SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production

Construction accounts for almost 40% of the world’s total CO₂ consumption. Both in the manufacture of building materials and in the running of buildings, there are huge gains to be made by thinking about greener production methods as well as the circular economy, where materials are recycled at a high value level.

Through our Cradle to Cradle strategy, we are committed to continuously improving in areas such as renewable energy and recycling. In this way, we support SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and production.

All the electricity used in our production is based on renewable energy supplied under our climate partner agreement with Ørsted. The agreement means that all our electricity is based on wind power from the Anholt offshore wind farm. We are an Ørsted Energy Climate Partner because we want stable, carbon-neutral electricity supplies.

By entering into a climate partnership agreement, we are buying certificates which guarantee that Ørsted produces power at one of their certified wind farms that corresponds to our consumption.

By entering into this partnership, we have contributed to supporting and expanding wind power as a key energy source in Denmark. Today, most of Denmark’s electricity consumption is covered by wind energy, and we are buying certificates for the remainder of our electricity consumption to ensure that it is all covered by wind energy.

With our own biomass boiler and by replacing gas and diesel-powered trucks in production with electric trucks, we have also succeeded in minimising our consumption of fossil fuels while relying increasingly on green energy sources. In 2020, 97.7 per cent of our energy consumption at our own factory came from renewable energy sources.

In terms of energy efficiency, we have also take a huge step forward. We have invested heavily in upgrading our production with more efficient technology, and in the 2017-2020 period we succeeded in reducing total energy consumption per unit by as much as 28.6 per cent.

Throughout our factory in Troldhede, we are focusing on minimising the consumption of resources while recycling as much as possible instead. Via our Cradle to Cradle certification, it has been documented that Troldtekt cement-bonded wood wool production waste can be safely returned to the biological cycle.

The cement in Troldtekt panels has a high lime content, which helps to neutralise the acids produced during composting. The wood in the panels is an organic material, and helps to prevent compost from compacting. This increases oxygenation in the composting process so that carbon and nutrients are recirculated.

However, we have decided to focus especially on the technical cycle, as this will allow us to derive value from both production waste and end-of-life Troldtekt acoustic panels from demolished buildings.

We are working with our cement supplier, Aalborg Portland, to return dust from our edging workshop to their technical cycle. In 2020, Aalborg Portland’s trucks took away 3,347 tonnes of dust after having delivered cement to our facility. In practice, the cement-bonded wood wool waste is used as a raw material in new cement.

The ambition is for our cooperation with Aalborg Portland to be developed to also cover the demolition waste and construction waste that currently end up at the municipal recycling centres. This is a more complicated waste fraction as Troldtekt cement-bonded wood wool has a long useful life, and end-of-life acoustic panels can therefore easily be 50-70 years old. Because we have no way of knowing whether the panels have been treated with harmful chemicals during that period, they cannot be returned to the biological cycle.

Cement production is a thermal process that renders harmless any surface treatments, and end-of-life Troldtekt acoustic panels can therefore be added to Aalborg Portland’s cement production without any problems. However, we need to find the right logistics partners who can help collect cement-bonded wood wool from Danish recycling centres.

In 2021, we will be launching a pilot project together with the Municipality of Ringkøbing-Skjern – and in the next phase with a total of seven Danish municipalities. The project is intended to pave the way for scaling the scheme.

Troldtekt acoustic panels are robust, and once installed in buildings they have a long useful life of upwards of 75 years. The panels require no maintenance, and can be painted repeatedly without impairing their acoustic properties.

Therefore, developers can choose to retain an existing Troldtekt ceiling when renovating or transforming a property – or they can reuse the panels in new buildings. There are considerable environmental benefits to be gained from extending the useful life of the panels.