Indoor Environmental Quality and No-Sag Performance
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We stand behind our ceiling system performance with a 30-year guarantee that Armstrong HumiGuard® ceilings will resist visible sag, and that Armstrong BioBlock® Plus ceilings will resist the growth of mold/mildew and bacterial growth.
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This Icon is used throughout this catalog to identify Armstrong products backed by the 30-year System Performance Guarantee. Details pg. 281.
Armstrong HumiGuard Ceilings:
VOC and Formaldehyde Emissions
• Can be installed before buildings are enclosed • Minimize replacement of sagging ceilings • Stay flat, even where HVAC systems are cycled
Increasing attention is being given to the quality of the indoor environment and the presence of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) within it. One of the common occurring VOCs is formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is normally present at low levels in outdoor air. However, interior spaces containing products that release formaldehyde can potentially cause illness or discomfort to occupants.
This Icon identifies HumiGuard Max Ceilings.
HumiGuard Max ceilings provide sag resistance in areas of 100% humidity and standing water, such as indoor pools and outdoor applications. Armstrong Fine Fissured™ Ceramaguard ceilings meet this standard. This Icon identifies HumiGuard Plus Ceilings.
HumiGuard Plus ceilings provide validated sag performance required for all high humidity applications – just short of standing water, direct contact with water, or exteriors where condensation is likely. These products can be installed earlier in the construction process (before the building is enclosed), wherever HVAC systems might be shut down, or in all high humidity applications other than outdoors or where subjected to standing water. Virtually all Armstrong acoustical panels not identified as HumiGuard Plus or HumiGuard Max provide acceptable humidity resistance for most conventional commercial building applications, when the building is closed in and HVAC systems are functioning on an ongoing basis.
Armstrong BioBlock Plus Ceilings: • Contain a broad spectrum anti-microbial treatment on face and back • Provides guaranteed resistance against the growth of mold/mildew and Gram-positive and Gram-negative odor/stain-causing bacteria. This Icon identifies Armstrong BioBlock Plus Ceilings.
Armstrong offers the widest selection of acoustical ceilings that satisfy stringent indoor environmental quality requirements for formaldehyde and VOC emissions according to the California Department of Public Health Standard Method for the Testing and Evaluation of VOC Emissions (CDPH Standard). Refer to the CHPS High Performance Schools – High Performance Products Database at http://www.chps. net/dev/Drupal/node/445 for a listing of products that meet the most stringent standards, or contact Armstrong TechLine at 877-276-7876 for third party independent test results. All Armstrong acoustical ceiling systems meet the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) requirements for formaldehyde exposure and content requirements for workers handling these materials.
Armstrong Ceilings and VOC/Formaldehyde Emissions The majority of Armstrong mineral fiber and fiberglass ceilings Meet CA Department of Health Services Standard Practice for the testing of VOC Emissions and are listed on CHPS High Performance Products Database for Low-Emitting Materials. Armstrong WoodWorks® ceiling products meet California Air Resources Board (CARB) levels and are available as a no-added formaldehyde composite product (with the exception of Constants™ veneers). For further information, project-specific calculations, and test reports, contact Armstrong TechLine at 877-276-7876.
Ceiling panels with BioBlock Plus protection will not favor the development of micro-organisms. • Controlled laboratory tests have demonstrated the effectiveness of BioBlock Plus application compared to standard, untreated ceilings. (Mold and mildew resistance tested pursuant to ASTM D3273 method*.) These tests are valid for the face and back of the panel. • Testing under controlled conditions confirms that BioBlock Plus ceilings resist Gram-positive, Gram-negative odor/stain-causing bacteria
The standard “control” ceiling panels received a rating of 0, signifying “heavy growth” (on more than 60% of each specimen).
Reference
After a 28-day incubation period, a BioBlock Plus ceiling panel received an ASTM rating of 10 (D3274 prescribed rating scale) or 0 (G-21 rating scale), signifying no visible mold growth.
Armstrong Resources Available to You: • armstrong.com/performance • TechLine at 1 877 ARMSTRONG (276-7876) • CS-3117 Ceilings & Indoor Air Quality • CS-3527 The Basics of Mold & Moisture Control Brochure
• CS-3839 Formaldehyde Emissions & Interior Spaces – Choosing Wall Systems • CS-3840 WoodWorks Ekos® Wall Systems LEED® Credit Summary • CEU Course: “Creating Sustainable Commercial Interiors” • CS-3550 Basics of Formaldehyde Emissions and Interior Spaces Brochure
armstrong.com/humiguard armstrong.com/bioblock TechLineSM 877 ARmSTRONG amstrong.com/ieq
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