Water & Soil Stewardship
At Troldtekt, we work in line with Cradle to Cradle certification requirements for water and land resource management. This includes the establishment of a rainwater basin that also supports biodiversity.
With the Water & Soil Stewardship criteria category, Cradle to Cradle Certified® sets requirements for companies’ water consumption, wastewater management and employee access to clean drinking water and sanitation, for example. In the latest versions of the certification, land management has also been included in the category.
In this and other categories, Cradle to Cradle stresses that companies should not just reduce their harmful impact. It's also about making a positive impact.
Rainwater and wastewater are separated
Troldtekt’s factory is located in an area (Western Jutland) where, according to the international Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, there is no prospect of a water shortage (low-medium risk). But we are aware that the situation is different in many parts of the world and that we should not take clean water for granted. We are therefore careful to ensure that our production does not unnecessarily impact the groundwater.
In line with Cradle to Cradle Certified® we calculate our water consumption (see table at the bottom of the page), just as we have all the required approvals.
The separation of rainwater and wastewater at our factory site ensures that heavy rains do not overwhelm the local sewer system. This reduces the risk of wastewater from sewers flowing into the aquatic environment (the local brook) during heavy rainfall.
Rainwater lake with positive footprint
To ensure a positive impact, we created an overflow basin – a so-called rainwater lake – with vegetation, in connection with the construction of our new storage and logistics facility. The same is planned for future construction projects on the factory premises.
The rainwater lake serves several purposes. First and foremost, it collects surface water from the building’s large roof area, so the lake serves as a buffer during heavy rainfall. In this way, we are preparing Troldtekt for a future with more frequent and heavier rain showers.
The lake also allows us to support biodiversity with green oases for animals, plants and insects. Even during dry spells, there is water at the bottom of the lake, and during droughts, we have seen rich and varied birdlife quenching their thirst.
Lake and flowers for the benefit of the insects
We have planted wildflowers and native plant species by the current lake, which are good food sources for bees and other Danish insects. As a result, swarms of insects are often observed in the area.
Moreover, we have built an insect hotel – a nice home-made habitat for insects. They can use the hotel for overwintering, breeding and hiding. This helps to ensure a wide variety of beneficial insects that create a better balance in nature. For example, many species of butterflies seek shelter in strong winds, and several species such as the brimstone, peacock and small tortoiseshell butterflies overwinter there.
We have also installed posts with bird boxes for starlings, which are in decline across northern and western Europe, partly because of a lack of breeding areas.
Calculating Troldtekt’s water consumption
We use water in our fully automated production of Troldtekt acoustic panels, which contributes to the hardening of the cement. However, we discharge less water than we add, as much of it evaporates during the drying process or remains in the acoustic panels, which need to acclimatise before installation.
In 2023, we sent approximately 1,200 cubic metres of wastewater from the painting process to an authorised third party for treatment.
As the table below shows, our production is located in an area where there is no prospect of water shortage (low-medium risk). The risk of flooding is categorised as medium-high, and we are addressing this with our rainwater collection, among other things.
