How Troldtekt contributes to a better indoor climate in schools
Brilliant acoustics, documented material health and well-suited to sports halls and swimming pools: several elements contribute to a good indoor climate. Read on to learn how Troldtekt can make a crucial difference.
For half a century, Troldtekt acoustic ceilings have been a popular choice for school buildings. First in Denmark, but now also in Germany, Sweden, Norway, the UK and many other countries.
The ceilings make it possible to address several indoor climate considerations simultaneously, thereby creating better conditions for students’ learning as well as for the school’s infrastructure and operating economy.
Acoustic indoor climate: quiet enough to hear what's being said
Hard, smooth surfaces such as concrete, glass and plaster produce long reverberation times because the sound is reflected many times before it disappears. On the other hand, ceilings and wall surfaces with an open surface structure – like that of Troldtekt acoustic panels – cause sound to fade out quickly. This results in a short reverberation time and excellent acoustics.
While a concrete ceiling absorbs only 1–2 per cent of sound, a Troldtekt ceiling – depending on the structure – can typically absorb 80–90 per cent. This optimal effect is achieved by mounting the acoustic ceiling 200–300 mm below the original ceiling and by using Troldtekt acoustic panels with a mineral wool backing.
If you choose the Troldtekt Plus acoustic panel variant, you get a two-layer acoustic panel consisting of a Troldtekt cement-bonded wood wool panel with a laminated backing layer. The backing layer is either a thin acoustic fleece or a layer of sealed mineral wool. Because Troldtekt Plus consists of both an acoustic panel and a backing layer, both are installed in one and the same workflow. This ensures a high acoustic effect and saves time at the building site. Troldtekt Plus acoustic panels also provide high sound absorption in the low frequencies, which helps to ensure good speech intelligibility – a parameter that is particularly important in schools.
Atmospheric indoor climate: free of harmful chemicals
Troldtekt acoustic panels have achieved the international certification Cradle to Cradle Certified® at gold level. One of the certification's categories is Material Health, meaning that the ingredients in Troldtekt cement-bonded wood wool have been thoroughly analysed. The analysis documents that Troldtekt does not contain substances that are harmful to humans or the environment.
Cradle to Cradle Certified also assesses the ingredients in relation to later life cycle phases and documents that Troldtekt cement-bonded wood wool can enter a biological and technical cycle at the end of its service life.
Troldtekt has also obtained several other international indoor climate labels – including the Danish Indoor Climate Labelling (under the Danish Technological Institute) which assesses degassing and particle emissions. Other examples of certifications include Allergy UK’s 'Allergy Friendly Product Award' and the German 'Blue Angel', which documents the certified products’ impact on water, soil, air and health.
Thermal indoor climate: helps regulate humidity
Troldtekt acoustic panels can both absorb and release moisture. This makes the panels suitable for swimming pools and other wet rooms (see more under 'In use' below).
Humidity also has an impact on the thermal indoor climate. Because Troldtekt acoustic panels can absorb and release moisture, they also help to ensure an indoor climate where the air is neither too dry nor too humid. Humidity affects the users’ experience of comfort in a space.
Visual indoor climate: high light reflection and cosy spaces
When you choose white-painted or pale Troldtekt acoustic panels, they will reflect a lot of light. White-painted Troldtekt panels reflect up to 77 per cent of light, while Troldtekt panels in natural wood reflect around 50 per cent. Conversely, dark ceilings can also play a role in spaces where there is a need for immersion, creativity and intimacy. "When we enter a space with dark materials, we automatically mute our voices," highlights trend researcher Rikke Skytte in a feature article on Troldtekt’s website.
In addition to light, the design and aesthetics of spaces also have an impact on wellbeing throughout the school day. In most spaces, the ceiling is the largest contiguous surface. This is why it makes sense to cover it with a material that ensures excellent acoustics while also enhancing the aesthetics of the space. Troldtekt does both, and affords architects considerable freedom of design. Troldtekt can be supplied in natural wood or as painted panels. In principle, natural wood panels can be painted in any colour to match the colour scheme used in the school's other interiors.
In use: robust, durable and easy to maintain
Troldtekt is a robust and durable material that combines the strength of cement with the breathability of wood. As a result, the service life of the acoustic panels is at least 50 years. During that time, the ceilings require only limited maintenance and their service life can be extended with repair and painting. If holes appear in the panels, they are easy to repair and can be painted over and over again without compromising their acoustic effect.
In addition to ensuring excellent acoustics in classrooms and common areas, Troldtekt acoustic panels are also suitable for installation in school sports halls, shower rooms and swimming pools, for example. Troldtekt acoustic panels are certified to withstand ball impact according to DIN 18032, Part 3, Sports halls – Halls and rooms for sports and multi-purpose use. A large number of structures using Troldtekt acoustic panels have been tested at the institute in Stuttgart and approved for use as acoustic ceilings in sports halls, where they are exposed to considerable impacts from fast-moving handballs and other balls.
The accredited Danish Technological Institute has also documented that Troldtekt can withstand rooms with a moisture load of up to 98 per cent (+2/-5 per cent). The test was carried out in a room with a temperature of 40 degrees. This means that Troldtekt has achieved the highest level (D) of CE labelling for water resistance.
How Troldtekt contributes to building certifications
The certification of buildings, including schools, is on the rise. This helps to ensure a fact-based and holistic approach to building with consideration for both people and the environment.
Troldtekt acoustic solutions make a positive contribution when a building is undergoing certification, including for a number of criteria within different areas of the indoor climate. In collaboration with Ramboll, Troldtekt has documented how its acoustic solutions contribute positively to the various criteria in DGNB, BREEAM, WELL and LEED.
In practice, Ramboll has prepared documentation packages to help consultants assess Troldtekt’s specific contributions. However, the weighting of the acoustic solutions in a specific building always depends on the building in question, including other material choices.
Take a deep dive into our success stories
In our reference section, you can see many examples of successful school buildings where Troldtekt acoustic solutions contribute to a fantastic indoor climate.
Take a look at schools in Scandinavia, Germany, UK, Benelux and more.