Specifying durable materials can directly impact commercial building projects’ longevity, sustainability and overall performance. To accomplish those benefits, however, construction materials must demonstrate specific criteria, including resistance to mold, moisture and fire.
In commercial buildings, ceiling products that marry these durability characteristics with a wide range of design options give architects and designers the freedom to create healthy, visually appealing indoor spaces.
This is one area where Rockfon ceiling tiles and panels stand out from the competition.
Leveraging the inherent properties of stone wool, Rockfon ceiling tiles and panels are ideal for various commercial building types, including:
- Hospitals and healthcare facilities
- Office spaces and conference rooms
- Schools and libraries
- Data centers and clean rooms
Inherently durable by nature and easy to install, Rockfon stone wool ceilings help contribute to healthy indoor air quality and protect building occupants from the spread of smoke and fire. These benefits — plus many more — are derived directly from the inherent properties of stone and its role in the production of Rockfon ceilings.
What is stone wool?
Rockfon stone wool ceilings are manufactured with stone — primarily basalt rock. At Rockfon’s manufacturing facilities, the stone is heated in a furnace, which transforms it into a substance similar to volcanic lava. The melted rock is then spun with other minerals and steel slag to create stone wool.
Stone wool is the core material for Rockfon’s ceiling products, including Rockfon Alaska® and Rockfon Sonar®, where the natural properties of stone showcase their durable characteristics:
- Resistance to mold, mildew and fungal growth — with no antimicrobials or other additives required
- Fire resistance and the ability to withstand temperatures exceeding 1,800°F — without the need for added flame retardants
- Material resiliency backed by a 30-year warranty
The durability benefits of stone wool also align with the expectations of architects who specify high-performance ceiling materials.
According to a 2023 survey conducted by The Farnsworth Group and Rockfon, architects list mold and mildew resistance, durability and product life span, and fire safety as three of the top four product attributes (along with acoustic performance) they look for when specifying a ceiling tile for a commercial building project.
Coupled with a diverse selection of design options, the durable properties of Rockfon stone wool ceilings allow architects and designers to embrace their creativity while prioritizing product selection that protects both the building and its occupants.
Let’s review how these product benefits guided the architectural team tasked with designing a more resilient school after an extreme weather event.
Transforming the Learning Environment in San Marcos, Texas
Durable materials such as stone wool ensure that the building and its components have a longer life span, making the building more sustainable and cost-effective over time.
As part of a bond to improve and expand the San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District facilities, De Zavala Elementary School completed a transformative renovation, doubling in size to a 168,479-square-foot, two-story facility. The updated school serves approximately 600 students, with over 85% identifying as Hispanic and 20% being bilingual.
To meet high acoustic performance and contemporary design standards, the architectural team at Perkins&Will specified Rockfon Sonar acoustic stone wool ceiling panels. These panels provide excellent sound absorption, with a noise reduction coefficient of 0.95.
When the building is unoccupied, the district’s guidelines recommend setting electric lighting, HVAC and other equipment to “off” or “sleep” mode.
Rockfon Sonar panels are low maintenance and water resistant; they do not sag, rot or warp due to moisture or humidity, even when the HVAC is shut off. Stone wool naturally resists flame and smoke spread without added chemicals and does not support the growth of mold, mildew or other microorganisms. The durable products reduce maintenance costs and add long-term value, benefiting public school investments.
Explore the case study to learn more about the architect’s goals for the remodeled school and how Rockfon ceilings contribute to the facility’s durability and occupant well-being.
Rigorously Tested to Ensure Performance and Longevity
Specifying building materials with a focus on durability involves several detailed steps, including meeting building codes and industry testing standards. While most leading ceiling manufacturers comply with these codes and standards, the inherent properties of stone wool allow Rockfon’s ceiling products to achieve the requirements naturally. This allows Rockfon ceilings to deliver outstanding performance in areas such as sound absorption, moisture resistance and fire safety without the need for synthetic additives.
1. Mold Resistance Without Additives
Thanks to the unique qualities of stone wool, Rockfon ceiling tiles and panels meet the highest possible ratings for industry mold tests. As the Standard Test Method for Resistance to Growth of Mold on the Surface of Interior Coatings in an Environmental Chamber, ASTM D3273 determines a building material’s ability to withstand mold growth on a scale of 0 to 10. When tested, stone wool achieves a score of 10, which is the highest possible score given under ASTM D3273, with no antimicrobials or other additives required.
2. Zero Fungal Growth
ASTM C1338, the Standard Test Method for Determining Fungi Resistance of Insulation Materials and Facings, is another important measure of a building material’s durability. This test determines the relative ability of building materials to resist fungal growth under conditions favorable to its development.
Stone wool is composed of nonorganic raw materials, primarily rock, which do not provide a food source for mold and fungal growth. As a result, stone wool passes ASTM C1338 with zero fungal growth with no additives.
3. Class A Fire Rating
The primary ingredients in stone wool are inherently noncombustible, which helps protect the building structure by reducing heat transfer and the spread of fire. At the same time, stone wool does not produce harmful smoke and toxic gasses or add to the smoke produced during a fire.
ASTM E84, the Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials, determines both a flame-spread index and a smoke-developed index of 0 to 100, with higher numbers indicating faster flame propagation and smoke density. With index scores under 5 for both indexes, the inherent fire resistance of stone wool allows Rockfon ceilings to achieve a Class A fire rating.
Health and Healing in Berkeley, California
Through its ability to resist mold, mildew and fungal growth, the durable nature of Rockfon stone wool ceilings contributes to healthier indoor environments. This is particularly important in healthcare settings, where maintaining healthy indoor air quality and occupant well-being is paramount. For the architectural team behind Kaiser Permanente’s medical office building in Berkeley, California, specifying Rockfon helped ensure these important objectives were accomplished.
In designing the three-story, 60,670-square-foot building, the design professionals at KMD Architects specified three types of Rockfon stone wool ceiling panels to achieve the project’s aesthetic, performance and sustainability design goals.
In addition to Rockfon Alaska and Rockfon Artic, KMD selected Rockfon® Medical™ Plus stone wool ceiling panels for the patient exam rooms, where clear communication and privacy are essential to quality care. In addition to their acoustical benefits, Medical Plus ceiling tiles do not contribute to the growth of MRSA, meet Bacteriological Class B1 and Clean Room Classification ISO Class 4, and can be cleaned with diluted solutions of ammonia, chlorine, quaternary ammonium and hydrogen peroxide.
Read the case study to learn why Kaiser Permanente’s office building was recognized as a LEED Top Ten 2021 project and how Rockfon ceilings contributed to these sustainability achievements.
Durability Meets Design Flexibility
The durability of Rockfon stone wool ceilings is supported and enhanced by the company’s 30-year product warranty.* This extensive warranty underscores the reliability and long-term performance of specifying Rockfon, assuring architects and designers of the products’ resistance to moisture, mold and fire. Rockfon’s commitment to quality and durability reflects confidence that its ceiling panels and tiles won’t sag, droop or warp for decades, even in challenging environments such as schools and healthcare buildings.
With a wide range of ceiling solutions, Rockfon stone wool products retain their appearance, quality and performance while offering the design flexibility that modern commercial spaces demand.
Rockfon Alaska: Featuring high sound absorption, Alaska stone wool ceiling panels are sag, humidity and fire resistant, and come in a wide assortment of sizes and edges. These ceiling panels are ideal for offices, classrooms, reception areas, multipurpose spaces and auditoriums.
Rockfon Sonar: Offering Rockfon’s largest selection of edge styles and sizes, Sonar stone wool ceiling panels offer optimal design freedom while maximizing performance and occupant well-being impacts. These panels are ideal for open offices, lobbies, lecture halls, libraries and auditoriums.
Rockfon Medical™ Standard: Easily cleaned, Medical Standard stone wool ceiling tiles are ISO Class 5 and provide no sustenance to microorganisms. Medical Standard tiles are ideal for nurses’ stations, waiting areas, reception areas, office spaces and corridors.
Rockfon Medical Air™: Medical Air stone wool ceiling tiles are ISO Class 3 and designed for hospital ceiling applications where differential pressure is required. They are ideal for intensive care units, operating rooms, recovery rooms and laboratories.
Rockfon Medical Plus: Cleanable with diluted disinfectants, a vacuum and a damp cloth, Medical Plus stone wool ceiling tiles are ISO Class 4. They are ideal for emergency rooms, treatment rooms, patient rooms and laboratories.
Rockfon Hygienic Plus™: Hygienic Plus is ISO Class 5 and can be used anywhere from restaurants to laboratories thanks to its cleanability and low particle emission for better air cleanliness. Hygienic Plus is also ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, fitness centers and locker rooms.
Rockfon Education Plus™: With an NRC of 0.08 and sound absorption properties, Education Plus stone wool ceiling panels are designed for optimized acoustics in classroom and office applications.
Rockfon Education Premium™: Education Premium stone wool ceiling tiles offer an NRC of 0.90 and support healthy indoor air quality. This new education product is perfect for library and media center applications.
A Partner for Every Project
The inherent durability of stone wool makes Rockfon products an ideal choice for any space that demands both performance and longevity while also contributing to a sustainable future. This focus on sustainable protection is central to the business strategy for both Rockfon and its parent company ROCKWOOL Group.
Driven by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework, ROCKWOOL Group manufactures stone wool products that help meet company commitments to 11 out of 17 SDGs. This, in turn, helps support more energy- and carbon-efficient buildings, more efficient food production and more acoustically sound buildings.
Want to see how our products can contribute to your project’s design goals while withstanding the rigors of daily use? Get in touch to find a durable ceiling solution for your project, and sign up for our newsletter to get inspiration for future projects, right in your inbox.
*The majority of Rockfon® stone wool ceiling products have a 30-year warranty. Exceptions include our Rockfon® Mono® Acoustic products, which carry a 15-year warranty. Please refer to the data sheets for product details.