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Turning Ceiling Tiles Into Thermal Batteries: Mick Dunn on the Future of Buildings

Author

Charlie Cichetti
October 22, 2026

QUICK TAKE

We’ve spent two decades pulling concrete out of buildings to cut carbon, and quietly lost the thermal mass that kept rooms comfortable.

Mick Dunn’s fix rides in on something every project already installs: The Ceiling Tile.

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🌱BREAKING GROUND ON BETTER BUILDING

In this episode, Mick Dunn rethinks the most overlooked surface in the building: the one over your head.

[Key Insight #1] The ceiling becomes a thermal battery

  • What's outdated: Ceilings are bought for looks and acoustics. When it comes to energy, they’re dead space.

  • The innovation: Armstrong’s Templok puts a quarter-inch gelled-salt phase change layer on the back of standard ceiling tiles. Mick calls it “ice packs in your ceiling.” As the room warms, the material melts at room temperature, absorbs the heat, and lets it go later.

  • Impact: Peak room temperatures drop 2–3°F with no change to how the ceiling looks. Install is the same crew, ladders, and trucks, so the storage gets “a free ride.”

[Key Insight #2] Put back the mass we stripped out

  • What's outdated: Lightweight, prefab, low-concrete construction cuts embodied carbon. It also strips out the thermal mass that used to steady indoor temperatures.

  • The innovation: Phase change material adds thermal mass without the weight. Because drop ceilings are easy to reach, it also retrofits into existing buildings with known comfort problems.

  • Impact: Owners get “a new dial they can turn” on problem buildings. It eases peak HVAC loads, helps with peak shaving, and makes occupants more comfortable without replacing equipment.

[Key Insight #3] Your ceiling can qualify for a federal tax credit

  • What's outdated: Upgrades like this lose at the budget table because they look like a pure added cost.

  • The innovation: Thermal storage is eligible for the federal investment tax credit, just like battery storage and ground-source heat pumps.

  • Impact: Planned well, Mick says, the ceiling can end up costing less than a standard one. That’s alongside Armstrong’s Declare labels, EPDs, HPDs, ceiling take-back program, and its new lowest-embodied-carbon tile.

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