Armstrong Ceiling

(1)

At your service to create

A VALUABLE PARTNERSHIP!

N

eed

acoustic

advice

?

Our animated robot ALPH-E will

guide you through our new acoustic

mini site!

Directly accessible from the Home page

www.armstrong.eu

... and find solutions using the

latest selection criteria: Product

type shape, dimension, application,

acoustic solutions and much more...

The acoustical mini website gives

advice for architects and interior

designers on how to specify ceilings

to optimize acoustics in a wide

range of building spaces.

www.armstrong.eu

www.acousticalceilings.co.uk

s

pecialist

t

eams

Our specialist teams are dedicated

to providing customised, design and

technical solutions to meet your project

and supply chain needs.

t

he

o

mega

p

rogramme

Through the

OMEGA programme,

Armstrong works closely with specialist

ceiling contractors to reach the highest

levels of performance, service and

sustainability.

p

artNership

Developed by Armstrong,

TECH ZONE

is a partnership with industry leaders

in lighting fixtures, loudspeakers, air

diffusers, chilled beams and sprinkler

systems.

Armstrong

®

_{TECH ZONE offers you a}

unique solution to design contemporary,

technical zones with the guaranteed

integration of market leading service

elements.

s

egmeNt

approach

Comprehensive solutions for... Education environments, Healthcare environments...

CEILING&waLL

Between us, ideas become reality

®

SYSTEMS

c

heck

out

our

New

website

!

(2)

At your service to create

A VALUABLE PARTNERSHIP!

N

eed

acoustic

advice

?

Our animated robot ALPH-E will

guide you through our new acoustic

mini site!

Directly accessible from the Home page

www.armstrong.eu

... and find solutions using the

latest selection criteria: Product

type shape, dimension, application,

acoustic solutions and much more...

The acoustical mini website gives

advice for architects and interior

designers on how to specify ceilings

to optimize acoustics in a wide

range of building spaces.

www.armstrong.eu

www.acousticalceilings.co.uk

s

pecialist

t

eams

Our specialist teams are dedicated

to providing customised, design and

technical solutions to meet your project

and supply chain needs.

t

he

o

mega

p

rogramme

Through the

OMEGA programme,

Armstrong works closely with specialist

ceiling contractors to reach the highest

levels of performance, service and

sustainability.

p

artNership

Developed by Armstrong,

TECH ZONE

is a partnership with industry leaders

in lighting fixtures, loudspeakers, air

diffusers, chilled beams and sprinkler

systems.

Armstrong

®

_{TECH ZONE offers you a}

unique solution to design contemporary,

technical zones with the guaranteed

integration of market leading service

elements.

s

egmeNt

approach

Comprehensive solutions for... Education environments, Healthcare environments...

CEILING&waLL

Between us, ideas become reality

®

SYSTEMS

c

heck

out

our

New

website

!

(3)

Mineral & Wood Metal island Ceilings grid

Receptions & Waiting areas

Perla, OP range, dB range, Optima

Clip-In, Hook-On

Canopy range

Exposed or Concealed System

Consulting rooms

Bioguard range,

_{Clean Room FL}

_{Metal Premium B15}

Clip-In, Hook-On,

Clean Room Grid

Corridors

Bioguard range

Corridor Ceilings

Clean Room Grid

Clean rooms

Bioguard Acoustic,

_{Clean Room FL}

Metal Bioguard, Clip-In

Clean Room Grid

Swimming pools & Spa

Ceramaguard, Newtone,

_Hydroboard

Corrosive Resistant Grid

Shops & Department stores

Graphis, Colortone, Ultima

_{Tartan Grid, Vertical Baffles}

Clip-In, Lay-In, Hook-On,

Canopy range

Designer grid

Cinemas / Theatres

OP range, Colortone Neeva

Clip-In, Lay-In, Hook-On,

_{Metal Premium OP19}

Designer grid

Restaurants

OP range, Colortone

Clip-In, Lay-In, Hook-On,

_{Metal Premium OP19}

Canopy range

Designer grid

Fastrak, Sytem 3000

Clean Room FL Bioguard Acoustic MicroLook

Metal Canopy

Healthcare

Halls & Circulation areas

OP Range

Tartan Grid, Vertical Baffles,

Clip-In, Lay-In, Hook-On,

Wall Cladding

Canopy range

Exposed or Concealed System

Waiting areas

Ultima, Perla, Vector range

Clip-In, Lay-In, Hook-On,

_{Wall Cladding}

Canopy range

Exposed or Concealed System

Lounges

Madera, Ultima, Perla,

_{Vector range}

Metal Premium OP19,

_{Clip-In, Hook-On}

Canopy range

Designer grid

Humid areas Ceramaguard, Newtone, Hydroboard

_{Metal Bioguard, Clip-In}

Metal Premium OP19,

Corrosive Resistant Grid

Transport

Retail / Leisure

Reception areas

Wood range, Ultima Vector

Clip-In, Hook-On

Canopy range

Designer grid

Open spaces

OP range, Optima

_{Premium OP19, Linear Grid, Tartan Grid}

Clip-In, Lay-In, Hook-On, Metal

Optima Canopy, Ultima Canopy,

_{Axiom Canopy}

Axiom Range

Meeting rooms

Ultima, Perla

_{Metal Premium B15}

Clip-In, Hook-On,

Canopy range

Designer grid

Individual offices

dB range

Metal Premium B15,

_{Vertical Baffles}

Canopy range

Exposed or Concealed System

Corridors

Planks range

Corridor Ceilings

Canopy range

Concealed System

Cafeterias

OP Range, Design range,

_Colortone

Metal Premium OP 19,

_{Vertical Baffles}

Canopy range

Designer grid

Classrooms

Ultima, Perla, Sahara Max

Clip-In, Lay-In, Hook-On

Exposed System

Libraries

OP range, Optima

_{Clip-In, Lay-In, Hook-On}

Metal Premium OP19,

Canopy range

Designer grid

Canteens

_{Colortone Neeva}

OP range,

_{Clip-In, Lay-In, Hook-On}

Metal Premium OP19,

Canopy range

Axiom Range

Corridors

Planks range

Corridor Ceilings

Exposed or Concealed System

Kitchens

Bioguard range, Parafon Hygien

Metal Bioguard, Clip-In

Corrosive Resistant Grid

Humid areas Ceramaguard, Newtone, Hydroboard

Metal Bioguard, Clip-In

Corrosive Resistant Grid

Ultima, Axiom Profiles

Ultima tiles

Optima Canopy circle

Axiom C Canopy

Office

Education

PRODUCT SELECTOR

(4)

%

PRODUCT SELECTOR

by performance

Ultima 33 87 0.75(H) C 0.75 40 18 A2-s1, d0 95 _{moist cloth}wipeable - ✔

Ultima OP 30 86 1.00 A 0.95 26 10 A2-s1, d0 95 _{moist cloth}wipeable - ✔

Ultima dB 64 87 0.65(H) C 0.70 43 21 A2-s1, d0 95 _{moist cloth}wipeable - ✔

Optima 82 87 1.00 A 1.00 - 7 A2-s1, d0 95 _{moist cloth}wipeable - ✔

Alpina OP 53 85 0.90 A 0.85 25 12 A2-s1, d0 95 _{moist cloth}wipeable ISO 5

-Perla 33 86 0.65(H) C 0.70 35 18 A2-s1, d0 95 _{moist cloth}wipeable - ✔

Perla OP 0.95 53 85 0.95 A 0.90 25 12 A2-s1, d0 95 _{moist cloth}wipeable ISO 5

-Perla OP 1.00 36 85 1.00 A 0.95 25 12 A2-s1, d0 95 _{moist cloth}wipeable ISO 5

-Perla dB 65 86 0.60(H) C 0.65 43 21 A2-s1, d0 95 _{moist cloth}wipeable - ✔

Neeva - 82 1.00 A 0.95 27 7 A1 (1) 95 _{moist cloth}wipeable -

-Colortone Neeva - - 1.00 A 0.95 24 7 A1 (5) 95 _{moist cloth}wipeable -

-Mineral

Sahara 41 up to 85 0.65 C 0.65 39 17 A2-s1, d0 95 with dry cloth / _{soft brush} -

-Sahara Max 42 84 0.65 C 0.65 35 17 A2-s1, d0 95 with dry cloth -

-Sahara dB 62 84 0.60 C 0.55 39 20 A2-s1, d0 95 with dry cloth -

-Colortone Dune 51 - 0.55 D 0.55 35 - A2-s1, d0 95 with dry cloth -

-Cirrus 33 83 0.55(H) D 0.50 36 - A2-s1, d0 95 with dry cloth -

-Design Cirrus Image 33 83 0.55(H) D 0.55 36 - A2-s1, d0 70 with dry cloth -

-Contrast Cirrus 33 83 0.55 D 0.50 36 - A2-s1, d0 95 with dry cloth -

-Plain 36-44 87 0.15(L) E 0.15 37 - A2-s1, d0 95 with dry cloth / _{soft brush} -

-Graphis 51 92 0.15(L) E 0.15 36 - A2-s2, d0 70 with dry cloth / _{soft brush} -

-Fine Fissured ≤ 51 85 0.60(H) C 0.60 34 - A2-s1, d0 95 with dry cloth / _{soft brush} -

-Colortone Fine Fissured Black ≤ 51 - 0.60(H) C 0.60 36 - A2-s2, d0 95 with dry cloth / _{soft brush} -

-Metal

Ultra Microperforated Rg 0501 up to 30 83 0.40(LM) D 0.55 18 - A1 95 scrubbable - ✔

Extra Microperforated Rg 0701 (2) up to 30 80 0.55(L) D 0.65 30 - A2-s2, d0 95 _{moist cloth*}wipeable - ✔

Microperforated Rd 1522 (2) up to 30 65 0.75 C 0.80 20 6 A2-s2, d0 95 _{moist cloth*}wipeable - ✔

Standard Perforated Rg 2516 (2) up to 30 70 0.75 C 0.75 20 6 A2-s2, d0 95 _{moist cloth*}wipeable - ✔

Plain (Unperforated) up to 30 85 0.10(L) - 0.10 44 19 A1 95 high pressure water

cleaning (3)

ISO 3 / ISO 5 (4) ✔

Premium B15 up to 30 depends on _perforation 0.65 C 0.60 47 21 A2-s1, d0 95 _{moist cloth}wipeable - ✔

Premium OP19 up to 30 depends on _perforation 1.00 A 0.90 31 15 A2-s2, d0 95 _{moist cloth} wipeable - ✔

Wood

Madera Veneers - - 0.50(L) D 0.60 - - B-s2, d0 70 wipeable _{dry cloth}

Madera Laminates - - 0.50(L) D 0.60 - - B-s2, d0 70 wipeable _{dry cloth}

Our tests have been conducted in an independent third party quality assured laboratory in accordance with current standard (EN ISO...). Armstrong conducts extensive and regular tests on its products. Inevitably slight variations occur over a range of results for the same product. The results above do not necessarily represent the highest achieved but indicate values that can be consistently and confidently offered.

(1) Neeva White. (2) Typical values for product with fleece acoustic inlay. For other acoustic solutions, see metal technical pages. (3) Only for plain clip-in systems with silicone sealed joints (reduced water pressure to the minimum). (4) Valid for Q-Clip (ISO 3) and R-Clip F (ISO 5). (5) Except Cement (A2-s1,d0) and Metal (A2-s2,d0).

www.armstrong.eu

Visual 70 - 0.95 A 0.90 - - A2-s1, d0 70 with dry cloth / _{soft brush} -

-Laminated...

ISO...

RH...

Mineral...

Resin...

Metal...

Axiom...

Fine...

Plain...

Fissured...

Open Cell...

*Wipeable moist cloth for preforated tiles with fleece.

*Hydroboard can resist permanent RH up to 95% at 30°C without sagging, warping or delaminating and temporary conditions of up to 100% RH.

Island Ceilings

Optima Canopy 82 90

see detailed data on product pages B-s1, d0 90

with dry cloth /

soft brush - -

-Ultima Canopy 44 85 A2-s1, d0 70 with dry cloth / _{soft brush} - -

-Infusions Canopy - - see detailed data on product pages B-s1,d2 - with dry cloth / _{soft brush} - -

-Axiom C Canopy 25 up to 90

see detailed data on product pages -

-with dry cloth /

soft brush - -

-Axiom KE Canopy 25 up to 90 - - with dry cloth / _{soft brush} - -

-Metal Canopy 30 85 see detailed data on product pages B-s2,d0 90 with dry cloth / _{soft brush} - -

-Specific Solutions

Bioguard Acoustic 45 85 0.60(H) C 0.60 36 18 A2-s1, d0 95 washable Anti-microbial ISO 5

-Bioguard Plain 52 87 0.15(L) E 0.15 37 19 A2-s1, d0 95 _scrubbablewashable/ Anti-microbial ISO 5

-Metal Bioguard Extra Microperforation Rg 0701 with Premium B15

up to 30 70 0.65 C 0.60 40 18 A2-s1, d0 95 washable Anti-microbial ISO 5 ✔

Metal Bioguard PLAIN up to 30 85 0.10(L) - 0.10 44 19 A2-s1, d0 95 high pressure water

cleaning (3) Anti-microbial ISO 3 (4) ✔

Parafon Hygien - 82 0.95 A 0.95 - - A2-s1, d0 95 high pressure water

cleaning - ISO 5

-Clean Room FL - 78 0.15 - 0.10 36 - A2-s1, d0 95 washable - ISO 5

-Ceramaguard 38 79 0.55(MH) D 0.60 39 - A1 100 scrubbable - -

-Newtone - 84 0.10(L) - 0.10 37 - A2-s1, d0 100 washable - - ✔

Hydroboard 20 82 0.95 A 0.90 22 - A1 100* washable - - ✔

Sustainability Acoustics Safe & Healthy

recycled content (%) light reflectance (%)

a

w up to sound absorption class nrC up to ddnfwncw (dB) / up to rw (dB)

up to Fire reaction resistanceHumidity (%) up to

Cleanability air quality scratch resistance

Sustainability Acoustics Safe & Healthy

recycled content (%) light reflectance (%)

a

w up to sound absorption class nrC up to ddnfwncw (dB) / up to rw (dB)

up to Fire reaction Humidityresistance (%) up to

Cleanability anti

(5)

1

2

3

6 Armstrong Policy

& Initiatives

7 Sustainable Solutions

& Recycling

Programmes

8 End User Comfort

9 Awards

& Certifications

2 Project Gallery

26 Product Selector by

Suspension System

28 Product Selector

by Material

Cover

Product Selector

by Performance

Cover

Product Selector

by Application

10 From Performance

to Acoustical Comfort

12 The Role of Ceilings

in Acoustics

14 The Role of Island

Ceilings in Building

Interiors

15 Renovation and

"retrofit" solutions

16 Acoustical Technical

Glossary

17 Acoustical

Performance

20 Health and

Cleanliness

22 Fire

24 Definition of technical

performance icons

144 Installation

& Maintenance

30 Product names index

(alphabetically)

ENVIRONMENT

PROjECT

GAllERy

ACOUSTICAl

COMFORT

SAFE &

HEAlTHy

INSTAllATION &

MAINTENANCE

1 > Ceiling information

Discover the Armstrong e-catalogue,

available on our website

www.armstrong.eu

THIS BROCHURE IS DIVIDED INTO THREE SECTIONS:

> Ceiling information

To help define the right ceiling solution _______________________ 1

> Product information

Detailed design and technical information for each product _____ 31

> Installation

(6)

PROjECT GAllERy

education - Clongowes College (IE)

Axiom C Canopy in black with Madera Cherry A12 perforation

healthcare - Hospital Ružomberok (SI)

Bioguard Acoustic

retail & leiSure - Albarama Restaurant (ES)

Ultima Canopy Concave

retail & leiSure - Aviva Stadium (IE)

Metal Lay-In Axal Vector

tranSport - Nice Airport (FR)

Metal Canopy

oFFice - Jarošova office Centre (SK)

Optima Canopy Circle

(7)

www.armstrong-ceilings.co.uk/projectgallery

PROjECT GAllERy

oFFice - 3M (CZ)

Optima Canopy Concave

healthcare - Medical Centre (DE)

Ultima OP

education - Bolsover School (UK)

Perla and Perla OP

tranSport - East London Line Stations, London (UK)

Metal B-H 300

oFFice - Shell Technology (NL)

Infusions Canopy

(8)

SUSTAINABlE SOlUTIONS

DID You Know...

Armstrong helped pioneer “green” practices from as early as 1860. Our commitment to environmentally

preferable products and programmes began more than a hundred years ago when the company

developed a process to recycle cork scrap. The end result was a product which was introduced then

and is known today, as linoleum.

DID You Know...

Armstrong Ceilings can contain up to 82% recycled content.

We have the broadest portfolio of ceilings with high recycled content. Armstrong suspension systems contain

25% recycled content – the highest percentage of post consumer content in the industry.

C

onCeption

Armstrong continually seeks to make use of research and production

technology to provide protection for the environment both in the workplace

and the wider community, reducing risk to our surroundings and natural

elements.

n

ew

produCts

Armstrong keep reinvesting in ongoing product innovation to reduce

our environmental footprint.

e

nergy

management

Since 1998, Armstrong has been engaged in efforts such as our ‘gas

reduction project’ to focus on the control of energy use during product

manufacture. These programmes have, and continue to reduce energy use.

a

ir

Q

uality

management

Armstrong is continually engaged in research and development efforts

to minimise the impact on air quality of our products.

In accordance with EN 13964, as part of the process for achieving the CE

mark, all Armstrong ceiling products attained the lowest classification E1.

s

afety

programmes

For Armstrong, safety is an ongoing key priority for our businesses,

and as a result, we have made several step changes in our processes,

procedures and measures to attain a world class safety performance.

l

ogistiCs

As one of the worlds leading manufacturer's of suspended ceilings,

Armstrong has multiple manufacturing facilites, reducing transportation,

emissions and our environmental impact.

Over the many years that Armstrong has led the industry, we have

developed, in conjunction with our customers, packaging that utilises

minimum material, but ensures durability of the product during transport

and installation.

r

aw

material

Raw materials for our ceilings are renewable and abundant in nature -

Biosoluble mineral wool (the wools used in our products meet the

classification “exempt” as defined by EC directive 97/69/EC 1997), perlite,

natural starch, recycled paper, recycled tiles and clay. None of our ceiling

products contain asbestos.

r

eCyCled

Content

A significant proportion of our ceiling tiles are produced using recycled raw

materials, including slag mineral wool, other recycled mineral wools, recycled

paper and recycled ceiling tiles. These recycled contents are indicated on all

Armstrong’s published literature in accordance with EN ISO 14021 : 2001.

r

eCyCling

p

rogrammes

In 1999, Armstrong Ceilings in

the United States introduced

the industry’s first ceiling

recycling programme. To date,

worldwide, we have recycled

over 8 million m

2

_{of old ceiling}

material. That’s more than

40,000 tonnes of construction

waste that’s been diverted from

landfills.

■

End-of-Life recycling

programme: we offers a free

collection programme for

refurbishment /strip out projects

of 2000m

2

_{+, of used tiles}

whenever it is environmentally

and economically viable to do

so. The ceiling tiles are 100%

recycled into the mix and are

processed into new ceiling tiles.

■

off-Cut recycling

programme: in UK and France,

we offer an Off-Cut recycling

programme that diverts waste

during the installation process

from going to landfill.

ARMSTRONG POlICy & INITIATIVES

%

r

eCyCled

C

ontent

C

alCulated

aCCording

to

en iso 14021:2001

p

roduCts

■

Mineral ceilings

•

High recycled content (up to 82%)

•

High light reflectance and

acoustical performance

•

15 year guarantee

•

Multiple manufacturing locations

for reduced transportation costs

& emissions.

■

Metal ceilings

•

High recycled content (up to 30%)

•

Well established 3rd party recycling

waste stream

•

15 year guarantee

•

High light reflectance and

acoustical performance

•

Cleanable and durable

•

Multiple manufacturing locations

for reduced transportation costs

& emissions

•

Design flexibility for waste

minimisation and performance

optimisation.

■

Suspension Systems

•

All Armstrong suspension systems

contain 25% recycled content.

•

Rotary stitched for additional

strength and stability

•

Recyclable

•

Patented Peakform for extra

strength & stability

•

Multiple manufacturing locations

for reduced transportation costs

& emissions

*Recycled Content Definition (from EN ISO 14021:2001):

Proportion, by mass, of recycled material in a product or packaging. This is consistent with WRAP «rules of thumb» guidelines. Only pre-consumer and post-consumer materials shall be considered as recycled content, consistent with the following usage of the terms.

Material diverted from the waste stream during a manufacturing process. Excluded is reutilisation of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process that generated it. Material generated by households or by commercial, industrial and institutional facilities in their role as end users of the product which can no longer be used for its intended purpose. This includes returns of material from the distribution chain.

Mineral - 50% and above

Optima

82%

Perla OP 0.95

≤ 53%

Visual

70%

Bioguard Plain

52%

Perla dB

65%

Colortone Dune

51%

Ultima dB

64%

Graphis

51%

Sahara dB

62%

Fine Fissured

≤ 51%

Alpina OP

53%

Mineral - 40 to 50%

Bioguard Acoustic

45%

Sahara Max

42%

Plain

≤ 44%

Sahara

41%

Mineral - up to 40%

Ceramaguard

38%

Ultima

33%

Perla OP 1.00

36%

Sahara Vector

32%

Cirrus

33%

Ultima OP

30%

Perla

33%

Metal

30%

(9)

AWARDS & CERTIFICATIONS

V

isual

C

omfort

The 'light reflectance' of a surface is

its ability to reflect light. Daylight

and electrical lighting represent the

two primary sources of lighting

available in the workplace.

The light reflectance of the ceiling,

floor and wall surfaces play the

second most important role for

overall illumination of the room,

thus also directly affecting working

comfort and productivity.

•

High light reflectance ceilings

also enhance indirect lighting by

improving overall lighting uniformity,

returning up to 90% of the light

back into the space, compared

to 75% with standard ceilings.

•

A light reflectance of 90% and

more allows 20% of cost savings

with indirect lighting, and can yield

total building energy savings

up to 11%.

•

Canopies installed in the work

place can improve the light

reflection over a working space

and provide better comfort for

the end user.

a

CoustiCal

C

omfort

In all types of spaces, choosing

the right acoustical solutions will

enhance the end user’ needs and

overall comfort. With acoustics,

you need to determine whether

intelligibility, concentration or

confidentiality is required? Armstrong

can help you find the right acoustic

solution for your space.

you can choose from a wide

portfolio of Armstrong products

including standard solutions through

to island ceilings.

Armstrong acoustical ceilings reduce

noise levels in interior spaces,

allowing for an optimum balance of

high performance sound absorption

and room to room sound attenuation

to maximise / minimise speech

intelligibility as appropriate.

t

hermal

mass

To control the thermal environment

in an office, we can use the thermal

mass of the concrete to control the

temperature in the room instead

of relying on air-conditioning and

heating. Without the need to power

these, the amount of electricity

being used is reduced significantly,

lowering the building’s energy

requirements.To enable the thermal

slab to work efficiently, it is important

to maximise the open area. Solutions

like canopies make it possible, still

improving acoustical and visual

comfort.

Bre e

nVironmental

profiles

At Armstrong, we’re proud to be a

recognised pioneer in green practices,

with successful methods to produce

environmentally preferable products, prevent

pollution and reduce waste. We’re the

only UK ceiling manufacturer with a BRE

Ecopoint profile – an external certification

of our compliance with ISO 14041 and ISO

21930 standards. Our Ecopoint score in

2007 was 0.10, a significant improvement

on 2004, and we’re working on lowering it

even further.

m

anufaCturing

a

CCreditations

Armstrong’s stringent environmental

and safety standards ensure quality and

consistency in our manufacturing

processes. In Europe, our tile and grid

manufacturing plants are accredited to

ISO 14001 (environmental management),

ISO 9001:2000 (quality assurance).

Our mineral plants have an Occupational

Health and Safety Management system in

place to match ISO 18001 Standards.

fdes (f

ranCe

’

s

e

nVironment

and

h

ealth

d

eClaration

)

Armstrong is participating in European Union

efforts to establish a standardised method

for profiling the environmental impact

of products. In France, the FDES (Fiche

Déclaration Environnementale et Sanitaire) is

expected to mirror other European initiatives.

Information generated through FDES is

utilised in France’s

hQe (Haute Qualité

Environnementale) project accreditation

scheme. The product profiles for our mineral

and metal tile facilities are based on FDES

methodology.

m1 (e

mission

C

lass

for

B

uilding

m

aterial

)

The Finnish Emission Classification of

Building Materials aims to enhance the

development and use of low-emitting

building materials so that material emissions

do not increase the requirement for

ventilation. The classification presents

emission requirements for the materials

used in ordinary work spaces with respect

to good indoor air quality. M1 stands for

low emissions. Armstrong has achieved this

classification for the majority of its range of

mineral tiles.

iBu (g

erman

i

nstitute

of

C

onstruCtion

and

e

nVironment

)

Armstrong collaborates with German

certification and standards groups for

sustainable building, such as the IBU

(Germany’s Institute of Construction and

Environment) and is a member of WETEC.

The Wet-felt Technical Committee for

Construction, WETEC, provides a service

to European based manufacturers of

wet-felted products by providing a forum for the

development and maintenance of technical,

quality and safety standards and guidelines.

An Environmental Product Declaration for

WETEC wet-felt mineral fibre products will be

published in 2012.

leed (l

eadership

in

e

nergy

and

e

nVironmental

d

esign

)

The US Green Building Council’s mission is

the global adoption of sustainable buildings

within a generation. Their leadership Energy

and Environmental Design (lEED) building

certification is a framework for improving the

environmental footprint in building design,

construction and operation.

l

ife

t

ime

g

uarantee

The result of continuous product line

development and improvement allows

us to offer a new lifetime guarantee for

our Sahara, Sahara dB and Sahara MAX

product ranges.

15 y

ear

g

uarantee

Most of our products are cleanable and

our hygiene tiles have an antifungicide

treatment. The durability of our products

means less damage and fewer replacements

required, resulting in a lower impact on the

environment. All our 95% and 99% RH

products are guaranteed for 15 years.

g

reen

B

uilding

C

ounCil

founder

and

memBer

Armstrong was a founding member of the

USA and Indian Green Building Councils

and plays an active role in the Green

Building Councils in the UK, Netherlands,

Canada, China, Australia, Spain, Germany,

Poland and Serbia. In 2007, our corporate

headquarters in lancaster, PA, achieved

the lEED-EB (Existing Building) Platinum

rating, the highest and most demanding

certification.

END USER COMFORT

DID You Know...

A ceiling with a high light reflectance, up to 90%, can extend the daylight into a space which

can help to reduce the lighting energy required. you can enhance the indoor environment by improving

the acoustics of the space.

liFetiMe

(10)

50 40 30 20 10 0 0 0,50 0,60 0,70 0,80 0,90 1,00

ACOUSTICAl COMFORT:

From performance to acoustical comfort

i

ntelligiBility

,

C

onfidentiality

and

C

onCentration

To meet acoustical regulations,

it is generally sufficient to provide

the performance measures in

unoccupied spaces, without

office equipment switched on.

Acoustical regulations usually

recommend values to be achieved

for reverberation times (within

a space) and sound insulation

(between spaces or from outside

the building).

This approach isn’t satisfactory any

more to meet the expectations

of occupants, in particular with

the development of open spaces

in offices and the increasing hearing

problems of students in the

education sector.

On a day-to-day basis, any activity

disturbs the initial acoustical

balance, as for example group

discussions, ringing phones, copier

machines, music, open windows

or road traffic noise.

Occupants of an office, a classroom,

a shop, a hospital or any other

space, need a comfortable and

healthy environment to carry

out their activity under the best

conditions.

The acoustic quality of a room

in a building is governed by major

design criteria which require close

monitoring:

■

Intelligibility

(I want to be understood),

■

Confidentiality

(I do not want to be overheard),

■

Concentration

(I do not want to be disturbed).

The ‘Standard’ range:

• Provides a mix of absorption

and attenuation

• Would be typically used

in Meeting rooms; Classrooms;

Conference rooms

• Is a solution providing…

The ‘dB’ range:

• Provides attenuation

• Would be typically used in

Closed office; Hospital bedrooms

• Is a solution providing…

The ‘oP’ range:

• Provides absorption

• Would be typically used in Open

spaces; Call centres; libraries

• Is a solution providing…

DID You Know...

Acoustical treatment is not always sound absorption.

The right acoustical environment is essential and the way to achieve this is to focus on:

Armstrong offers a wide range of materials, product densities and acoustic

infills combining the necessary acoustical performances with an extensive

range of visuals to meet customer aesthetic and acoustical demands.

The effect of acoustical control from ceilings on the occupants of spaces

can be summarised as follows:

a

wide

range

of

solutions

The Armstrong product portfolio has the ability to answer a wide range of acoustical performance requirements.

For the Armstrong mineral range in particular, density is used as the key indicator of acoustic performance, and the product range

can be split into ‘Standard’, ‘dB’ and ‘OP’ categories.

w

hat

influenCes

performanCe

?

The acoustical properties of mineral ceiling tiles vary depending upon the

material, surface and the combination of density, porosity and thickness.

For metal and wood tiles it depends on the perforation and the density,

porosity and thickness of the acoustic infill that influences the acoustic

performance. The following table shows the impact on acoustical

performance when increasing each of those parameters.

Absorption**

a

w Attenuation* Dnfw Ultima OP Ultima dB SL2 Sahara dB Perla OP 1.00 41 40 41 41 41 40 0,60(H) 0,65 0,60(H) 0,60(H) 0,60(H) 0,65 Metal Standard Perforated

Rg 2516 with Premium B15 Metal Extra Microperforated

Rg 0701 with Premium B15 Metal Microperforated Rd 1522 with Premium B15

Metal Microperforated Rd 1522 with Premium B15 Metal Standard Perforated Rg 2516 with Premium B15

Metal Microperforated Rd 1522 with Premium OP19 Metal Extra Microperforated Rg 0701 with Premium B15

Metal Standard Perforated Rg 2516 with Premium OP19 Perla dB SL2 Ultima SL2 Sahara Max Sahara dB SL2 Perla Sahara Ultima OP SL2 Perla OP 0.95 SL2 Ultima dB Ultima Vector Perla dB Ultima Sahara SL2

Sound absorption

Sound attenuation

_{and reduction}

Density Porosity Thickness

dB

OP

Standar

d

Sound

absorption

Sound attenuation

and reduction

Controls

Reflections within rooms

Transmission between rooms

Effect upon

Intelligibility

Confidentiality & Concentration

Benefits

Room occupants

Room neighbours

Intelligibility

I want to be understood

Confidentiality

I do not want

to be overheard

Concentration

I do not want

to be disturbed

Intelligibility I want to be understood Confidentiality I do not want to be overheard Concentration I do not want to be disturbed

www.acousticalceilings.co.uk

See pages 18 & 19 for information on the full acoustic performance

of the complete range of Armstrong products. * Some products attenuation values may be Dncw values. ** For NRC equivalent, please refer to p. 18.

34 0,60 39 0,60 35 0,65 35 0,65(H) 36 0,70(H) 40 0,70(H) 34 0,75(H) 39 0,60 41 0,60 41 0,60(H) 43 0.50(H) 40 _0,65(H) 43 0.60(H) 25 1,00 27 0,95 26 1,00 1,00 1,00 0,95 27 27 28

(11)

ACOUSTICAl COMFORT:

The role of ceilings in acoustics

Superior attenuation in private offices.

■

Sound reduction is the control of sound

generated in the plenum or coming from the floor

above.

Good sound absorption in larger, multi-occupant

spaces.

Balance of sound attenuation and absorption.

■

Sound attenuation is the control of sound

transmission between adjacent spaces with

a common void above them.

■

Sound absorption is the part of incident sound

that is not reflected by the tile.

s

ound

aBsorption

for

Better

ConCentration

Sometimes the goal is simply to reduce noise transfer as

much as possible, for example in large open offices and

call centres, where voices, telephones and office equipment

can cause major distractions. Armstrong’s OP range of

lower-density ceilings controls excessive sound reflections,

offering customers optimal levels of sound absorption.

C

ase

s

tudy

:

ConCEnTraTIon

C

ase

s

tudy

:

ConfIDEnTIaLITY

C

ase

s

tudy

:

InTELLIgIBILITY

s

ound

attenuation

for

Better

Confidentiality

Many areas, such as senior management offices

and medical consulting rooms, require high levels

of room-to-room insulation for optimal aural privacy.

Armstrong’s dB range of higher-density ceilings minimises

noise transfer between rooms by as much as 43 dB,

keeping conversations private and occupants happy.

s

ound

attenuation

&

aBsorption

for

Better

intelligiBility

Controlling sound absorption and sound reduction is

vital for improving speech clarity. Armstrong’s standard

range of medium-density ceilings strikes an outstanding

balance between both, blocking unwanted noise from

outside while enhancing sound quality inside. These ceilings

are ideal for classrooms and conference rooms.

DID You Know...

Suspended ceiling systems play a key role in the control of the acoustical environment.

Acoustics is concerned with the absorption and blocking of sound within and between spaces.

How to reduce noise interference and create a

stylish, comfortable university cafeteria?

How to ensure noises from adjacent spaces are not

heard in the corridor ?

How to optimise learning conditions by choosing

the right acoustic ceiling solutions?

■

Solution:

axiom C Canopy with ultima oP tiles

■

CnIC university Cafeteria (ES)

■

Solution:

ultima dB SL2

■

BELVILLE office Building (rS)

■

Solution:

Sahara Max

■

Las Tablas School (ES)

How to enhance the comfort and ambience of a

health centre?

How to optimise acoustics and meet the design of a

Medical environment?

How to optimise the acoustics in a glass-partitioned

meeting-room?

■

Solution:

ultima oP

■

Medical Centre (DE)

■

Solution:

ultima dB MicroLook BE

■

Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, TCD (IE)

■

Solution:

ultima

■

PZu Panorama (PL)

Perla dB

Metal Standard Perforated

rg 2516*

ultima dB

Metal Extra

Microperforated rg 0701*

Sahara dB

optima, ultima oP

Metal Microperforated

rd 1522**

Perla oP

Metal Standard Perforated

rg 2516**

ultima

Metal Extra

Microperforated rg 0701**

ultima

Metal Standard

Perforated rg 2516*

Perla

Metal Extra

Microperforated rg 0701*

Sahara MaX

Metal Extra

Microperforated rg 0701**

Product recommendation

best better good

Product recommendation

best better good

Product recommendation

best better good

(12)

ISlANDS CEIlINGS ACOUSTICS:

The role of Island Ceilings in building interiors

ACOUSTICAl COMFORT:

Renovation and "retrofit" solutions

An attractive solution to improve a

room is through renovation.

One of ways to renovate a space

is through the renewal of a ceiling.

Renewing the ceiling will have many

benefits. Firstly it will improve the

aesthetic appeal of the room by

refreshing the visual of the ceiling.

Secondly it can improve the acoustic

performance of the ceiling by using

more modern ceiling products. Both

of these are especially important when

improving the attractiveness and

functionality of the space. Whether it is

to upgrade the office space to improve

the likelihood of letting it, or improve

the working environment for current

staff, or improving the aesthetics and

acoustics for a classroom, renewing

the ceiling will make a big difference.

recycling

Armstrong has a scheme to recycle

the waste ceiling tiles created when

a renovation project is undertaken.

Armstrong will collect waste ceiling

tiles from site and transport them

back to the nearest Armstrong

manufacturing location and sort and

reuse them in the manufacture of

new ceiling tiles. New Armstrong

ceiling tiles contain up to 83% of

recycled material reducing the waste

that is sent to landfill sites. For more

details of the Armstrong Recycling

programme please contact ATS or visit

our website.

An acoustical retrofit consists of fine

tuning the acoustical performance

of an existing space to meet the end

users' desired levels of intelligibility,

concentration and confidentiality.

When relocating a business to new

premises or reconfigurating an existing

office plan to suit new organisational

requirements, acoustics must be taken

into account as early as possible in

the design process. Integrating

acoustics and space planning will help

to achieve a good balance

between space optimisation and

occupants' comfort levels for more

productive working environments.

The acoustical performance of a

space is set by its size, the room

surface materials, furniture and

background noise. An acoustical

retrofit will therefore consider:

•

changing existing surface materials;

•

complementing the existing room

configuration with discontinuous

ceiling solutions (Canopy range);

Office space planning is a balance

between optimising the area

available and producing a comfortable

and productive working environment.

Armstrong recommends that acoustical

fine tuning be considered as early

as possible in the design scheme.

Plasterboard ceilings or exposed

concrete soffits can create a

very reverberant space which, in

combination with today's office

interior design trends with extensive

use of glass partitions, impacts

negatively on concentration levels.

Existing suspended ceilings do

not always meet the stringent

acoustical requirements set by such

applications as call centres. Treating

sound directly above workstations,

whilst also contributing to lowering

the overall reverberation time, is

then key to enhancing levels of

concentration and confidentiality.

Under challenging architectural and

acoustical configurations, retrofitting

an existing ceiling with design

focussed lightweight acoustical

absorbers or canopies, can trigger

a 180 degree shift in the perceived

quality of the space, higher comfort

levels and an increase in occupant

productivity.

Canopy solutions may further

be complemented by wall treatments

by Armstrong.

Canopies can provide greater sound absorption than a continuous ceiling of the same visible surface area because

sound can be absorbed on both the front and the back surfaces.

r

enoVation

w

hat

is

"

retrofit

"?

C

anopy

:

the

a

rmstrong

s

olution

DID You Know...

Acoustical retrofit solutions by

Armstrong offer unique benefits:

■

aesthetics: create a striking

design and more intimate

spaces.

■

flexibility: solutions can be

easily displaced to suit future

reconfigurations.

■

functionality: act as light

reflectors to minimise energy

consumption.

■

Ease of installation: special

direct ceiling attachment

(plasterboard and grid) with

OPTIMA Canopy.

Example of acoustical treatment in an empty space:

acoustical performance

objective: Speech intelligibility

with a rT<0,8s

Room volume

250 m

3

Ceiling height

2,6 m

Area

96,2 m

2

length

12,0 m

Width

8,0 m

3 2,5

2 1,5

1 0,5

0

125

250

500 1 000

2 000

4 000

Empty room

13 Ultima Canopy

20 Optima Canopy

14 Metal Canopy

5 Axiom Canopy

(with Ultima OP)

Octave Band centre frequency (Hz)

Reverbera

tion T

ime

(secondes)

Sabine definition

A Sabine is a measure of the sound absorption provided

by a material when installed within an architectural

space. Canopies can provide greater sound absorption

than a traditional wall to wall ceiling of the same visible

surface area because the sound is absorbed from both

the front and back surfaces of the Canopy.

Canopies installed in a typical ‘lively’ space will help

reduce the reverberation time.

Sabine per unit is preferred to characterise the

absorption provided by an individual ‘space absorber’,

such as Canopies in:

• Open spaces, open plan offices, retail outlets

• Corridors / lobbies

Factors that may affect the installed acoustical

performance relative to the published results are:

• Size of Canopies

• Number of Canopies and their layout

• Suspension distance below a finished ceiling

• Location and horizontal overlap of Canopy

• Ceiling tile selection (for Axiom Canopies)

(13)

ACOUSTICAl PERFORMANCE

Sound reduction

R - One-Third Octave Band Centre Frequency Hz

Mineral range Product Name Cert # weighted _{value r}

w 100 125 160 200 250 315 400 500 630 800 1000 1250 1600 2000 2500 3150 4000 5000 Perla dB 5932 21 14,8 11,1 11,0 11,5 11,8 13,4 13,7 16,5 18,3 20,0 21,5 22,4 23,5 25,6 26,9 28,5 29,9 28,8 Ultima dB 5935 21 13,6 10,4 11,1 11,4 11,6 13,3 13,9 16,1 18,2 20,3 21,8 22,2 23,5 26,0 27,4 26,1 25,7 28,9 Sahara dB 5934 20 13,8 9,8 9,5 9,6 11,3 12,7 12,9 15,7 17,5 19,8 20,9 21,2 22,3 24,2 25,9 27,5 29,1 28,7 Bioguard Plain 5926 19 12,3 9,3 8,0 8,5 9,7 11,5 11,5 13,7 16,0 17,9 19,4 20,4 21,7 23,1 23,6 23,6 22,4 21,0 Bioguard Acoustic 5927 18 11,4 9,3 8,8 8,9 9,7 10,6 11,2 13,5 15,9 17,5 19,1 20,5 21,9 23,8 24,7 24,8 24,2 23,3 Perla 5928 18 11,6 9,8 9,1 9,3 9,2 11,0 11,4 14,3 16,5 17,7 18,6 19,8 21,0 23,2 23,5 19,2 21,1 26,8 Ultima 5931 18 12,0 9,8 9,7 9,3 9,1 10,9 11,0 13,9 16,1 17,9 19,2 20,0 21,1 22,9 24,3 21,1 21,6 26,9 Sahara 5925 17 12,2 8,4 8,0 6,6 7,9 10,3 10,5 12,7 15,3 16,9 18,2 19,4 20,7 22,5 22,9 22,8 23,0 21,9 Sahara Max 5923 17 12,1 8,5 7,1 7,5 7,9 9,8 10,1 12,4 15,0 17,2 18,5 19,8 21,6 23,1 23,5 23,5 24,3 23,1 Alpina OP 6569 12 10,7 11,4 10,4 10,7 9,1 9,7 9,7 10,4 10,7 11,5 11,9 11,3 12,3 13,8 14,6 16,0 16,8 18,3 Perla OP 0.95 6532b 12 10,7 11,4 10,4 10,7 9,1 9,7 9,7 10,4 10,7 11,5 11,9 11,3 12,3 13,8 14,6 16,0 16,8 18,3 Perla OP 1.00 6530a 12 10,4 10,6 10,1 10,6 10,3 8,7 10,0 10,2 10,3 10,9 11,3 11,1 12,0 12,9 13,9 14,7 14,7 16,1 Ultima OP 5921 10 10,5 7,7 7,3 6,4 5,6 5,8 6,5 7,8 8,7 9,0 9,7 10,0 11,1 12,2 13,8 14,2 15,6 15,5 Neeva 15 5915 7 8,5 6,2 5,3 4,5 5,0 3,5 4,3 6,1 6,3 6,5 6,9 6,7 7,4 8,4 8,7 9,5 9,8 9,8 Optima 15 5916 7 7,2 6,1 6,3 5,1 4,2 3,1 4,8 5,9 6,0 6,3 6,8 6,7 7,2 8,0 8,5 8,9 9,6 9,3 Metal range Product Name Cert # weighted _{value r}

w 100 125 160 200 250 315 400 500 630 800 1000 1250 1600 2000 2500 3150 4000 5000

Plain with Premium B15 5937 21 13,5 10,6 10,1 10,1 11,2 13,1 13,6 16,5 19,0 21,0 22,2 22,9 23,5 25,6 26,4 26,6 24,4 23,1 Plain (no infill) 5936 19 12,4 9,5 8,9 9,3 10,5 12,7 11,9 14,1 16,6 18,4 19,3 20,8 22,2 23,8 24,9 25,4 22,4 20,8 Microperforated Rd 1522 with Premium B15 5941 18 11,7 9,1 7,9 9,5 10,1 11,8 11,7 13,8 16,3 18,0 18,5 19,6 20,7 21,9 22,5 23,2 24,3 25,1 Standard Perforated Rg 2516 with Premium B15 5941 18 11,7 9,1 7,9 9,5 10,1 11,8 11,7 13,8 16,3 18,0 18,5 19,6 20,7 21,9 22,5 23,2 24,3 25,1 Extra Microperforated Rg 0701 with Premium OP19 6725a 15 10,4 12,3 11,6 10,9 9,9 10,5 11,1 12,0 11,4 12,7 13,8 14,1 15,9 17,7 18,5 19,4 21,0 20,3 Standard Perforated Rg 2516 with Premium OP19 6726a 13 9,2 11,4 11,1 10,2 9,9 9,7 10,5 10,5 10,3 11,4 12,3 12,4 13,5 14,9 15,9 17,4 18,6 18,1 Microperforated Rd 1522 with Premium OP19 6724a 12 10,2 10,0 10,3 9,0 9,0 8,6 9,1 9,6 9,9 10,9 12,0 11,5 13,3 14,4 15,4 16,5 17,5 17,2 Microperforated Rd 1522 with fleece 5939 6 9,0 6,9 5,6 5,2 5,3 4,0 4,6 5,9 6,1 6,4 6,3 6,0 5,8 6,4 6,7 7,0 6,7 6,2 Standard Perforated Rg 2516 with fleece 5939 6 9,0 6,9 5,6 5,2 5,3 4,0 4,6 5,9 6,1 6,4 6,3 6,0 5,8 6,4 6,7 7,0 6,7 6,2 Microperforated Rd 1522 no infill 5938 5 7,3 5,0 4,5 3,8 3,6 3,3 3,8 4,1 4,5 5,2 4,8 4,8 4,5 5,0 4,8 4,6 4,6 3,8 Standard Perforated Rg 2516 no infill 5938 5 7,3 5,0 4,5 3,8 3,6 3,3 3,8 4,1 4,5 5,2 4,8 4,8 4,5 5,0 4,8 4,6 4,6 3,8

lI - One-Third Octave Band Centre Frequency Hz

Product Name Cert # weighted _{value L}

Ia

Improve

-ment lIA 100 125 160 200 250 315 400 500 630 800 1000 1250 1600 2000 2500 3150 4000 5000

Roof Construction + Perla dB C/21102/R01 - 2 41.8 11.8 42,7 42,2 43,6 41,2 39,5 37,2 36,9 35,6 34,7 33,6 29,5 27,4 24,9 20,8 20,1 18,8 17,7 17,4 Roof Construction + Metal Plain

with Premium B15 C/21102/R01 - 4 42.4 11.2 43,7 41,9 43,0 40,7 39,4 37,6 38,0 36,4 35,4 33,9 30,2 27,6 26,0 23,8 24,3 23,3 23,5 22,6 Roof Construction + Sahara Max C/21102/R01 - 8 42.8 10.8 43,4 44,0 45,4 42,5 39,8 38,4 38,2 36,7 35,4 34,4 30,6 27,6 25,2 21,3 21,3 21,1 19,9 19,0 Roof Construction + Perla C/21102/R01 - 6 42.9 10.7 43,5 43,7 44,8 41,7 40,5 38,2 38,6 36,3 35,7 34,4 30,5 27,7 26,0 22,6 23,3 23,7 22,4 19,6 Roof Construction + Metal

Microperforated Rg 1522 with

Premium B15 C/21102/R01 - 5 43.3 10.3 44,3 43,8 44,8 42,4 40,2 39,1 38,7 36,5 36,1 35,6 31,6 28,6 26,8 23,3 23,4 22,7 22,5 21,1 Roof Construction + Perla OP C/21102/R01 - 10 47.7 5.9 45,0 46,8 47,5 44,3 43,0 42,6 42,9 42,5 41,4 40,8 36,5 33,7 31,3 27,1 26,8 26,2 25,8 21,1 Roof Construction only C/21102/R01 - 1 53.6 n/a 52,0 51,8 53,3 49,8 46,9 46,1 46,3 47,1 47,4 46,8 43,2 40,9 39,9 36,4 36,6 36,4 36,5 33,9

EN ISO 140-18:2006 is a test method for determining the sound intensity

level of a radiating surface due to rainfall. Armstrong tested a lightweight

roof construction, with ‘heavy’ intensity rain as defined in the standard, and

then re-tested with a suspended ceiling below. Different ceiling tiles were

tested and the results are shown in the table below. The performance values

given below show the intensity of sound radiating into the room below the

roof (and ceiling) constructions. Therefore, unlike D

nfw

and R

w

data, where

the higher the value the better insulation provided, the best performing

ceiling tiles are those which have the lowest intensity levels, as less sound

energy has penetrated into the room below. The results shown give the

combined performance of the roof and ceiling constructions. Any change in

the roof construction performance will affect the combined roof and ceiling

performance. We have therefore shown the improvement in dB that each of

the ceiling tiles provided compared to the roof construction on it’s own.

rain noise - The acoustic performance of armstrong ceilings with a lightweight roof construction

* Estimated

1) All SRI tests have been conducted in an independent third party quality assured laboratory in accordance with EN ISO 140-3 with the ceiling suspended horizontally between two vertical trans-mission suites. Mineral tiles were 600x600 Board (square) edge in a Prelude T24 grid.

2) Rw values are determined in accordance with EN ISO 717-1.

3) Values for Standard Perforated Rg 2516 (16% open area) are estimated as being not less than Microperforated Rd 1522 (22% open area).

4) Armstrong conducts extensive and regular acoustic tests on its ceiling tiles and planks. Inevitably slight variations occur over a range of results for the same product. The results above do not necessarily represent the highest achieved but indicate values that can be consistently and confidently offered.

1) All tests have been conducted in an independent third party quality assured laboratory in accordance with EN ISO 140-18(2006). 2) The one-third octave band intensity values given are unweighted measurements in dB.

3) The roof construction was a 158mm deep profiled steel liner tray with 200mm insulation and an aluminium standing seam waterproof membrane. 4) The ceiling void depth between the top of the liner tray and the reverse of the ceiling tiles varied between 400mm and 700mm due to the pitch of the roof. 5) Armstrong conducts extensive and regular acoustic tests on its ceiling tiles and planks. Inevitably slight variations occur over a range of results for the same product. The results above do not necessarily represent the highest achieved but indicate values that can be consistently and confidently offered.