Through early design engagement Asona can help architects plan and select the best acoustic product solutions that meet project performance and design requirements as well as to proactively reduce construction waste on site and disposal costs for the builder.

Asona’s approach to on-site waste reduction is 6-fold:

• Early design engagement
• Material selection
• Made to measure panels
• Protective finishes
• Packaging return and reuse
• Extending the usable life of the installed product

Asona manufactures acoustic panels from glasswool, polyester, plasterboard, plywood, MDF and metal. Each material has a different recycled content, density, coverage, and waste profile to consider, and as landfill companies charge by the tonne then low-density materials perform best.

For example, according to Asona's Managing Director, Neil Ridgway, Asona will convert one tonne of glasswool into 850m² of Triton 25 ceiling panels. If 5% is wasted on-site, then that equates to 0.06 kg of waste per m² of finished ceiling. At the heavier end of the scale, one tonne of 12 mm MDF will be converted to 120 m² of Sonawood panels. If 5% is wasted, then that equates to 0.42 kg of waste per m² of ceiling — a whopping 700% variance.

Detailing made to measure panels that fit the built structure also helps reduce waste on-site, and is great for perimeter panels, corridor panels or odd shaped trapezoidal panels. Suspended ceiling service tiles can be manufactured with a removable protective foil to keep the finish clean during the installation of M/E services. The foil is then removed prior to hand over.

Packaging makes up a lot of waste on site. To help reduce packaging waste Asona offers its customers a packaging take back scheme where cartons can be flat packed and returned to the Asona factory for reuse on the next order. The same applies for pallets.

When end of life is considered for suspended ceiling tiles Asona offers its customers a recycle and reuse program whereby new decorative finishes are applied so they can be returned to the ceiling and used again.