Ceiling and walls clad with Troldtekt acoustic panels effectively absorb the sounds of splashing, shouting and playing, thus contributing to pleasant acoustics in swimming centres.
Cement-bonded wood wool panels are also durable, with a natural resistance to moisture. The flexible design options also offer considerable architectural freedom.
Choosing materials is a particularly challenging process for architects designing swimming centres. Of course, the materials have to aesthetically match the architectural idiom. But a number of functional requirements also need addressing.
Swimming centres are usually large spaces, high-ceilinged and with many glass or concrete surfaces. In combination with the excited shrieks of children having fun in the water, this calls for acoustically exacting solutions. It is therefore important that the large ceiling and wall surfaces are clad with materials that have a high absorption coefficient – so they effectively soak up the sounds.
Environments with constant high humidity also place additional demands on the strength and moisture tolerance of the materials. Finally, the expansive walls often need a very carefully conceived visual design.
Troldtekt panels are chosen for many swimming centres – and outdoor baths – because the natural advantages of the cement-bonded wood wool panels perfectly match the requirements. You can read about five reasons why Troldtekt is an ideal choice below.
Cement-bonded wood wool retains the essential qualities of the components used to produce it – the strength of cement and the natural breathability of wood. Troldtekt acoustic panels are moisture-tolerant and therefore extremely suitable as acoustic ceilings in wet rooms. The panels cannot rot and do not attract fungal growth or other microorganisms.
The original Troldtekt panels are dimensionally stable and retain their flatness – even in humid environments – so that they do not warp over time. The Danish Technological Institute has found that the dimensions of Troldtekt panels only change by 0.005 per cent if the humidity in a room changes by one percentage point.
According to Troldtekt’s Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), the acoustic panels have a life span of at least 50 years. However, Troldtekt has been producing panels since 1935, and experience has shown that the technical characteristics of the panels last for at least 75-80 years.
Troldtekt acoustic panels also qualify for the best indoor climate label categories according to Danish Indoor Climate Labelling, in terms of both degassing and particle emissions.
Since Troldtekt acoustic panels can both absorb and release moisture, they help to maintain an indoor climate with the right humidity. Humidity affects the users’ experience of comfort in a room.
Wood alone is an organic and flammable material, but every single wood fibre in a Troldtekt panel is encapsulated and protected by cement. Troldtekt panels are therefore fireproof without the use of any fire retardant or dangerous chemicals.
Troldtekt acoustic panels are fire classified under European standard EN 13501. Troldtekt acoustic panels are classified as B-s1,d0, which denotes the material’s reaction to fire. In practice, this means that Troldtekt panels are only weakly combustible and weakly heat and smoke-emitting.
Troldtekt panels offer a number of different design options. Through special installation, colours or CNC machining, the panels can be used to create a unique look on large ceiling and wall surfaces, adding to the whole as sound-absorbing design elements.
Troldtekt design solutions come with the same great technical properties as the classic Troldtekt acoustic panels.
Troldtekt is certified in the silver category under the internationally recognised Cradle to Cradle scheme.
The certification was attained in part because the panels contain no substances that are harmful to humans or the environment. They can therefore return to the biological cycle as nutrients, or to a technical cycle as a raw material in cement production.
Ramboll has also outlined how Troldtekt specifically contributes points to areas such as total cost of ownership, indoor climate and materials in the leading sustainability certifications – DGNB, LEED and BREEAM.
Troldtekt panels are installed directly on battens on ceilings and walls or using profile systems such as suspended ceilings – with concealed or visible profiles. When installing the panels, only a few screws are needed per panel. There is no need to use filler or paint after installation.
The Troldtekt series includes specially designed screws that match the panels’ standard colours and structure. If you choose Troldtekt panels in custom colours, we can supply extra paint so you can dab the screws in the same colour.
Troldtekt screws are corrosion-resistant and salt spray-tested in a highly corrosive atmosphere. The structure screw for steel installation is also available in an extra corrosion-protected version (C5-rated) for particularly aggressive environments. This means that for suspended Troldtekt acoustic ceilings in swimming centres, it is possible to choose a complete profile system where both the profiles and screws are C5-rated.
On this website you will find lots of inspiring cases showing how Troldtekt panels are used in swimming centres and outdoor baths.
You can also find inspiration in the gallery below.
The modern Stenungsund Arena (Sweden) houses facilities for a wide range of sports. In the swimming hall the walls and ceiling have been clad in Troldtekt acoustic panels to provide the appropriate aesthetic expression and effective noise reduction.
See also the new swimming pool in Münster (Germany), where a long ribbon of acoustic panels from the design series Troldtekt rhombe mini runs on the wall.
Take a tour of the award-winning Vestre Fjordpark in Aalborg (Denmark), where Troldtekt panels have been used in the café and in meeting rooms and classrooms.
See the sports and swimming centre in Eura (Finland), where Troldtekt panels in a variety of colours contribute to both superior acoustics and the visual expression.
Gigantium in Aalborg (Denmark) is a wave-shaped building where Troldtekt acoustic panels in natural wood have been installed on the ceilings and walls.
Troldtekt panels in multiple colour shades give a beautiful visual effect and ensure optimal acoustics in the new Balneon swimming pool in Neustadt am Rübenberge (Germany).
Swimming and water exercise are popular activities among all ages and at all skill levels – and many old centres are being renovated and new ones built.
In a new online feature, Troldtekt A/S is bringing together knowledge, trends and examples that can help guide the design of swimming centres in 2021.
