Sustainability
Totora acoustic panels
Totora is not a handicraft. It is a technical fibre with internal air chambers: a natural, light and renewable sound absorber and thermal insulator. It grows in the Andean lakes of Ecuador.
timeline: depends on area
Is this your case?
- Our meeting rooms echo and you can follow the conversation next door.
- The open-plan floor has constant background noise and the team cannot focus.
- We have ESG commitments to our parent company and want a local, traceable, documented material.
- Facilities needs data sheets and certified treatments for a Grade A building.
How it works
Harvest
Selective cutting that lets the totora bed regenerate naturally.
Drying
Controlled drying to set colour, shape and moisture.
Treat
Fire-retardant, antifungal and stabilising treatments, each backed by a test.
Parametric design
Software-calculated geometries that optimise absorption, light and form.
Fabricate
Panels, screens and pods with quality control for every batch.
Install
Dry, demountable assembly, recorded in the Materials Passport.
What you receive
- A data sheet for each product, with acoustic and thermal tests from an accredited laboratory.
- Documentation of fire-retardant, antifungal and stabilising treatments, for Grade A buildings.
- Traceability for every batch: origin, community, harvest date and process.
- An entry in the project’s Materials Passport.
- Totora maintenance included in the Workplace Evolution Membership.
Frequently asked questions
Are totora panels fire-retardant?
They carry a certified fire-retardant treatment, backed by a test. We provide the documentation a Grade A building requires.
How much sound does a totora panel absorb?
Each product’s data sheet states it, based on an accredited laboratory test. We publish no performance data without its supporting test.
Does totora resist humidity and mould?
Every panel carries a certified antifungal and stabilising treatment. Before that, controlled drying sets colour, shape and moisture.
Where does the totora come from?
From Andean lakes in Ecuador, through a traceable, fair-pay chain with producer communities. Each batch records origin, community, harvest date and process.
Who maintains the panels?
We do. Totora and pod maintenance is included in the Workplace Evolution Membership.
Your company's performance is decided in its space.
It all starts with a Workplace Performance Audit: we measure before we give an opinion.