Partner in the spotlight: Acoustix
That sustainable building can also sound beautiful is proven by Acoustix Pan-Terre. With its insulation panels made of cellulose and flax, the Liège-based company provides the acoustics for The Exploded View: Beyond Building. According to David Rammant, Acoustic Advisor at Acoustix, the decision to collaborate on the expo house was quickly made: "Together with other manufacturers, we want to set an example for the building sector with our sustainable materials."
"The Exploded View: Beyond Building is a showcase to offer circular, new and ecological solutions. This is where our acoustic panels fit perfectly," David states. "After all, they are made entirely with recycled materials."
Acoustic and circular
Since 1980, Acoustix Pan-Terre has been making work of sound attenuation and optimal acoustics with its panels. In doing so, the company works from the idea of a social and participatory economy, and is fully committed to a short chain. For instance, the company uses recycled paper and linen straw, materials that are both produced locally.
"Our products are 100 per cent Belgian. The flax we use is litter flax or comes from by-products from the flax industry. In turn, our paper and cardboard comes from collected paper and cardboard from the Liège region." For this, Acoustix relies on a company that, like it, is part of the Groupe Terre. That collective of committed entrepreneurs developed since 1949 around the pillars of dialogue, responsibility and solidarity.
"Sustainability not only means that we are committed to a short chain, but also to a social economy."
- David Rammant
"During our production process, we mix cellulose and flax in a pulper. This creates a knit that is poured into the drawers of a drying oven and has to dry for about eight hours," David clarifies. "We scrape and cut those dried panels to suit the project. In dry construction, fast execution is very important. That's why we partly glue the natural panels onto panels made of plaster or OSB(oriented strand board, ed.). All the cutting waste and fine dust created goes back into the pulper. In this way, we ensure a zero waste process."