THEME: Sustainability in the built environment
The construction industry cannot minimise its way out of the climate crisis. There is a need for buildings with a low carbon footprint – and for healthy, durable materials which, following the end of their useful lives, can create value in new cycles.
In this theme, you can read about trends and milestones within documented sustainable building. Get an overview of all the building certifications that have been emerging in recent years – for the benefit of users, owners and the environment. You can also read how Troldtekt contributes positively to the various schemes.
Given Troldtekt’s Cradle to Cradle certification, the use of certified wood and the option of choosing acoustic panels with a reduced carbon footprint, Troldtekt is an obvious choice if you want to be able to document your building as being more sustainable.
A future with bio-based building materials
Clay, straw, eelgrass and seaweed. These are some of the bio-based materials that – in addition to the increasing use of wood – can be considered when developers and consultants plan buildings of the future. It can be a good idea to consider alternative materials for the sake of both the environment and users.
Read about a bio-based building system in the article here. You'll also discover Danish and German buildings where the bio-based materials in combination with Troldtekt cement-bonded wood wool contribute to a good indoor climate.
Cradle to Cradle Certified®: New executive director ready to step on the accelerator
The circular design concept Cradle to Cradle Certified needs to reach even more companies. That’s the view of the new Executive Director of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, Elwyn Grainger-Jones. He is ready to step up the necessary development with a series of initiatives.
Milestone: The material passport gathers all product data in one place
To create transparency, traceability and provide access to the data that is specific to a particular construction material; this is the purpose of a new material passport, which is supported by a broad industry-wide collaboration. This initiative will pave the way towards building construction becoming a circular process. Read the following interview with two of the people who were key to developing the material passport.
More articles on the topic of sustainability in the built environment
EDGE Grand Central raises the bar for the environment as well as the working environment
EDGE Grand Central Berlin is the first German office building to be certified at Gold level by the WELL Building Standard and at Platinum level by DGNB. Here, the Bolwin Wulf architects talk about their thoughts behind the project.
Renowned architect: A future without buildings and raw materials
It will take more than just efficiency increases and process optimisations for us to realise our goal of sustainable building. This is the message from the acclaimed Dutch architect Thomas Rau. He calls for a transformation that fundamentally shifts our role as humans on Earth.
Property developer swears by Cradle to Cradle
For Delta Development – a real estate developer active in both the Netherlands and Germany – reading the book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things at the beginning of the new millennium was a bit of revelation. Since then, the book’s ideas have guided the company’s many projects.
Materials expert: Data is key to circular construction
More buildings are being designed to be disassembled at the end of their useful lives. For this to be possible, we need transparency about the materials used – which is precisely the reason for the development of the material passport, which was launched in January 2023. Read an interview with Martha Lewis, Head of Materials at Henning Larsen.
Cradle to Cradle Certified®: A framework for safe, circular and responsibly manufactured products
The Cradle to Cradle approach is essentially a tool for designing and manufacturing more sustainable products. However, multiple benefits are unleashed when companies base their entire business strategy on the concept. That’s according to Dr Christina Raab, President & CEO of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.
Cradle to Cradle: Troldtekt advances from Silver to Gold
Troldtekt has reached another milestone as part of its strategic work with sustainability: In 2022, the entire range of Troldtekt cement-bonded wood wool products moved up a level in the sustainable design concept Cradle to Cradle – from Silver to Gold. The new certificate has been achieved after switching to new paint recipes in production.
Aalborg Portland: How we developed new type of cement
In 2021, Troldtekt developed acoustic panels based on the new cement type FUTURECEM. The panels absorb more CO2 than they emit during the production stage, and this is due, among other things, to the cement developed by Aalborg Portland.
Troldtekt® based on FUTURECEM™
Troldtekt acoustic panels based on FUTURECEM have a reduced carbon footprint compared to Troldtekt based on traditional cement.
New EPDs show environmental footprint across products
Consultants and clients can now download new environmental product declarations (EPDs) for the different Troldtekt cement-bonded wood wool products. The EPDs state the carbon footprint associated with all stages in the life cycle of the acoustic panels.
The EPDs are verified by the German Institut Bauen und Umwelt e.V. (IBU) – and several of them are also published by BRE in the UK.
References with sustainability in the built environment
See also our other themes
See our other themes, where we focus on trends within acoustics, indoor climate and architecture.
