While suspended, lay-in ceilings have long been the norm in commercial design, the open-plenum ceiling has become trendy and economical, particularly in office and retail environments. However, calculating the tradeoffs between cost and performance can be tricky.
Very little data exists comparing suspended ceilings with open ceilings on the basis of cost and performance. The most recent study came from the Ceilings & Interior Systems Construction Association (www.cisca.org) five years ago. In the study, office and retail spaces were modeled in Chicago, Charlotte, Oklahoma City, Orlando, and Phoenix to reflect the differences in energy costs, climate, and installation costs. Initial construction costs were determined using RSMeans data; annual operating costs for HVAC, lighting, and maintenance were calculated according to Building Owners and Managers Association data.
The study found initial construction costs for suspended ceilings to be 15-22% higher in offices, and 4-11% higher in retail spaces. However, total energy savings for lay-in ceilings vs. open plenums were 9-10.3% in offices and 12.7-17% for retail. A 10.5% energy reduction qualifies buildings for a LEED EA credit, and a 14% reduction is good for two points.
Â
Â
The study attributed the energy performance advantage of suspended ceilings to the use of a return air plenum with low static pressures and fan horsepower vs. ducted air returns with higher static pressures and fan horsepower in open-plenum systems. In addition, return air plenums more efficiently remove heat from lighting systems and reduce the AC load. Suspended ceilings also offer about 20% higher light reflectance, thereby reducing lighting costs.
For more information, see: http://www.cisca.org/files/public/LCS_brochure_rev_9-08_lo-res.pdf.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Integrated Project Delivery builds a brave, new BIM world
Three-dimensional information, such as that provided by building information modeling, allows all members of the Building Team to visualize the many components of a project and how they work together. BIM and other 3D tools convey the idea and intent of the designer to the entire Building Team and lay the groundwork for integrated project delivery.
| Aug 11, 2010
Great Solutions: Healthcare
11. Operating Room-Integrated MRI will Help Neurosurgeons Get it Right the First Time A major limitation of traditional brain cancer surgery is the lack of scanning capability in the operating room. Neurosurgeons do their best to visually identify and remove the cancerous tissue, but only an MRI scan will confirm if the operation was a complete success or not.
| Aug 11, 2010
Great Solutions: Collaboration
9. HOK Takes Videoconferencing to A New Level with its Advanced Collaboration Rooms To help foster collaboration among its 2,212 employees while cutting travel time, expenses, and carbon emissions traveling between its 24 office locations, HOK is fitting out its major offices with prototype videoconferencing rooms that are like no other in the U.
| Aug 11, 2010
2009 Judging Panel
A Matthew H. Johnson, PE Associate Principal Simpson Gumpertz & HegerWaltham, Mass. B K. Nam Shiu, SE, PEVP Walker Restoration Consultants Elgin, Ill. C David P. Callan, PE, CEM, LEED APSVPEnvironmental Systems DesignChicago D Ken Osmun, PA, DBIA, LEED AP Group President, ConstructionWight & Company Darien, Ill.
| Aug 11, 2010
Inspiring Offices: Office Design That Drives Creativity
Office design has always been linked to productivity—how many workers can be reasonably squeezed into a given space—but why isn’t it more frequently linked to creativity? “In general, I don’t think enough people link the design of space to business outcome,” says Janice Linster, partner with the Minneapolis design firm Studio Hive.
