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Improved Method of Recovering Acoustical Ceiling Tiles from Construction and Renovation Projects

Company: Armstrong World Industries Inc

Major(s):
Primary: ME
Secondary: EE
Optional: ED, IE

Non-Disclosure Agreement: YES

Intellectual Property: YES

Overview: We believe over 600 [Msf] of acoustical ceiling tile can be recovered annually from renovation projects and construction sites in the United States. Some of this material (about 10 [Msf]) can be directly recycled into new acoustical ceiling tiles. Most of it has no financially viable end use. We know that at least 15 other potential end markets could make beneficial use of the material if the cost of recovery is reduced. Like many other forms of Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste, the value of the material is affected by costs associated with removing the material, moving it to a different location, and processing it for a new end market. If we can address these challenges then we could open up new end uses for this resource. The state of the art right now involves teams of people working from low scaffolds manually removing and stacking tiles onto pallets. Those pallets are them moved through the building and loaded for transport to another location. This can be a costly and inconvenient process that drives up the cost per unit weight of the material making it less viable for repurposing. Instead of it being a resource for new uses, it becomes a waste that is landfilled. We want a team to apply BREAK THROUGH THINKING that will 1) decrease time and cost of removal, 2) increase safety on the job, 3) reduce the potential for contaminating the recovered material with other C&D waste, 4) process/ package the material into a form that is best for transport and the next end use. This could involve development of novel tools, equipment, processes and logistics. Solutions developed in this project could extend to other forms of "hard to recover" C&D waste and help to expand the re-use of our scarce resources on this planet. Deliverables: 1. Document the existing recovery process from a time, cost and safety perspective. 2. Complete a patent search on tools, equipment, and methods of deconstructing/ handling/ removing "panel-like" materials. 3. Explore multiple approaches for solving the problem. Identify one for further development. 4. To the extent practical, produce early working prototypes of any tools or equipment involved in the new solution. 5. Produce a before and after process map that demonstrates the advantages of the new solution.