Active floor vibration control for repurposed and retrofit buildings
Preserve structural integrity and unlock new value in existing assets with CALMFLOOR active mass dampers (AMDs)
Transitioning a building from an original design intent to an alternative, high-performance use often reveals a critical serviceability flaw: excessive floor vibration. Whether you are converting commercial offices into life science laboratories or integrating a next-generation workplace gym, CALMFLOOR delivers the stability required to meet today’s demanding standards without the need for invasive structural reinforcement.
Each compact CALMFLOOR AMD weighs 67 kg (148lbs) and delivers precise, multi-frequency, active floor vibration control. By eliminating the need for additional steel and concrete, CALMFLOOR reduces embodied carbon while allowing buildings to remain fully operational throughout installation.
The hidden risk in building change-of-use
Refurbishing a building changes more than its function – it reshapes how the structure behaves. Most existing floors were never designed for today’s dynamic demands. What works for desks and low foot traffic will not hold up under treadmills, sensitive lab equipment or open-plan layouts.
A shift in use often triggers stricter vibration performance expectations. Office-to-lab conversions, workplace gyms and high-spec fit-outs demand floor stability far beyond their original assumptions. For example, opening up a floorplate by removing columns or partitions reduces structural stiffness and lowers the natural frequency, pushing floors closer to resonance. It’s a fast track to floor vibration issues that compromise performance, not just aesthetics.
Key retrofit challenges:
Compliance risk
New occupancies may require compliance with ISO 10137 or Health Technical Memorandum (HTM) standards that existing structures were never designed to meet.
Equipment sensitivity
Precision instruments in life-science environments require high levels of vibration control for reliable operation.
Occupant discomfort
Added amenities, such as gyms, can send perceptible vibrations through the structure, disrupting tenants on adjacent floors.
Structural limitations
Traditional methods of stiffening the floor, such as adding steel beams or concrete, increase weight, reduce ceiling heights and add massive amounts of embodied carbon.
Reduce excessive floor vibration in repurposed buildings
CALMFLOOR’s pioneering active vibration control is a better, bolder solution. Our compact AMDs can be installed in hours with zero structural intervention. Each unit contains an active actuator and mass that measures floor motion in real-time and generates counter-forces across 3-30 Hz, automatically cancelling vibrations wherever they occur.
AMD units add no extra weight or height. Units mount directly onto the existing slab or within soffits, eliminating downtime from heavy construction and minimising the risk of overstressing the frame.
Once installed, they can link to our CALM Connect smart portal, which provides 24/7 dashboard monitoring and analysis of floor acceleration and system health. Building teams have constant live visibility so they know the status of the floor at all times.
Ideal for:
- Transforming offices into lab-standard, vibration-controlled workspaces.
- Retrofit gyms and wellness facilities.
- Long-span, open-plan upgrades without added structure.
- Mitigates floor vibration from added rooftop plant.
- Upgrading heritage buildings without structural disruption.
- Future-proofing reused spaces for high-focus or high-sensitivity occupations.
Reimagining retrofits with CALMFLOOR
Time is the most expensive factor in any refurbishment.
Unlike major structural modifications, CALMFLOOR AMDs are an “out-of-the-box” solution. Installation takes just hours and can be performed without relocating existing tenants or halting construction progress.
Unlock the potential for life sciences in urban locations.
Precision research demands a vibration-free environment. CALMFLOOR AMDs reduce floor vibration by up to 90%, allowing developers to achieve laboratory-grade stability on standard office floor plates. In a typical office-to-lab conversion, CALMFLOOR reduced vibration by 89%, transforming an ordinary office slab into one that meets strict lab-vibration standards.
Sustainable structural upgrades.
Traditional floor vibration remediation is carbon-heavy and intrusive. CALMFLOOR is the industry’s most carbon-competitive solution, reducing the embodied carbon associated with structural reinforcements. Achieve lighter, brighter, Net Zero-aligned refurbishments without compromising on floor performance.
Adaptive and responsive control.
Refurbished buildings quickly become dynamic environments. Changes in floor loading, partitions or occupancy can alter a floor’s natural frequency. CALMFLOOR’s intelligent sensors adapt in milliseconds, ensuring the floor remains stable regardless of how the internal space is reconfigured over time.
Designed for legacy building evolution.
Modular and relocatable, CALMFLOOR AMDs evolve with your building with bolt-in, bolt-out flexibility. If later a tenant switches uses or layout, the same units can be reconfigured to new hotspots. This flexibility preserves asset value, unlike permanent stiffening. CALMFLOOR supports and extends the whole building’s lifecycle.
CALMFLOOR benefits:
- Achieves lab-standard performance in legacy buildings
- Up to 90% reduction in floor vibration levels
- Resolves retrofit floor vibration issues fast
- Preserves heritage structures without structural intervention
- Supports Net Zero refurbishment goals
- Performance proven with specialist simulations
- Ongoing assurance via CALMCONNECT smart portal
Take control before vibration takes over
CALMFLOOR’s solution is engineered for today’s retrofit challenges. Net-zero aligned floor vibration control, with delivery and installation that support complex retrofit project schedules.
Don’t let vibration become the limiting factor in your refurbishment.
Talk to a CALMFLOOR floor vibration expert about your refurbishment project today, or discuss a specialist simulation to see how our solution can give your refurbished floors the stability they need, fast.
