SDG 3: Good health and well-being
Sixty per cent of acute respiratory infections in children are caused by ambient environmental factors. This is highlighted by US research from the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which make the point that we spend as much as 90 per cent of our lives indoors. At home, when travelling, at work or in public buildings.
This makes it crucial to focus on the health of the built environment, and according to the World Health Organization, there is plenty of scope for improvement. In a 2006 study, the WHO found that we are primarily exposed to air pollution when we are inside. Children are particularly exposed, as they have a higher breathing volume, and thus breathe in larger volumes of air than adults.
Thorough content analysis
Troldtekt wants to contribute to buildings that are healthy for their occupants. We do this, among other things, by documenting the material health of our products.
Troldtekt cement-bonded wood wool is made of Danish wood and cement. As part of Troldtekt’s Cradle to Cradle certification, our products are thoroughly analysed. All the substances are defined down to 100 ppm, and assessed for their impact on people and the environment. The analysis is done under the auspices of Vugge til Vugge Danmark, which is accredited by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.
In practice, therefore, our systematic work with Cradle to Cradle means that we possess detailed knowledge of all the substances contained in our products, and that we can document that they do not contain any hazardous substances. Cradle to Cradle calls for a more thorough approach than other certification schemes, which just use ‘does not contain’ lists.
- Troldtekt acoustic panels are indoor climate-certified in the best category by Danish Indoor Climate Labelling (under the Danish Technological Institute) – a voluntary labelling scheme for building materials and their impact on the indoor climate. The indoor climate label is common to Norway and Denmark and is recognised worldwide.
- Troldtekt acoustic panels have earned Allergy UK’s Allergy Friendly Product Award. The Allergy Friendly Product Award is only given to products that improve health and well-being for asthma and allergy sufferers.
- Troldtekt acoustic panels are classified in the M1 category by the Finnish Indoor Air Association and the Building Information Foundation RTS. The system divides building materials according to how many substances the materials release into the air. Emission class M1 corresponds to the lowest emission rate.
- Troldtekt acoustic panels are classified as ‘low emission’, and thus benefit nature and human health under the voluntary and independent German Blue Angel ecolabelling scheme.
- Troldtekt acoustic panels have been environmentally assessed by the Swedish SundaHus Material Data system and categorised as class A, which comprises products with the smallest negative impact on human health and the environment.
- Troldtekt has been assessed as ‘recommended’ by Byggvarubedömningen, a Swedish online database that aims to promote the choice of eco-friendly building materials.
Healthy indoor climate
