AND PLANNING Walls & Ceilings Gyptone Big Curve (perforated acousti- cal gypsum panels with formaldehyde- scavenging technology), which "seam- lessly integrates with the company's other revolutionary Gyptone products to create dynamic, sweeping interior surfaces without any breaks or grid," says Marshall. I N N O VAT I O N I N S I D E R Regulations for how to recycle and dis- pose of waste are now in effect in many provinces, but real success when it comes to sustainability will ultimately be found with the manufacturers as they work towards developing more sustain- able product for market, like CGC's light- weight products that use less water and can be made with recycled content. Or just look at the exciting new devel- opments in gypsum that make it an active agent for cleaning up the envi- ronment. "Gypsum that is possessed of formaldehyde-scavenging technol- ogy scrubs the indoor air of the spaces it surrounds," says Prokop. The company's AirRenew Indoor Air Quality drywall offers enhanced indoor air quality by utiliz- ing this technology, a first for the industry. "The technology removes formaldehyde from the air, converting it into a safe, inert compound. Once captured, the chemicals cannot be released back into the air," explains Prokop. And while foam has long been criticized for its environmental impact, many manufacturers of foam systems are now bringing to market new fourth generation blowing agents that will provide some very low global-warming-potential numbers. "This will be a great milestone for our industry," says CUFCA's Cole. Updated provincial energy codes are also starting to be adopted across the industry. "It's forcing buildings to look at performance levels," says Cole. "The nominal R-values are being challenged due to thermal bridging, and as such, walls are increasingly being designed with outboard insulation over the studs to prevent or reduce thermal bridging." He points to the use of board stock sheathing with two-pound closed cell SPF as an ideal solution in the traditional stick-frame construc- tion market – and also for ceilings in the flat-roof market. L I V I N G WA L L S Of course, combing esthetics, function and sustainability is inte- gral when it comes to walls and ceilings. One system that com- bines all three is the living wall biofilter, but, as Alan Darlington founder of Nedlaw Living Walls says, "in terms of benefits, not all indoor plant walls are created equal. I divide them into two categories; esthetic and functional. Esthetic plants walls bene- fit the occupant through the psychological impact; people work better, feel better and are happier when they are in pleasing environments.The other type of plant walls, such as the Nedlaw living wall biofilters, focus on improving the physical indoor environment through active processes." Darlington explains that with this system, the dirty air is brought in close contact with the complex biome in the plant wall root zone. "Beneficial microbes [not the plants] remove the contaminants by natural and benign processes. The cleaned air is then returned to the occupants. These biofilters do the air cleaning using up to 90 percent less energy than tradi- tional air handling systems," explains Darlington. While large scale indoor projects were the early adopters of this technology, Darlington says the biofilter living wall is suitable for any occupied space. "In the long term, I see this biofiltration technology being integrated into our work, play and leisure spaces. This will likely mean the shrinking of the size of the biofilters through optimization of design. But I see them everywhere," says Darlington. A The living wall biofilter at the revitalized Edmonton Federal Building. SPEECH PRIVACY SOLUTIONS Leading providers of high performance SOUND MASKING SYSTEMS for corporations and health care facilities — an integral part of a holistic approach to offi ce acoustics. Full range of Digital Signal Processors, all include 1/3 octave equalization per zone Highest quality speakers – adaptable with excellent low frequency response For Service in BC: Contact Danielle Macey 604-294-9495 danielle@vibra-sonic.com For Service East of BC: Contact Sandy Park 403-237-5035 sandy@vibra-sonic.com Experts in System Design, Integration, and Tuning www.vibra-sonic.com