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IMPROVING NATURAL LIGHT SOURCES, COMFORT, AESTHETICS, AND EASE OF INSTALLATION
- Testimony of Mr. André Côté, Architect
 Providing comfort for office workers is an important aspect of any development which aims to meet the principles of sustainable development. It is also one of the criteria giving points for LEED-COMMERCIAL-INTERIOR. As the architect responsible for the premises occupied by the employees of the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks, my concerns regarding a proposed development are oriented towards the control of the inner qualities within office environments. To be more specific, the sound and lighting elements within office environments can have a major influence upon their occupant’s comfort levels and overall work performances.
Recently, we have built approximately fifty spaces using Starwall Demountable Walls. Of these projects, twenty managerial offices have been constructed, all with the same prerogative: to improve the working conditions of the occupants, and to reduce the distraction of the construction process for the employees currently working within these spaces, Standard construction of a closed office can lead to extreme discomfort and inconvenience to the surrounding employees. Most complaints regarding the standard construction process are associated with the construction noise, as well as the smell and dust during construction. Other effects of standard construction are permanent, including the loss of natural light for the employees located within and around the office spaces.
 When building with Starwall Demountable Walls, the contruction process significantly reduces the disturbances caused by the noise, smell and drywall dust associated with conventional construction methods. The materials can be prepared far from the site of assembly, to be assembled later with minimal negative impact on employees. Starwall allows you to select surface materials that do not require on-site finishing, in contrast to the sanding joints of plaster and the painting of walls which are typically unavoidable within conventional construction methods. In addition to the decrease in construction distractions, Starwall also offers you tremendous flexibility in choosing the elements that make up the walls. With the Starwall Movable Wall system you can easily integrate glass within your projects, which prevents the loss of natural light and blocked vision of solid partitions, all while remaining effective acoustically.
 Our Customer's management whose workspaces have been created using this concept are unanimous in praising not only the comfort of their offices, but the privacy a Starwall office can create. With Starwall’s excellent STC rating, they are left feeling assured that the confidentiality of their remarks will remain private, while not feeling isolated from their visual environment. The employees have also shared their satisfaction with the Starwall system. They can take full advantage of the natural light our offices can provide while not being distracted by conversations held in these offices. Moreover, the wide range of possible materials that may compose the walls (other than painted drywall) certainly contributes to the wide acceptability of this concept. Overall, Starwall provides you with an aesthetically pleasing and sustainable product that eliminates the distractions and inconveniences of standard construction practices. |
