FIS launches e-learning module on specifying suspended ceilings and acoustic absorbers

The Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS) has released an e-learning module to accompany its Specifiers' Guide for Ceilings and Acoustic Absorbers, aimed at architects, designers and installers writing specifications for suspended ceilings.

The trade body said the course, which runs for two and a half hours, is free to FIS members through the FIS Academy. Non-members can buy it for £100 plus VAT, according to the module page on the FIS website.

Both the guidance and the e-learning were developed by the FIS Ceilings and Absorbers Working Group, which FIS said draws its membership from manufacturers, suppliers and contractors involved in the design, supply and construction of ceiling systems.

James Parlour, FIS Technical Director, said: "Suspended ceilings are complex kits, and it can be difficult for architects and designers to specify a complete solution that is robust and deliverable."

What the guide covers

FIS said the guide sets out what a good specification looks like and includes 10 top tips for producing one. It then works through the performance issues of fire and acoustics before covering volatile organic compounds, light reflectance, impact resistance, air permeability, wind loading, sustainability and conformity marking.

Parlour said: "In total, there are 36 parameters to consider to ensure a safe, compliant and complete specification." He added that this mattered so that a specification is not misinterpreted and any alternatives are assessed and checked as equal before they are approved.

FIS's module page puts the stakes in blunter terms. It said that if the right questions are not asked at specification stage, critical issues can be missed, leading to problems ranging from failures in fire compartmentation to ceilings that do not perform as intended.

The guide page adds that the person producing a ceiling specification carries the responsibility for it, which FIS said makes getting it right crucial. The body presents the document as part of its commitment to raise the safety of residents and occupiers.

Access and background

FIS members access the module by downloading a voucher code; non-members purchase it directly. FIS said the course was developed by industry specialists and draws on decades of experience.

Specifying Ceilings and Absorbers is one of 23 modules listed on the FIS Academy, which FIS describes as providing industry-focused training, learning resources and professional development. Other modules include Specifying Partitioning, Firestopping of Service Penetrations and An Introduction to the Building Safety Act.

The Specifiers' Guide itself was first launched in May 2021. At the time, Iain McIlwee, Chief Executive of the FIS, said the guide was written by industry specialists and pulled together decades of experience. The 16 October 2026 announcement describes the guide as recently updated.

FIS said the guide sits alongside its other ceilings guidance, which includes a site guide for suspended ceilings, documents on installation and on the selection and installation of top fixings, guidance on maintenance and access, recommendations for the safe ingress of plasterboard, a guide to BS EN 13964 (the standard for suspended ceilings, requirements and test methods) and a health and safety handbook.

The body said these documents work well when included in proposals and project plans, serve as differentiators when members compete against non-members, and can introduce new team members, trainees and apprentices to the subject.

FIS describes itself on its about-us page as the not-for-profit representative body for the £12bn finishes and interiors sector in the UK. It was formed as FIS in 2015 and says it has more than 600 members drawn from contractors, manufacturers and distributors.

The Specifiers' Guide for Ceilings and Acoustic Absorbers is available to download from the FIS website, with the e-learning accessed through the FIS Academy.