Indoor air can become contaminated in many ways. Everyday substances including paints, lacquers, cleaning products, perfumes, hair sprays, glues and solvents all create potentially harmful emissions, including Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which have been linked to allergies and asthma.

When it comes to improving indoor air quality, the usual method is to improve the ventilation, but Cleaneo Technology offers another solution.

Essentially it works like this: in a commercial building the ceilings provide the greatest surface area that interacts with indoor air, so when the ceiling system incorporates Cleaneo Technology cleaner air can be achieved.

Cleaneo technology is derived from a natural volcanic rock called Zeolite. Knauf Danoline uses a synthetic concentrated version called Zeoflair. It is this particular material that actively reduces the concentration of harmful pollutants in the air.

When gypsum board containing Zeoflair is perforated, it helps purify air as it passes through the perforations, removing unpleasant pollutants and leaving the air cleaner.

Independent laboratory tests at the Fraunhof Institute in Germany highlighted that Cleaneo technology improved the indoor air quality by reducing the concentration of volatile compounds like alcohol, aldehydes, ketones and esters — all typical emissions from cleaning agents and care products.

So not only do acoustic ceilings look great, but they can now improve the very air that people breathe.

Currently the most popular Knauf-Danoline product to capture the attention of NZ architects is Stratopanel and Solopanel with its random or regimented hole patterns and FF edges which create a monolithic look.

Stratopanel was used to great effect on the Sir Paul Reeves building, part of AUT University's Campus and designed by the architects Jasmax. The building's bold flowing curves and sculptural shapes required a sympathetic ceiling product that would blend in and follow the flowing lines of the ceilings. Jasmax chose Stratopanel-Random 8/15/20R ceiling lining due to the seamless edge to edge perforated pattern that creates a fluid monolithic look, gives good sound absorption for control of reverberation and has high impact resistance to marking.

Stratopanel and Solopanel are both continuous patterned perforated acoustic ceiling lining systems designed for auditoriums, atriums and large public spaces. The reinforced plaster panels are press punched perforated with acoustic tissue backer and face laminated with white foil for easy cleaning and high light reflectance. Stratopanel and Solopanel come in a wide variety of perforation patterns.