What Is Raised Access Flooring?
Raised access flooring uses modular floor panels which are suspended over the actual floor by a series of supports. This results in an empty space between the raised floor panels, typically called a plenum, which can be used to route building services such as plumbing, wiring, and HVAC instead of above a suspended ceiling.
The floor panels are modular in nature, and can consist of either floor material itself (such wood, tiles, etc) or specialized units such as air diffusers, electrical or telecommunications terminals, etc. This allows a high degree of layout flexibility since the floor can easily be configured to add power, HVAC, and computing interfaces whenever needed.
Routing services through the plenum is advantageous for several reasons.
It allows for much easier and faster access to a building’s infrastructure so that repairs and maintenance can be done without for working at heights on scaffolding or ladders.
It also provides a shorter routing for wiring, ductwork, and pipes, reducing the cost of these materials. And underfloor air distribution offers lower operating costs while improving air quality.
