M Moser Associates

For its newly renovated office on the 24th floor of the historic Woolworth Building in New York, architecture and design firm M Moser Associates created a “Living Lab” that “embodies the spirit of freedom and experimentation.” Its dynamic workplace supports creativity, innovation, collaboration and individual needs with technology, mobility, flexibility and health-conscious, environmentally responsible design.

M Moser’s New York office achieved LEED® v4 ID+C Commercial Interiors certification and WELL v1 Platinum certification, and is the first New York project to be RESET® Air Certified. It also is the first office in the U.S., and among the first in the world, to be recognized with the “Ocean Champion Badge.” This badge represents the highest level of The Oceanic Standard for adopting a holistic approach to sustainable operating practices.¹

Contributing to M Moser’s sustainability and wellbeing objectives, Rockfon acoustic stone wool ceiling panels were specified to enhance the office’s modern aesthetics and functionality. Rockfon® Cinema Black™ and bright white Rockfon Tropic® acoustical ceiling tiles were installed throughout the 10,000-square-foot interior. In the conference rooms, the black ceiling panels create a dramatic, sophisticated setting. Throughout the open office areas, the white tiles present a smooth, uniform appearance that extend into the team’s collaboration zones and café.²

LEED Proven

According to M Moser, the firm is one of only 27 organizations that is a LEED Proven Provider under the LEED ID+C rating system. Seventy-five percent of its LEED projects are Gold or Platinum, including the first LEED Platinum project in Africa.⁴

LEED, WELL and RESET work in conjunction with each other and additional green building programs to enhance building performance for human health and the environment. Careful consideration of products’ material ingredients, performance and related sustainable attributes includes choosing environmentally responsible, acoustic ceiling systems. Rockfon ceiling solutions benefit the comfort, health and safety of occupants, and the environment.

For interior renovation and build-out projects like M Moser’s offices, the sustainable attributes of Rockfon acoustic stone wool ceiling projects can assist in attaining the following LEED v4 credits in the Materials and Resources (MR) and Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ) categories:

• Construction & Demolition Waste Management and Waste Management, including Planning
• Interiors Life Cycle Impact Reduction – Designed for Flexibility
• Building Product Disclosure and Optimization – Environmental Product Declarations, Sourcing of Raw Materials and material Ingredients
• Low-Emitting Materials
• Interior Lighting
• Acoustic Performance

Material Mindfulness

Made from stone wool, Rockfon acoustic ceiling panels chosen for M Moser’s offices consist of a blend of naturally occurring and abundant volcanic basalt rock plus recycled content and waste materials from other industries. Stone wool’s inherent material properties allow it to be non-combustible and hydrophobic. This means it resists melting, burning or creating significant smoke; it does not absorb water or sag even in 100 percent humidity; and it does not support the growth of mold, mildew or other microorganisms.

Contributing to healthy indoor air quality, the Rockfon stone wool ceiling products selected for M Moser’s own workspaces are UL® GREENGUARD® Gold low-VOC certified for office and educational environments. Products with this stringent certification are recognized by LEED, WELL and other green building and occupant wellbeing programs. Further supporting material choice and transparency, Rockfon Cinema Black and Rockfon Tropic product documentation includes UL Certified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), Health Product Declaration (HPDs) and Declare Labels.

Along with M Moser’s healthy building and finishing materials to minimize VOCs and off-gassing, its office indoor air quality is monitored with sensors. Living green walls also help purify the air along with a variety of potted plants. Access to natural light and views are supplemented with a circadian lighting system. Rockfon Tropic’s smooth, white surface reflects up to 86 percent of light as diffused illumination, which helps reduce eye strain while maximizing energy efficiency.

WELL Received

Rockfon acoustic ceiling systems can contribute to several Optimization Features detailed in the Comfort section of WELL v1, which seeks to “create an indoor environment that is distraction-free, productive and soothing. Solutions include design standards and recommendations, thermal and acoustic controllability, and policy implementation covering acoustic and thermal parameters that are known sources of discomfort.”

Rockfon acoustic stone wool ceiling panels provide a high level of noise absorption to help comply with the performance requirements of LEED and WELL. In M Moser’s office, Rockfon acoustic ceiling tiles deliver best-level sound absorption and acoustic comfort. Rockfon Tropic panels have a Noise Reduction Coefficient of up to 0.90 NRC and Cinema Black offers up to a 0.95 NRC. Interior spaces with optimized acoustics not only support health and wellbeing, but also employees’ concentration, communication, creativity, collaboration, productivity and overall job satisfaction.

Elaborating, the firm noted, “It’s vital to have a variety of focus spaces within the office environment to meet the needs of different people. Some prefer a quiet, isolated area, while others prefer a more collaborative environment with drop-in pods for private calls. …In conclusion, a well-designed workspace can significantly impact productivity. By incorporating a wide variety of focus spaces, companies can create a work environment that supports effectiveness and reduces stress and anxiety.” ⁷

The office design itself also has received numerous honors, including:

• 2019 CoreNet New York Chapter - Winner
• 2019 Architizer - Special Mention
• 2019 Crain’s Coolest Offices - Winner
• 2020 American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) - Winner ⁸

^Sources

^{¹ accessed 2/19/24, https://www.asid.org/impact-of-design/m-moser-associates; https://www.usgbc.org/projects/m-moser-new-york; https://account.wellcertified.com/directories/projects/m-moser-new-york; https://www.reset.build/directory/projects/rp-00098}

^{² accessed 2/18/24, https://www.mmoser.com/projects/m-moser-new-york/}

^{³ accessed 2/19/24, https://www.mmoser.com/projects/m-moser-new-york/}

^{⁴ accessed 2/18/24, https://www.mmoser.com/ideas/sustainable-office-certifications/}

^{⁵ 7/16/20, 2020 ASID Outcome of Design Awards Winner, https://vimeo.com/439088671}

^{⁶ accessed 2/19/24, https://www.mmoser.com/ideas/office-design-ideas-focus-spaces/}

^{⁷ accessed 2/18/24, https://www.mmoser.com/ideas/office-design-ideas-focus-spaces/}

^{⁸ accessed 2/19/24, https://www.asid.org/impact-of-design/m-moser-associates; https://www.mmoser.com/ideas/office-design-ideas-focus-spaces/}