Global pharmaceutical company, Allergan, opened its new regional Customer Operations Center of Excellence in Riata Corporate Park in Austin, Texas. Spanning 107,000 square feet, five floors and two buildings, Perkins & Will designed fresh interiors to suit the company's aesthetic and operational needs. Rockfon's acoustic stone wool ceiling panels were selected to create a high-end appearance with high-performance functionality. Sustainable product specification also was key in supporting the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED® v4.1 criteria for commercial interiors.

Presenting the premium look Perkins & Will sought with the required performance and sustainable attributes, Rockfon® Chicago Metallic™ Integrity™ 4200 double reveal 9/16-inch ceiling suspension system was installed in Allergan's conference rooms and offices. Paired with the smooth, white surface of Rockfon Alaska® acoustic stone wool 2-by-2-foot panels, the complete ceiling system combines strength and durability with optimized acoustics and light reflection.

The heavy-duty suspension grid is fabricated with hot-dip galvanized (HDG) steel and third-party certified to meet ASTM standards. The sound-absorbing Rockfon Alaska ceiling panels are manufactured with stone wool, a material produced from natural, abundant basalt rock and recycled content. Stone wool inherently resists fire, moisture, humidity and does not support mold, mildew or other potentially harmful microorganisms.

Supporting healthy indoor air quality, Rockfon Alaska ceiling tiles have earned UL® GREENGUARD® Gold certification for low VOC emissions. They also achieve a Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) of 0.90 to provide an interior that encourages both team cooperation and individual efficiency. Concentration and comfort are affected directly by the noise within a surrounding environment. This, in turn, influences accuracy, efficiency, productivity and long-term wellbeing. Even small changes in an acoustic experience may have a significant impact on an employer's bottom line.

Energy savings for building tenants and owners also can be gained by minimizing the need for electric lighting through daylighting. The bright white surface of Rockfon Alaska ceiling panels reflect 86% of the light, enhancing and extending natural light more deeply into the office interior. The diffused, reflected light also reduces eye strain and potential headaches for employees and decreases glare on their computer monitors and screens, helping further improve productivity.

Early in the preconstruction phase, construction manager Structure Tone said, "Specific lighting, ceiling, controls and office front systems were all identified in this process and collaboratively addressed with the design team, vendors and Allergan to ensure the desired design intent, cost and schedule were achieved." Potential challenges were addressed to minimize "schedule constraints and unexpected costs from changing items once construction has begun."

To avoid disruptions during construction, Structure Tone coordinated with the Riata building management and existing occupants. Any noisy work, including the ceiling installation, was conducted outside of normal business hours. Easy to install, the Integrity 4200 double reveal suspension system's stab-end cross-tees and staked-on ends provide secure connections. Saving labor and time in the field allows the building interiors to be completed faster and the space to be ready for occupancy more quickly.

Allergan's Customer Operations Center of Excellence was completed as scheduled in April 2020. Occupying two of the Riata campus' eight buildings, Allergan's offices are connected on the third floor by a skybridge. They contain a lobby, a barista bar and café area, plus the university training center, cool sculpting lab and learning center. Allergan's staff also has access to multiple fitness centers and other amenities within the office park.

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Allergan – Austin Office; Riata Corporate Park, 12331 A Riata Trace Pkwy, Building 3, Austin, TX 78727
• Architect: Perkins & Will; Austin, Texas; https://perkinswill.com/studio/austin
• Construction manager: Structure Tone Southwest; Austin, Texas; https://stobuildinggroup.com
• Installing contractor: Lasco Acoustics & Drywall, Inc.; Austin, Texas; https://www.lascoadi.com
• Distributor: Action Gypsum Supply; Austin, Texas; http://www.actiongypsum.com
• Ceiling systems – manufacturer: Rockfon; Chicago; https://www.rockfon.com
• Photographer: Kevin Bowens Photography

To learn more about Rockfon's acoustic ceiling products, please call 800-323-7164, email cs@rockfon.com or visit www.rockfon.com.

About Rockfon
Rockfon is part of the ROCKWOOL Group and is offering advanced acoustic ceilings and wall solutions to create beautiful, comfortable spaces.

At the ROCKWOOL Group, we are committed to enriching the lives of everyone who experiences our product solutions. Our expertise is perfectly suited to tackle many of today's biggest sustainability and development challenges, from energy consumption and noise pollution to fire resilience, water scarcity and flooding. Our range of products reflects the diversity of the world's needs, while supporting our stakeholders in reducing their own carbon footprint.

Stone wool is a versatile material and forms the basis of all our businesses. With approximately 11,500 passionate colleagues in 39 countries, we are the world leader in stone wool solutions, from building insulation to acoustic ceilings, external cladding systems to horticultural solutions, engineered fibers for industrial use to insulation for the process industry, and marine and offshore.

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