ASSA ABLOY and CertainTeed Corporation are teaming up as part of an industry-first collaboration to address acoustical challenges in classroom settings—a critical factor in ensuring strong student performance. Representing global leadership in door opening solutions, gypsum board, ceilings and insulation solutions, the collaboration leverages world-class building science and technical expertise to create recommendations for interior spaces that meet or exceed the most stringent acoustical requirements.   

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, proper acoustics are critical for students’ ability to understand familiar words and learn new information. The new alliance between ASSA ABLOY and CertainTeed has uncovered easily accessible solutions to address these acoustical challenges and reduce the sound reverberation that further complicates noise issues.

“The convergence of these two building industry powerhouses represents an unprecedented approach in optimizing acoustics in educational settings,” said Eric Nilsson, vice president of Corporate Marketing for CertainTeed Corporation. “We look forward to deepening this collaboration by leveraging our collective expertise, while tapping the global resources of our parent company Saint-Gobain to make a true material difference in how students learn.”

ASSA ABLOY and CertainTeed are designing and testing interior solutions that provide exceptional acoustical control between classrooms, music rooms, administrative offices, bathrooms and hallways. Through preliminary research, the collaboration has demonstrated significant acoustical improvements by creating a holistic solution that integrates CertainTeed’s SilentFX noise-reducing gypsum board, Sustainable Insulation fiberglass batt insulation and Symphony m mineral fiber ceiling panels with door and frame systems, including components, from ASSA ABLOY Group brands CECO Door, CURRIES, PEMKO or SMP Specialty Doors. Each of the design configurations align with targeted Sound Transmission Class ratings as well as stringent requirements of the American National Standards Institute, LEED for Schools, Collaborative for High Performance Schools, GREENGUARD Gold, and 2012 International Green Construction Code.

The enthusiasm is mutual, as shared by Stacey Callahan, vice president of marketing and innovation for ASSA ABLOY, “This landmark collaboration between CertainTeed and ASSA ABLOY places the needs of education front and center. The standard we are setting for the built environment is ‘head of the class’ in form and function—a superior solution that exceeds the expectations of our (or education’s) stakeholders.”