FEATURED PHOTO

 
Product: Flex Series

Market: Education

Wall Frame Finish: Warm White

Description: Flex Series floor-to-ceiling 1/4” clear tempered single pane glass office with warm white aluminum framed swing door. Office sidewall notch-out integration with existing light fixtures.

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FEATURED PHOTO

 
Product: Flex Series

Market: Financial Institutions

Wall Frame Finish: MS Silver

Description: Flex Series freestanding 1/4” single pane glass fronts with MS Silver finish and aluminum framed sliding glass doors. Freestanding Vinyl wrapped gypsum insulated side walls.

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After much researching we elected to go with NxtWall because of their extensive fabric and finish offerings. As a result, we were able to match our previously installed décor with something very similar and complimentary. NxtWall was incredibly helpful throughout the entire process: from ordering samples to product delivery and install, everything went smoothly despite our difficult scheduling needs. The end result is gorgeous, and we couldn’t be happier! Thank you!

– Chelsea Wadsworth,
Jaquish Biomedical

FEATURED PHOTO

 
Product: View Series

Market: Corporate

Wall Frame Finish: Black

Description: View Series center mount floor-to-ceiling glass office partitions. Black frame finish with 60″ brushed stainless locking ladder pull door hardware. 3/8″ single pane clear tempered glass and frameless glass swing doors. Soft braking door closer mechanisms.

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PHOTO OF THE MONTH:

View Series Full Height Glass Conference Room with Black Wall Frame Finish

Product: View Series

Market: Corporate

Wall Frame Finish: Black

Description: View Series Floor-to-ceiling Glass Conference Room. Black Aluminum Frame finish with Matte Black Ladder pull door hardware. 1/2″ single pane clear tempered glass and Frameless Glass Double Sliding Door entry.

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Formica Infiniti

Formica Infiniti laminates are a real game changer within the wall panel production industry, and NxtWall Demountable Walls are one of the first to offer this cutting-edge wall panel technology. Formica Infiniti is both durable and inhibits bacteria growth. It is ideal for high traffic areas such as restaurants, hotels, retail, healthcare, commercial offices, and schools.

Ven4ma®

 Ven4ma® Protective Wall panels are designed for use in healthcare, hospitality, food service, assisted living, retail, and corporate interior high traffic areas that are subject to abuse from impact, dents, and staining.
 

Ven4ma® – 11 Standard Finishes

PHOTO OF THE MONTH:

Product: Flex Series

Market: Financial Institutions

Wall Frame Finish: Black (with Black Finish Covers)

Description: Whiteboard integration with Flex Series demountable dividing partitions. Black Frame finish.

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Flex Series Demountable Dividing Walls with Integrated Whiteboards

PHOTO OF THE MONTH:

Product: Flex Series
Market: Financial Institutions
Wall Frame Finish: Black (with Black Finish Covers)
Description: Whiteboard integration with Flex Series demountable dividing partitions. Black Frame finish.
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When you’re designing a new building, or renovating an older space it’s important to have the overall health of the building’s occupants in mind. Too many buildings in the past simply utilized the cheapest materials or the most readily available materials at the time. Today, re-creating these spaces with natural materials, ventilation, and sunlight minimizes the environmental impact and increases comfort for the inhabitants. Conscious consideration of sustainable architectural solutions not only reduces the harm done to our planet it also reduces negative health effects to people. When we have choices that on have an impact on people and the earth, why not choose to design a harmonious, healthy space that considers every environment?

With increasing availability of sustainably-sourced materials, many new products reduce negative environmental impact for interior and exterior construction for residential and commercial building industries. Today building in a sustainable manner throughout the building process is a natural transition with the introduction of key green building methods, and the increased availability of health and budget conscious environmentally friendly building solutions.

Below we cover the importance of building in an environmentally friendly way that also maximizes the health of the building’s occupants. We’ve also included a few material and building suggestions to get started.

The Importance Of Minimizing Environmental Impact

Environmentally friendly building isn’t only good for the environment, but it’s good for your bottom-line. Today’s designers are incorporating elements like, glass walls and doors, and upcycled wall and building materials.

Buildings or office-spaces that are designed to be eco-friendly also tend to be lower cost in the long-term. Although, upcycled materials and energy-efficient appliances and materials can be more expensive upfront, by reducing overall energy and maintenance costs the cost is less.

How To Maximize The Health of Building Inhabitants

Today’s workers are demanding sustainable buildings. By ignoring the social and environmental impacts of your building you could end up lowering the productivity and happiness of your workers. In the briefing stage of a project inhabitant wellness and over well being are now being considered more than ever.

Since most students and workers will spend almost all of their waking time in an indoor environment it’s increasingly important for these environments to promote overall health. This view has created a shift from building a building for the sake of itself, towards a building that is built for the people who are going to be spending time there.

Even simple things, such as increasing natural light, providing more open spaces, and increasing the overall interior ventilation can greatly improve worker efficiency.

Eco-Friendly Building Tips To Get Started

Getting started with an environmentally friendly building doesn’t have to be difficult. By putting occupant and environmental health at the forefront you’ll create a building that lasts and is primed to make the world a better place well into the future.

In order to construct a cutting-edge sustainable building you need to address the following elements below:

1. Improved Materials

By using hazardous materials throughout the building process you’ll help to avoid health complications in the building habitants. For instance, a lot of older building materials actually increased the number of asthma cases in workers.

Eco-friendly building materials will support the health of the people inside the building, and lead to improved focus, efficiency, and total productivity.

2. Daylighting

Daylighting is the process of increasing the natural light that’s present throughout the office. NxtWall offers easily mountable glass walls, which also have an incredibly clean installation process. These walls will easily allow natural light to flow into the office.

Removable walls also allow for easy office configuration. This enables rooms to be created and broken down with relative ease. This allows for easy adjustment to sunlight, and can effortlessly adjust to the inhabitants of the space.

3. Accessibility to Nature

Even something as simple as being able to look out the window and gaze into the outdoors can do wonders for decreasing stress. Some of the latest trends in green building try to incorporate plants and trees into the built space. At the very least, make sure the windows in your office point towards some type of natural element.

By incorporating some of the design elements mentioned above into your office space, or school, you’ll improve the overall health of anyone using the space, while improving productivity throughout.

The post Minimizing Environmental Impact, While Maximizing Health of Occupants appeared first on NxtWall.

As if staying on top of building code changes was not enough to keep facility managers hopping, recent mandates for maximizing building energy efficiency has added another level of complexity. Commercial property owners are now required by law to disclose their building energy use in two states, one county and 14 cities in the United States and the numbers are growing.

Always in the forefront in architecture, the City of Chicago adopted a Building Energy Use Benchmarking Ordinance in 2013. The goal to achieve transparency of energy use and create a more livable, competitive and sustainable city has been augmented by a healthier environment and economy for the city. Chicago’s 2015 Energy Benchmarking Report, includes all of its 77 neighborhoods. Of the more than 1,800 properties reporting, energy performance was above national median levels. On a bittersweet note, the 2015 data also identified missed opportunities of which the reporting buildings could adopt to save $100-184 million in Chicago per year.

Benefits of Energy Benchmarking

• improved awareness of energy use and costs
• increased access to energy use information
• adoption of cost-effective energy efficiency improvements
• environmentally friendly choice

Unless you’re one of those rare statistics-junkie facility managers, the idea of adding another governmentally mandated report is as attractive as a swim in Lake Michigan in January. There is good news in all of this, however. Lease-tenant, institutional and owner-occupied buildings have already been working toward green building practices, Energy Star certification and or LEED certification in new building or renovation projects for a number of years now. Energy benchmarking aside, every lease-tenant, building owner, and University in the country is seeking to support the sustainability of buildings, the reduction of energy costs, and increase of comfort for occupants.

“Buildings are the #1 energy consumer and CO2 producer” – U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

As new construction and existing building renovations begin, sustainable solutions and products are at the forefront of planning. From the use of continuous insulation in exterior walls to block the elements, to the installation of daylighting glass demountable walls that adjust for changing environments, sustainability practices are embraced at every stage. It is these innovations and improvements in design and construction that will help meet tightening energy efficiency standards.

Steps for Building Energy Efficiency

• evaluate the existing Building Energy Asset Score
• identify efficiency opportunities
• obtain Core Performance rating or an Energy Star Rating for the facility
• choose energy efficient materials and improvements

By defining building performance goals for energy and maintenance, owners and managers will save in initial costs as well as long-term operating costs. If you are building a new facility or upgrading an existing facility, you must consider interior components as well as the building envelope for building energy efficiency and maintenance demands.

Energy Efficient Solutions for Commercial Spaces

• use of renewable energy sources
• high efficiency HVAC and control system optimization
• LED lighting options
• daylighting with exterior and interior glass walls
• exterior walls with continuous insulation and air barriers
• building automation systems
• management of appliances and office equipment
• plug load control
• shared workspaces and shared equipment
• Internet monitoring of equipment such as smart thermostats
• flexible, sustainable, reusable walls

As energy efficient practices and equipment are placed in use, monitoring and reporting can help identify what’s working, track budgets, and recommend alterations. Commercial, educational and municipal building managers and property owners may consider organizing an energy team to assist with monitoring. The energy team can be responsible for planning the energy program, implementing, evaluating and maintaining momentum.

Whether your facility is in a city that mandates energy benchmarking or you’re preparing for the 2030 challenge to achieve carbon neutrality, building energy efficient practices today will protect all of our tomorrows.

The post Does Energy Benchmarking Maximize Building Energy Efficiency? appeared first on NxtWall.

Universities and corporations’ attraction to interior glass walls has continued to be a clear choice for sustainable, affordable construction. NxtWall recognizes it is really no surprise to anyone in the commercial and higher education construction market. The simple, sleek and striking aesthetic of interior glass walls is impossible to resist and all indications show a bright future going into 2016.

With Universities, tenant / landlord, and office suites tasked with maximizing open space and continuing to provide private and quiet spaces, demountable glass walls prove to be a sustainable solution. Glass interior walls provide seamless transitions between collaborative work spaces as well as much-desired private work spaces. Replacing solid gypsum walls with glass walls allows for the entry of natural light, space saving layouts, and increased versatility for future use.

Demountable Interior Glass Walls 100% Customizable

Unlimited, custom configurations can be integrated into any building. From floor to ceiling private office spaces to free standing spaces, glass partition walls deliver on functionality, aesthetics and affordability.

Color, Design, Texture

Unlimited style options are available to you with glass. Glass walls can be etched, stenciled, and back painted in any color imaginable. Architectural glass is a favorite of interior designers. Color tinted or reflective glass, patterned glass such as rain glass or reeded textured glass are beautiful and unique additions to glass wall office designs.

Mixed Media

Elegant glass fronts combined with smooth gliding glass doors are a perfect solution for offices with tight entrances. Mix transparent glass walls with natural wood doors or glass office partitions with upholstery panels or pre-existing gypsum walls.

Environmentally conscious and creative offices often incorporate repurposed materials. Ever wonder what you’re going to do with all those concert t-shirts?  Father’s Day ties? old circuit boards?…  wall styles can range from a sleek and sophisticated modern office aesthetic to a natural, warm, unique or traditional appearance.

Mix-it-up:

• Interior glass walls with wood door
• Interior glass walls with sliding glass door
• Interior glass walls with swing glass door
• Interior glass walls with wood, fabric, gypsum, metal
• Interior glass walls with re-purposed materials (remember all those concert t-shirts?)

Sound Masking – Select Your Transparency

The concern expressed with interior glass demountable wall offices is the ability to have private conversations. With glass walls you can pair transparency with varying levels of sound protection and private conversations remain private. Sound masking can be specified for those areas requiring quiet and private conversations. Workers or students can work undisturbed and in peace, even when surrounded by a busy conference room or common area.

Powered By The Sun

It is well known in the green building industry the cheapest energy is the energy that is not consumed. Daylighting benefits provided by glass office walls create healthier work environments. Reduced employee and students illness and absence is attributed to reduced CO2 emissions, increased sunlight, and natural views.

In addition to the well being of the inhabitants, office designs with glass walls support stewardship of the environment. Increased light and UV protection reduces the need for electricity and the use of heating and cooling. Recycled and recyclable, glass reduces construction waste and high use of virgin materials. Lastly, glass walls can contribute to LEED categories related to material content in projects for schools, office, hotels and other commercial spaces.

Solid moveable glass walls offer flexibility and options not normally seen in modular office partitions:

• Glass Room Dividers
• Glass Panels – floor to ceiling
• Glass office fronts
• Glass Office Doors
• Glass Partitions
• Glass Conference Room Doors

With glass interior walls, new construction and renovations have never been so affordable, functional and sustainable. Check in with us today, let us put pen to paper and show how interior glass walls will maximize your space.

The post Interior Glass Walls Clear Choice in 2015 and Beyond appeared first on NxtWall.

Why do the creatives have all the fun? I recently toured the Herman Miller creative department workspaces at the Herman Miller Design Yard in Holland, Michigan. Beyond the lusting over the Eames furniture designs and deciding what to order from the barista at the coffee bar, the sustainable workplace design had me considering meeting with the Herman Miller HR department.

What do you mean I don’t have to search the Starbucks app on my smart phone for the closest Starbucks location for my morning fix? Instead of finding a cozy neighborhood coffee shop and slurping up their wifi I can just go into work? I can sit at a community coffee bar,  plug in my laptop, tap into the wifi, and I can have an impromptu meeting with the VP of Higher Education design? This is the life of a creative in modern sustainable workplace design. Floating desks, no assigned seats, open floor plans, demountable glass wall conference rooms with wall sized flat screens for screen-sharing with meeting mates.

How did the interior designers get inside my head? How could they have known each day at 3:00 pm I needed a ten minute nap on a Nelson Marshmallow sofa? They even knew to incorporate lots of windows and glass walls so all workers can bask in daylighting benefits.

For those who missed the meeting in my head outlining the best elements of sustainable workplace design and want to learn more about constructing creative work environments in the workplace look up Dr. Young S. Lee’s Seven Creative Workplace Measures/Attributes©. Dr. Lee has identified the workplace environmental measures / attributes that encourage knowledge worker’s creativity and inventiveness.

7 Creative Workplace Measures/Attributes

• Disengage spaces
• doodle places
• unusual / fun atmosphere
• relaxing environment
• stimulating senses
• technology interface for collaboration
• balanced layout between work modes

If you are attending NeoCon 2015 you can register for the continuing education program Tuesday June 16, from 1:00pm – 2:00pm for Key Performance Indicators of Knowledge Workplace Design.  Dr. Lee and his colleagues will cover the Comparative Assessment and Performance Tools for Innovate Workplace (CAPTIW). CAPTIW is a comprehensive evaluation and benchmark tool that measures how well the physical workplace supports innovation. Interior designers and creative managers are all too familiar with the relationship between the physical environment and innovative performance. Incorporating these ideas into sustainable workplace designs for more departments may be the future. If CAPTIW measurements can be used and demonstrate workers are innovative, high performing, productive and creative in these non-traditional workspaces these sustainable workplaces design may begin to show up in areas outside of the creative sector. Could the knowledge workers spaces have flexible workspaces with moveable walls and football tables in an effort to increase inventiveness and creativity along with loyalty and appreciation to  their employer? Time will tell

Who Moved My Cheese?

CAPTIW may prove these contemporary work environments may not inspire the same return with the more analytical workers. The shared workspace concept is an innovative approach to sustainable workplace design that isn’t popular with everyone. Some of us get very attached to our things. Some of us also have issues when the stapler is moved an inch to the right of where it was left. However this doesn’t mean there will be negative Nancy’s floating about  or a limit to the corporate employment pool because the candidates prefer gypsum walls and upholstered cubicles. Many workers find themselves gravitating to the same desk or spot at the coffee bar anyway. Kind of like yoga class – don’t nobody put their mat in my spot – namaste. Creatures of habit can still benefit from sustainable workplace design by basking in the daylighting benefits of glass walls, wearing ear buds to block out co-workers phone calls and discussions and enjoying a double skim mocha. When it’s time to freshen that mocha latte it’s just a few steps away and you’ll know everyone at the cafe! There is a silver lining in all that is creative workplace design.

For those of us who like to mix it up and appreciate truly sustainable workplace design the fluidity is charming. Knowing less virgin products are needed to create work environments, less equipment is needed because it is shared, and the entire office facility encompasses a smaller footprint because boxes didn’t need to get carved out of the whole. Each department and office space can grow or condense as the company grows or changes. I’m all for it and I appreciate that Dr. Young S. Lee has provided a tool for architects and interior designers to refer to when constructing these sustainable work environments that continue to encourage even more clever inventions and inspired solutions.

The post Sustainable Workplace Design – Constructing creative work environments in the workplace appeared first on NxtWall.

Achieving LEED certification is a coveted sustainable goal for many organizations. The energy savings, and reduced environmental impact LEED certified building offer are celebrated across the globe. Sustainability is a choice of values however, not a plaque on the wall or content for a positive press release. If LEED certification, reaching a WELL Building Standard or Living Building Challenge is out of reach, specifying moveable wall and sustainable products can still be integrated into your design and green building plans. Adopting the principles of green building whether certification is sought or not is what will make the fastest and greatest impact on the planet. Making conscious green choices by specifying sustainable building products, diverting construction waste and reducing the use of raw materials has become an integral part of nonresidential and residential green building construction.

Factors driving green building market:

1.  Cost savings and incentives for business and tax payers
2. Improved employee and public health gains from green buildings
3. Strong Market demand
4. High percentage of Non-residential commercial and institutional projects specifying green construction
5. Governmental policies and mandates requiring green building methods
6. Increased property values

With all the factors pointing to the benefits of green building there are still the nay-sayers out there that need convincing. “Green building cost too much. “sustainable design is ugly and cold”, “green construction takes longer to design and build.” If you are hearing these excuses and complaints with your customers or stakeholders keep reading.

Green Building Market: Lower Cost High Return

A 2007 study of LEED certified buildings discovered there is no significant difference in average costs for green buildings as compared to non-green buildings.¹ Citing less consumption of energy, lower maintenance costs, and higher occupant satisfaction, green building offers a much higher return than expected.

With the increased market demand, the manufacturing of green building components and materials has increased. Increased supply and options in sustainable building material products has also resulted in price reductions. Specifying moveable walls is a good example. In the past when designers specified moveable walls the cost could not compete with traditional gypsum wall construction. As demountable wall manufacturing and wall panel options have expanded, estimates have become highly competitive and specifying moveable walls in some cases can result in lower costs than traditional wall construction.

Project managers claiming sustainable design cost more because of increased research, analysis and selection of alternative products has also been negated. By implementing the integrated design process and bringing consultants, stakeholders, designers and contractors together early on, the integrated design process actually helps to avoid costly charges at later stages of construction.

When it comes to higher return, it is proven that Green buildings consume less energy. Compared to the average commercial building, the LEED Gold buildings in the General Services Administration’s portfolio generally³:

• Consume 25% less energy and 11% less water
• Have 19% lower maintenance costs
• 27% higher occupant satisfaction
• 34% lower greenhouse gas emissions

Green is the New Black

In his book The Shape of Green, Lance Hosey argues that “Beauty is inherent to sustainability, for how things look and feel is as important as how they’re made.”²  Fortunately many designers and architects are on board with green building and sustainable design for these reasons.  The lessons from the environmental push during the energy crisis of the 70s and the “sick” building syndrome are not lost on designers today. Attention to air quality, daylighting and increased use of recycled, recyclable and reusable products such as flexible removable glass walled work stations that can be reconfigured as building needs change, are a few of the solutions designers and architects are incorporating today. Sustainable design doesn’t have to be traditional wood furnishings and coarse upholstery. The popularity of sustainable design has launched innovative products that beautify the space while reducing the buildings carbon footprint.

Green certification controversies aside, sustainable design and green building is increasing momentum and doesn’t show any sign of peaking soon.  “In the end,” writes Senegalese poet Baba Dioum, “We conserve only what we love.” 

References:

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