Enhancing Occupant Wellness and Sustainability Through High-Performance Ceiling Design
Integrating Phase Change Material Technology to Improve Comfort, Carbon Performance, and Building Efficiency
Sponsored by Armstrong World Industries | Presented by Kelsey Herring, Ian Gumbert, Mick Dunn, Stephanie Dorman
Webinar On-Demand
This course explores how Phase Change Material (PCM) ceiling systems can support sustainability and carbon reduction goals, improve occupant comfort, and create opportunities for cost-effective design through available federal tax incentives. Participants will learn how high-performance ceilings contribute beyond acoustics and aesthetics to help optimize building performance early in the design process.
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Kelsey Herring is the Director of Sustainability & Government Relations at Armstrong World Industries, Director of Sustainability & Government Relations, a leader in the design and manufacturing of ceiling and wall solutions in the Americas. Kelsey leads the corporation's strategic sustainability program and works to establish and operationalize best practices across the enterprise, leaning on her environmental engineering background to find creative and innovative ways to advance sustainability and resiliency in the industry. In addition, Kelsey oversees the company's government relations and advocacy efforts, engaging with policymakers, government officials, industry coalitions, trade associations and advocacy groups. In her role, she provides strategic counsel on public policy issues and manages relationships with key stakeholders in helping to shape the future of the built environment. |
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Mick Dunn, Technical Manager, PCM, Armstrong World Industries , is Product Manager of Templok Energy Saving Ceilings for Armstrong World Industries where he specializes in the integration of phase change materials (PCMs) in the built environment. His work bridges the gap between advanced thermal storage technologies and strategic market deployment, enhancing product development initiatives that improve energy efficiency and sustainability in buildings. He is passionate about dynamic solutions to store thermal heat, driving innovation in how buildings manage energy. His 20+ years of experience and unique ability to translate complex technical concepts into easy-to-understand strategies has positioned him as a subject matter expert in the field of thermal energy storage and sustainable building solutions. |
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Ian Gumbert, Sr. Manager Campus Facilities & Engineering, Armstrong World Industries , With 20+ years of engineering and facilities management experience, Ian has experience across multiple industries and roles spanning many business functions, including technical sales, product design, maintenance, manufacturing ops, capital engineering, and facilities management. Ian is passionate about creating positive customer experiences and solving organizational problems using a data-driven, people-oriented approach through interactions across all levels of organizations. |
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Stephanie Dorman, Incentives Program Manager, Armstrong World Industries, is the Incentives Program Manager for Armstrong World Industries. With almost two decades experience in energy efficiency, she provides customers with clear, actionable guidance to support financial optimization through ITC 48E on their Templok® Energy Saving Ceilings projects. |
Armstrong World Industries is a leader in the design and manufacture of innovative commercial ceiling and wall systems. At home, at work, in health-care facilities, classrooms, stores, and restaurants, Armstrong Ceiling & Wall Solutions offer interior options that help
create healthy, sustainable spaces that protect people and cultivate well-being and comfort so they can be at their best.
Armstrong is committed to developing new and sustainable ceiling solutions, with design and performance possibilities that empower its customers to create beautiful, high-performance residential and commercial buildings. Armstrong continues to grow and prosper for the benefit of all its stakeholders.
armstrongceilings.com/commercial
Originally published in Architectural Record
Originally published in June 2026
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Evaluate how acoustical ceiling systems integrated with Phase Change Material (PCM) technology can support sustainability goals, reduce operational carbon, and contribute to green building frameworks such as LEED.
- Analyze how PCM technology leverages thermal mass to stabilize indoor temperatures and improve occupant comfort.
- Explore how to design with high-performance ceiling systems to enhance occupant wellness and improve overall building performance beyond traditional functions such as acoustics, aesthetics, and accessibility.
- Identify how federal tax credits and incentives related to PCM technology can support early design decision-making by improving project economics while advancing comfort, carbon, and sustainability goals.
