StarwallUSA is pleased to offer its customers a totally PVC-free movable wall within all 3 product lines: Finesse, Vision and NxtWall series products. The introduction of the NxtWall series with its use of polyolefin coverings, sustainable fabrics, or water based paints over a gypsum or metal substrate enables StarwallUSA to offer a truly sustainable interior movable wall solution for conventional construction, at an affordable price.

Starwall has taken the sustainability push a step further by offering an optional use of the HealthGuard insulation, within all of the product series. HealthGuard insulation delivers outstanding Sound Transmission Class (STC) performance and utilizes PET fiber- the world’s most recycled and most recyclable polymer. HealthGuard is made from recycled pop bottles, water bottles, milk cartons, etc. Because of the 100% recyclability of this post-consumer waste, PET is quickly growing in its use within many areas, especially carpet fibers. The use of HealthGuard has enabled the NxtWall series product a 45 plus STC rating. Starwall’s Finesse Series realizes a mid-40 STC rating.

HealthGuard Insulation = High STC Rating, 100% Recyclable

Achieving PVC-free glass front solutions are accomplished with relative ease with Starwall’s Vision Series. This solution provides a seamless glass fronts solution that utilizes aluminum, polycarbonate extrusions, steel, and rubber gaskets to support the use of 1/4″, 3/8” and 1/2″ tempered glass solution. Starwall’s Finesse Series offers an option for double pane glass that currently utilizes a PVC glazing bead for its acoustical double pane glass needs. StarwallUSA anticipates the introduction of an aluminum extrusion combined with the potential use of PET material, allowing for the ongoing integration of double pane glass to continue its “best in class” acoustical demountable wall capabilities.

Starwall's Vision Series Glass Front Solution

StarwallUSA is pleased to use some of the construction industries most rapidly renewable wall board cores. Use of material such as Roseburg, Flakeboard and Uniboard’s “sustainable” or” green” board or core substrates, goes beyond the use of post-industrial and or post-consumer recycled content. Today, these substrates can and are being constructed of rapidly renewable materials such as sunflower, wheat, switch grass stalks and stems. Starwall looks forward to this evolving material use with much optimism for its potential uses.

The importing of gypsum recycling techniques from Europe also provides some exciting potential. Gypsums have widespread use, and are often exempt from green point calculation and or scrutiny due to its proven functionality and required performance. Today, industry leaders like USG have established locations where the resources and materials are available to begin utilizing “re-grind” or recycled calcite in its material.

The purpose of interior demountable office walls is about product reuse. Manufacturing of any kind places a burden on the environment, and it is our goal at StarwallUSA to deliver the most user-friendly “reusable” wall. We have accomplished this goal and will remain committed by incorporating simplicity and understanding all aspects of the planning, manufacturing, supplying, and installing of our materials. Unlike so many other demountable walls, we offer a cost “payback” to our end-users when the time to recycle approaches. We are committed to utilize the most current and economically beneficial materials available.

The Most Sustainable Demountable Wall on the Planet…

To become the most sustainable demountable wall on the planet a company or product must go beyond dealing with simple concepts such as simply stating that “we use recycled and recyclable content”.  You must go beyond images of trees, grass, animals, etc., as marketing backdrops that might leave individuals believing a strong commitment to the environment.  To be the most sustainable demountable or “eco-friendly” demountable wall on the planet, you must rely on substance…and this is exactly what StarwallUSA does!

Before we get to the issues that are easily understood, it is important to consider the most important aspect of being a sustainable solution: to be realistically or affordably sustainable to a company.  As we know, all companies who strive for the triple bottom line of people, planet and profits must show allegiance to all facets.  Note in the often seen concentric circle image of the triple bottom line, the sweet spot of sustainability is achieved at the integration of people, planet and profits.  The intersection point delivers a truly viable sustainable product solution.

Triple Bottom Line Diagram

Without being sustainable and affordable, demountable walls will take a back seat to the bigger items associated with larger building system line items that are provide bigger point valuations than a demountable wall system that can be sacrificed due to its price position.  StarwallUSA will deliver one of the most competitive and realistic price positions of any wall system in the industry!

There are other substantive issues associated with being an “eco-friendly” demountable wall system beyond price.  These features must provide some realistic benefit to the facilities managers charged with managing the millions of square feet of office buildings today.  The issues in play are as follows…and are placed in order of importance by an un-official, yet anecdotally accurate accounting or surveying of facilities management professionals.

1.      Product Reuse

2.      Ease providing or introducing light emitting material for daylight harvesting

3.      Easy and cost effective recycling

4.      Regional material usage

5.      Minimal use of VOC’s

Product Reuse

StarwallUSA boasts the largest percentage of product reuse of any wall system due to its “field fit” or “field modify” characteristics.  StarwallUSA’s products’ heights, widths, structure, wall board and glass can all be put back to use.  Conversely, the “unitized” or “pre-engineered/pre-manufactured” product may not.  A single change to a ceiling height, wall width, configuration places a significant planning burden on these earlier generations of walls found in the industry today.

Light Emitting Material for Daylight Harvesting

Chicago, IL - Finesse Series Huddle Rooms with Sliding Glass Doors

StarwallUSA’s demountable field fit approach provides an affordable solution and ease of change beyond compare.  A StarwallUSA solid wall can be changed out over night without buying new panels or special attachment brackets. Further, glass panels need not to have special treatment or detailing at a plant hundreds or thousands of miles away.  No manufacturer delivers sidelights, clerestory and glass fronts in such a simple and quick fashion like Starwall.  A solid wall today can quickly become a glass wall overnight.

Ask how your current demountable glass wall can be changed or added…then check out StarwallUSA.

Easy and Cost-Effective Recycling

The purpose in using a demountable wall is to provide for product re-use as well as enabling a company to perform easy changes to the interior building architecture.  These simple and quick changes allow for a strong return on investment.  StarwallUSA’s position is that our field adaptable product can be reused over and over again.

Of course, all facilities managers will ask to have the recycling cost explained.  The StarwallUSA product can be recycled with either a cost neutral position or with a return! All the material can easily avoid the landfill.  We are happy to offer a strategy of “return it and we will reuse it or recycle it responsibly”…that’s a promise.  Our approach is very different to dealing with labor costs to break product down to get the product into its various material bins, and this costs your customers money.

Our aluminum, steel, glass, plastic, insulation, wall board…all are welcomed and or purchased by recycling centers which are quickly growing around the country.

Regional Material Usage

This is a very simple concept…which minimizes the carbon footprint created from the plants and logistics required to get our competitors product that must be manufactured in a plant hundreds or thousands of miles away.

StarwallUSA’s demountable wall solution utilizes regionally produced wall board material, glass, insulation and labor (we call this community-based labor).  The unique field fit features of these movable walls do not require special detailing of wall material.  StarwallUSA does not require wall material to be shipped to a plant, altered and then shipped back out.  There is an easier and less costly way to producing a wall.

Minimize Use of VOC’s

The use of volatile organic compounds is of course being reduced by all or most producers of demountable walls.  There is no argument that the “off gassing” of newly produced materials into the environment or breathed in by the office occupants must be eradicated or drastically reduced.  StarwallUSA utilizes the most environmentally friendly production process and finishing materials on the market today.

The providers of interior demountable walls and modular architectural elements have an opportunity to address what facilities managers consider as “the real issues”.  A simplistic focus on a single dimension or the materiality aspects of a product solution is short sighted and misses a tremendous opportunity to be more relevant to the customer’s needs.  StawallUSA has seized on this opportunity.

The challenges of delivering an interior demountable floor-to-ceiling wall solution adhering to the existing approach of design, build, teardown, disposal and rebuild of interior walls are many.  The biggest challenge is delivering an interior movable wall that is affordable.   The idea of investing in a demountable wall solution without the benefit of having a movable wall that can meet the varying space, height, and building constraints has limited the logical growth potential for this industry.  Today, with the use of space compression, open-plan workstations replacing panels and confidentiality requirements, the next or new wall that both looks and acoustically performs like a built wall has not been established within the market.  The demand persists for a fundamentally different approach- one that replaces the confusing strategy of utilizing gypsum or constructed sidewalls and glass fronts or with “furniture system type” or “unitized” walls that have not been able to support the real change facilities managers must confront in today’s work spaces.

InterXect Series with Clerestory

Today, there is a new wall designed for the facilities management community.   StarwallUSA’s NxtWall InterXect series interior movable and architectural demountable wall is truly like none other.  This “new generation” of field-adjustable and or adaptable walls, provides a real game changing opportunity and guarantees to make a difference.  No product delivers on flexibility, cost, acoustical needs, aesthetic, strength and durability, fire rating and sustainability like the NxtWall InterXect product.  The integration of our NxtWall InterXect series demountable wall enables StarwallUSA’s product offering to deliver the broadest and most scalable interior wall solution on the market today.

The NxtWall series solution offers the following features:

• Sound Transmission Category in the upper 40’s depending on the wall option you choose
• Options for Fire-Rated walls with minimal Class A ratings
• Minimized “nearly seamless” wall joints providing a typical gypsum wall appearance
• Robust standard construction wall thickness, 4 7/8”, with ability to utilize standard construction hardware, accessories, and materials readily available in the market
• Ability to integrate with StarwallUSA’s Finesse, Classic and Vision Series as well as competitive glass front solutions
• Height and width adjustable, unlike the less flexible “unitized” or pre-engineered demountable wall solutions from earlier generations
• High quality and high definition wrapped wall board material with many finishes
• Demountable construction consisting of tracks and studs that snap fit together
• Whiteboard accessory options
• Truly reusable while cost effectively recyclable (no breakdown cost of “unitized” panels or parts)
• Clerestory for “daylighting” and or “daylight harvesting” options
• Minimized kit of parts for ease of inventory and facilities management
• Financial benefits including accelerated depreciation benefits, personal property tax savings and alternative financing methods

InterXect Series with Whiteboard Option

The NxtWall series product line is unique, and like no other demountable floor-to-ceiling wall solution on the market.  This product makes StarwallUSA’s offering, not only the most scalable demountable wall solution on the market today, but also one of the most affordable.  The NxtWall InterXect price position (from a first cost standpoint), really allows for facility managers, developers, and real estate professionals, to consider an environmentally responsible replacement to drywall for a price that is similar to a drywall budget.  The InterXect series wall promises to deliver a different kind of interior movable wall…one with an affordable price and flexible “field adaptable” product design.  The next wall to replace conventional construction with a flexible movable interior wall solution is the NxtWall InterXect wall.

Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce

New Vision Series Glass Fronts Bridges Old and New

Developing the architectural and interior plans for the new space that would become the Greater
Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s new home was no easy assignment. The consulting firm of 360 Architecture was faced with the challenge of designing the interior of this space to take on a more contemporary look, while maintaining the integrity and historical elements of the existing architectural structures intact. They found their solution with the Vision Series by StarwallUSA. As you walk through the front doors, you seem to take a step back into time. You sense the generations that walked through the doors of this nearly 100 year-old facility designed by Chicago Architect Jarvis Hunt. As you enter the voluminous atrium you can’t help but reflect on the famed Union Station massacre of 1933 by “Pretty Boy” Floyd and his partners in crime.

Today, with the move of the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce this wonderful space is breathing with new life. We can now begin to gain an understanding of how this same facility, with its storied past, will play a role in taking this vibrant city forward. Bridging history and old architecture with a progressive space that personifies the KC Chamber requires respect and appreciation for the past, an eye for detail and a “Vision” for the future. This task was put in the very competent hands of 360 Architecture and was skillfully accomplished.

“I can’t think of a more exciting space to have our new Vision Series glass fronts installed. It complements the architecture beautifully” commented Roger Stempky, President, StarwallUSA. “The opportunity to be a part of any Chamber of Commerce project is a privilege, but in this case to work with the KC Chamber, 360 Architecture, and the John A. Marshall Company, in such a remarkable space, made it even more special.”

The second and third floors provide 30 offices with breathtaking views of the city all while serving as an intriguing interior architectural setting. StarwallUSA’s Vision Series glass fronts coalesce with the surrounding architecture while delivering an elegant and seamless glass front solution. The passivity and professionalism of the Vision Series define these spaces serving both the employees and the community, and strike the perfect balance in blending the old with the new. “Vision was not meant to be intrusive, but rather elegant, simple and at times subtle. In a space such as this, subtle was of utmost importance,” Stempky explained.

The Vision Series Glass Fronts by StarwallUSA is uniquely flexible, simple and elegant. The very minimal seamed glass front solution features a combination of frameless glass sliding and swing doors as well as framed and solid aluminum or wood doors to offer a very broad product solution. The Vision series is easily integrated with the Finesse, Classic, and NxtWall Series products, offering a comprehensive front and side wall solution.

Vision Series Corridor Front with Custom Glass

Chicago Technology Consulting Firm’s Glass Fronts Provided by StarwallUSA.

Chicago based Burwood Group has been recognized as a “Fastest Growing Company” by Inc. Magazine. The National Association of Business Resources called Burwood Group “101 Best and Brightest” companies. When Burwood Group, a technology and consulting firm specializing in IT management and infrastructure solution, were faced with the selection of an interior demountable wall solution to create offices with elegant glass front solutions, they chose StarwallUSA demountable walls.

“This is without question one of the most exciting projects we have done” commented StarwallUSA President, Roger Stempky, “it is such a privilege to work with such a creative, energetic, and innovative team”. The personality of the team as noted above is clearly present within the space that transformed this 29th floor of this Tishman Speyer property. The space finished with cool green is accompanied with Anigre veneers and maple wood finishes accented with anodized aluminum which frames out the elegant glass fronts of each of the offices, conference rooms and huddle spaces. Each room is outfitted with various sizes of whiteboards to support the collaborative efforts required of this high performing technology firm.

StarwallUSA’s Finesse Series demountable wall was capable of providing an extremely flexible solution to meet the angular configured glass fronts and challenging building systems constraints, while delivering a highly acoustical, aesthetical, and affordable fit out. “This space clearly demonstrates the scalable nature of our Finesse Solutions, from a customized architectural accent wall as you enter, to acoustical and functional sidewalls to elegant glass walls, clearly you can begin to see how we can stretch this product solution” Stempky further explained. “We are confident that Burwood will realize the benefits beyond the initial install as well. Often companies purchase glass fronts and even sidewalls that are limited in their ability to change their finish, height, width, etc., as they grow and the needs of the space changes, so can these walls.”

Chicago Starwall Finesse Project Feature Wall with Glass Front Conference Room

Glass Front Huddle Rooms with Anodized Aluminum

StarwallUSA is proud to announce that we will be presenting our Finesse Series and NxtWall Series Demountable Wall Solutions during the IFMA World Workplace Conference at the Georgia World Congress Center on Oct. 27-29 2010.  We will be located in Booth 1327 in the Green Zone. Our Interior Demountable Wall Solutions can enhance the aesthetic appeal and maximize the performance of your facilities. The Finesse and NxtWall Series Solutions offer a true replacement to conventional construction methods…

Our Finesse Series provides a slim profile extrusion from wall panel to wall panel, while offering an enhanced or alternative aesthetic, maintaining the product’s flexibility and durability. Our NxtWall Series supports a growing desire by facilities managers and real estate professionals for a true replacement to the conventional construction drywall in both appearance and price.

NxtWall Series features:

• First and foremost… An outstanding price point competitive with conventional construction!
• Minimized seam… Virtually seamless!
• Conventional 5 inch thick robust wall dimensionally consistent with drywall
• Outstanding STC acoustical rating
• Flexible and reusable wall with minimized kit of parts to support various applications
• Minimized kit of parts to create wall
• Fire Rated Wall

Finesse Fronts with NxtWall Series Integration- Feature Cherry Wall

Come visit us in Booth 1327 in the Green Zone, and ask how our Demountable Wall Solutions can maximize your facility as well as save you money! See you there!

The search for an interior movable wall that can replace conventionally constructed interior walls has been active for some time.  No product introduction has shown such promise as StarwallUSA’s new NxtWall Series interior movable and architectural walls.

The challenges of delivering a solution to the existing approach of design, build, teardown, dispose and rebuild of interior walls have been many.  The biggest difficulty was delivering an interior movable wall that was affordable.  The second challenge, and a challenge linked to cost was delivering a wall that is fundamentally different in terms of flexibility.  The idea of paying more without the benefit of having a movable wall that can meet the varying space, height, and building constraints has limited the growth potential for this industry that seems so logical.  Finally, a wall that looks and sounds like a built wall seemed considerably out of reach.

The introduction of a “new generation” wall, our Nxtwall solution presents a real game-changing opportunity to make a difference.  No product delivers on flexibility, cost, acoustical needs, aesthetics, strength and durability, fire rating and sustainability like the NxtWall series product.  The integration of our NxtWall series wall enables the StarwallUSA product offering to deliver the broadest and most scalable interior wall solution on the market today.  The NxtWall solution offers the following features:

• Sound Transmission Category in the upper 40’s depending on the wall option you choose.
• Options for Fire Rated walls with minimal Class A ratings.
• Minimized “nearly seamless” wall joints.
• Robust standard construction wall thickness, 4 7/8”, with ability to utilize standard construction hardware, accessories, and materials readily available in the market.
• Ability to integrate with StarwallUSA Finesse, Classic and Vision product as well as competitive glass front solutions.
• Height and width adjustable unlike the less flexible “unitized” or pre-engineered demountable wall solutions from earlier generations.
• High quality and high definition wrapped wall board material with many finishes.
• Demountable construction consisting of tracks and studs that snap-fit together.
• Accessory options like whiteboards.
• Truly reusable while cost effectively recyclable (no breakdown cost of “unitized” panels or parts).
• Clearstory for “daylight harvesting” options.
• Minimized kit of parts for ease of inventory and facilities management.

The NxtWall series is fundamentally different, and like no other wall solution on the market.  This product launch makes our StarwallUSA solution not only the most scalable interior wall solution in the market today, but at a price like none other.  Our NxtWall series price position allows facility managers, developers, and real estate professionals to consider an environmentally responsible replacement to drywall.  NxtWall series provides the promise of a different kind of interior movable wall…with a price and flexibility like none other.

NxtWall - Feature Cherry Wall

NxtWall - Demising Wall with TV Mount

There is no dispute about the amount of waste and energy consumption attributed to the construction, maintenance and operation of commercial buildings in North America.  Today, facilities Managers, architects, designers, etc., have made great progress on answering the question on “how to meet the current needs of business without compromise to future generations”.  We have learned much and have much work to accomplish to reverse some of the following findings that represent a small amount of data for an industry that can have a dramatic impact on our energy and waste.

• United States Environmental Protection Agency – Approximately 30% of all landfill waste is from construction, renovation and demolition.  Over 55% is from buildings.
• California Integrated Waste Management Board, 2002 – Over 10% of drywall in new construction ends up as scrap.
• Cornell University Study concluded that for every square foot of drywall installed one pound was waste.
• U.S. Dept of Energy – Commercial Buildings in the U.S. use 17% of all energy.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Of the 14 Sectors that account for 84% of all Green House Gas (GHG) emission, the construction industry was the 3^rd highest with 6% of all GHG emissions.

The above are but a few of the statistics that clearly demonstrate the impact of commercial building construction on our planet…but the impact is equally as great to our people and profits.  Our thinking must change from build, demolish, dispose and re-build to reduce, reuse and recycle.   All sectors must take responsibility so that through our collective stewardship we can make a lasting impact on our environment.

StarwallUSA’s new approach to supporting the “triple bottom line”

Manufacturing of any type has an impact on the environment.   Environmental responsibility begins with a products ability to support significant change and reuse. StarwallUSA has spent much time considering 2 very important aspects of sustainable product design; product reuse and product recycling.  It is our belief that our new generation of movable architectural walls considers all aspects of the “triple bottom line”.

What separates StarwallUSA and our platform of products from earlier generation of walls, both “unitized” or “pre-engineered demountable” wall panels, is our unique product design.  The unique track and stud system with snap fit wall board and glazing options deliver a new generation of interior movable walls.  Our “truly demountable” approach, with “field assembly and fit” allows for a responsible reuse and recycling strategy like no other product in the market today – without the cost.

Category: Demountable Movable Wall Systems
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Architectural demountable walls have seen no shortage of newcomers as of late. It is understandable as the industry continues to place a greater value on how demountable walls can be used as a solution to the demands for a changing office space. The past year we have seen an approximate growth of 34% over the previous year.

What is a demountable architectural wall versus a “unitized” wall? The latter is best defined as an architectural wall that is comprised of a combination of components including; wall board, vertical and horizontal extrusions, ceiling and floor tracks, that when either snapped, clipped or otherwise connected together create a wall that defines space either visually, acoustically and or both.

In comparison to its older generation of wall products, the “Unitized” Wall approach, where panels are assembled in a plant and shipped to a space that was measured weeks earlier, these large panels are stood into place to create these private areas.

Demountable Walls as mentioned when compared to the “unitized” panel approach is a more current of European approaches to make its way to North America, and is quickly becoming the new standard. This more flexible approach provides a more efficient and cost effective flexible wall strategy, while reaching further to support reuse, recycling and LEED initiatives sought after today.

Demountable Walls provide the following benefits beyond “Unitized” panels:

• Ease of field changes at time of install that is often required to dimensional changes at time of construction
• Solid walls can be changed to glass or other type of architectural element from use to reuse
• Flexible components provide for nearly 100% reuse of product regardless of varying height requirements
• Patented vertical and horizontal frames constructed of 100% recyclable aluminum
• Frame system allows use of 100% recyclable and natural light emitting material, including glass in wall installation
• Panel and frame approach allows for wall configuration changes before, during and after installation
• Minimized disruption and debris
• Movable personal property allows for accelerated depreciation
• Door options include hinge, double door, and sliding at 8’, 9’ and 10’ door heights
• Clean and tight assembly for improved acoustics
• Utilizes laminated gypsum, MDF, particle board, corrugated or other material capable of accepting a laminating material

Demountable manufacturers like Starwall, take flexibility to a whole new level. Starwall architectural walls provide added features such as a unique patented door frame that is reversible and flexible, vertical and horizontal studs that hold in solid panels and can be height adjusted are easily retrofitted to accommodate for glass panels, both single and double pane. These retrofits can take place before, during and after initial installation making Starwall a truly unique and flexible solution when compared to traditional “unitized” wall systems.

TYCO ELECTRONICS – Finesse Series

Greensboro, North Carolina

The Tyco renovation in Greensboro, North Carolina, incorporated Starwall with a low profile raised floor cable management system called Powerflor. The primary interest on the part of the client was to have a flexible interior that minimized electrical and voice/data cabling in the walls so that there was minor disruption of the infrastructure when offices were reconfigured and walls were moved.

The private offices house Senior Engineers and Management staff at the site, and there was a need to provide a high level of acoustic privacy, coupled with maximization of daylight harvesting. It was decided early on in the design process to utilized full-height double glazed office fronts for this reason. Starwall´s Finesse series successfully responded to these twin requirements. The Starwall system rests on top of the Powerflor so that moves and changes are accomplished quickly, and any related disruptions are kept to a minimum. In the photos, you will see the attractive double glazed option along with a photo showing the support of cabinets and power for copiers, etc… when required. Tyco Electronics

For any question regarding this project, please contact:

Starwall USA
Phone: (269) 488-2752
E-mail: info@starwallusa.com