At Troldtekt A/S, we believe that acoustic comfort and a healthy indoor climate are key elements of high-quality buildings. Since 1935, we have manufactured Troldtekt acoustic panels from the natural material wood, and cement extracted from Danish mineral resources. We design, develop and manufacture the panels in Denmark – from local materials and with new technology that helps reduce the environmental impact of our production.
Today, Troldtekt acoustic panels are among the leading and preferred solutions for ensuring high quality sound environments. Our panels clad ceilings and walls in offices, commercial and industrial buildings and in public facilities such as schools, kindergartens, cultural centres, sports centres, swimming pools as well as private residences. Troldtekt makes a real audible difference, not least in minimalist architecture where good acoustics are often challenged by the extensive use of hard surfaces.
Since 2012, Troldtekt’s business strategy has been based on the sustainable and internationally recognised Cradle to Cradle concept. The vision behind Cradle to Cradle is a world where manufacturers design their products for a circular economy – that is, where the materials can be returned to the new cycle. At Troldtekt, we share the holistic approach of the Cradle to Cradle concept.
Troldtekt is Cradle to Cradle Gold-certified. Troldtekt acoustic panels is documented free from harmful substances and can safely be returned to the biological cycle. Offcuts from the production of Troldtekt is also included in the technical cycle as a resource in new cement at Aalborg Portland.
Since 2022, Troldtekt has been part of the Kingspan Group, a listed Irish building materials company with operations in more than 70 countries. With its Planet Passionate programme, Kingspan is pursuing ambitious climate goals that are very much in line with Troldtekt’s Cradle to Cradle strategy. Kingspan’s ambitious targets include zero waste to landfill in 2030 and net zero carbon manufacturing in 2030.
All Troldtekt acoustic solutions for ceilings and walls contribute effectively to reducing the reverberation time in buildings. A short reverberation time minimises noise problems and ensures good acoustics.
In addition to the acoustics, Troldtekt makes a particularly positive contribution when it comes to sustainability and design. And in these areas, we have reached three key milestones in the past 12 months that make a positive difference for the architectural industry.
Advancing to Cradle to Cradle Gold
In spring 2022, the full range of Troldtekt acoustic panels in both natural wood/natural grey and painted in standard colours advanced to Gold status within the Cradle to Cradle sustainable design concept. For more than a decade, Cradle to Cradle has been at the heart of our business strategy. Since 2012, we have, for example, achieved the following Cradle to Cradle objectives:
Material health: We are able to document that Troldtekt acoustic panels do not contain any substances that are harmful to human health or the environment. For a long time, we have – together with our paint supplier – worked to find a paint recipe that uses newer and more sustainable preservation technology. We have now succeeded, and in 2022 we therefore advanced to the best Cradle to Cradle category (Platinum) in material health. At the same time, we advanced to Gold in the overall product certification.
Material reutilisation: Troldtekt acoustic panels are documented as being free of harmful substances and can therefore safely be returned to the biological cycle. Our cement supplier, Aalborg Portland, uses offcuts from our factory as a raw material in new cement. The aim is for this cement-bonded wood wool waste scheme to be scaled to include building site and demolition waste.
Renewable energy: We have based our production on renewable energy (100 per cent wind power and biofuels in our own boiler). In 2021, 98 per cent of the energy consumed at our high-tech factory came from renewable sources.
Social fairness: We joined the UN Global Compact back in 2010, and report each year on our initiatives within the field of social responsibility.
Launching Troldtekt based on FUTURECEM™
The cement in Troldtekt cement-bonded wood wool is responsible for the acoustic panels’ strength, durability and fireproofing properties. However, the cement also accounts for virtually the entire carbon footprint of the panels. The launch in 2022 of Troldtekt based on the cement type FUTURECEM was therefore truly groundbreaking.
Using FUTURECEM, it is possible to look after the climate while preserving all the well-known advantages of the Troldtekt acoustic panels.
The new cement type exploits the synergies between calcined clay and limestone filler. In this way, much of the fired clinker in the cement can be replaced, resulting in cement that has an approx. 30 per cent reduced carbon footprint.
Over their entire product life cycle, the carbon footprint of Troldtekt acoustic panels based on FUTURECEM is:
26 per cent lower than for Troldtekt based on grey cement
38 per cent lower than for Troldtekt based on white cement.
Virtually all variants of Troldtekt acoustic panels based on grey cement – including the series of design solutions – are available based on FUTURECEM rather than traditional cement.
Expansion of the Troldtekt design series
In 2022, we launched two new solutions in our award-winning series of design solutions. The design series takes the classic Troldtekt cement-bonded wood wool panels to a completely new aesthetic level. The design solutions enable architects and clients to create unique patterns and rhythms for their interiors – on top of which they can also vary and scale the individual designs. This gives them considerable freedom to combine form and function in all types of buildings.
The design solutions are mass-produced, drawing on CNC technology. This means they are competitively priced. All the solutions result in ceilings or walls that are perceived as large cohesive surfaces. In short, it’s not about the panel, but the surface.
The two latest solutions are Troldtekt v-line 1way and 2way. Both have elegant v-shaped grooves milled into the surface. Unlike the nine other solutions in the design series, Troldtekt v-line is based on classic Troldtekt acoustic panels (which are 25 mm rather than 35 mm thick), and they can therefore be produced at an even lower price. This has made it possible for architects to implement superior acoustics and distinctive design in even more of their projects.
