Eelgrass Acoustic Mat

Eelgrass’s use in construction dates back to the 1600’s, when settlers of Læsø island would forge thick roof-thatching for their ‘seaweed houses’—a technique unseen anywhere else in the world. Enhanced through state-of-the-art technology, Søuld’s work represents a passionate reinvention of Denmark’s forgotten seaweed house heritage. After a decade of research and development into the material, Søuld has emerged as an expert in eelgrass and is the first company to convert the material into CO2-storing building materials that combine high acoustic performance, safety and durability with sustainability and modern aesthetics. Working together with local farmers, municipalities and ecologists, Søuld has optimised eelgrass collection based on environmental protection and the preservation of natural eelgrass meadows. The CO2-binding sea plant is found washed ashore along Denmark’s coastline as an abundant, renewable and overlooked local resource. The plant absorbs significant amounts of CO2 while growing in the sea and therefore serves as a carbon sink when used in construction. Søuld has demonstrated that this natural, non-toxic and CO2-binding material has numerous inherent qualities as a modern building material: it provides excellent acoustic and thermal comfort, effective humidity regulation, long-term durability, high fire-resistance and low susceptibility to mould and bacteria due to its naturally high content of mineral salts.