Sustainable and Ethical Design

There is, rightly, a continuing trend towards sustainability and sustainable design being spearheaded by forward-thinking architects and designers and building product manufacturers all keen to minimise waste in the construction industry.

Initiatives and schemes from PEFC^™ and FSC^® certification through to Cradle-to-Cradle design, circular economy LEED, BREEAM, and DGNB are all leaders in the fields of sustainability. This is helping drive manufacturers and specifiers to think about how they work and the products they use. One of the manufacturers which has been championing this is Danish wood wool panel manufacturer Troldtekt. Both FSC^® and PEFC™ certified, the company has set strict environmental targets for its manufacture and products culminating in a transparent roadmap in its 2013 CSR report. This has led the company to be one of Europe’s most vociferous advocates for sustainable design and one which contributes positively to BREEAM, WELL, LEED and DGNB-certifications. It was recently awarded the prestigious Danish Industry Award for Green Transformation presented by HRH Crown Princess Mary.

The company’s green stance has not gone unnoticed among designers and ethical designers such as Sibley Grove which pioneer strategies that deliver sustainable interior schemes. For example, when they were appointed to re-design The Chamberlain Hotel’s public areas, sustainability was paramount. The studio’s unique approach to design assesses the environmental and social impact of every design decision, from the origin of the materials to where they end up at the end of their lifecycle. As a result, they specified as many sustainable and Cradle-to-Cradle certified materials as possible, including Troldtekt’s panels Cradle to Cradle-certified to silver level. By specifying these, the environmental impact is minimal. Troldtekt is circular and the material can go back to nature as a nutrient in the biological circuit or be included as a raw material in the production of cement in the technical circuit.

By adopting a circular approach to design, Sibley Grove removes the traditional linear system of consumption and waste that plagues the design industry. It considers the entire lifecycle of a product, ensuring materials are reused or integrated back into the natural world. This reduces demand on resources, reduces landfill and encourages the production of clean, reusable materials.

Troldtekt acoustic panels, manufactured from certified wood, a 100% natural material, and cement extracted from Danish mineral resources, achieve high levels of technical performance and is free of harmful substances so can therefore be returned to nature.

They offer projects high sound absorption, high durability and natural breathability with low cost life cycle performance and sustainability. Available in various sizes and in four grades from extreme to coarse, the panels can be left untreated or painted in virtually any RAL colour.

Samples, case studies and technical information are easily sourced from www.troldtekt.co.uk (tel 01978 664255). In addition, information about Troldtekt’s Sustainability theme can be found at www.troldtekt.com/environment-and-csr