When a DKK 100,000 solution is just hanging there – is that enough?

The DKK 100,000 Question

In construction and interior projects, significant investments are part of everyday reality. Spending DKK 100,000 - or more - on individual components in an office or building is often associated with quality, architectural intent and functional performance.

And in many cases, that understanding is well founded.

Still, one question is not always explored in depth:
What do we expect these solutions to contribute over time?

The Curtain Perspective

Curtains offer a useful point of reflection. They are often specified late in the process and expected to integrate seamlessly into the overall design. Visually, they should feel light, preferably transparent, and remain within a reasonable budget. Once installed, their role is typically defined by two primary functions: contributing to the aesthetic and providing solar shading.

After that, attention often shifts elsewhere.

At the same time, curtain solutions in larger office environments can represent substantial investments. In practice, they are frequently treated as passive elements in the space, with limited consideration given to documentation, adaptability or what happens when organisational needs change.

Designing for Change

Change is an inherent part of modern working life. Organisations evolve, grow, consolidate and adapt their spaces as teams, workflows and ways of working develop. As a result, interior solutions are rarely static over the lifetime of a building.

Despite this, many interior components are still specified as if permanence were the default condition.

When change occurs - whether through relocation, reconfiguration or rebranding - solutions that were never designed for adaptability can quickly lose relevance. Not because they lack quality or function, but because change was never considered as a design parameter.

This highlights a structural gap in how value is defined: solutions are often optimised for installation, but not for transition.

ESG and Lifecycle Considerations

As expectations around ESG, Scope 3 emissions and resource efficiency continue to grow, documentation and accountability play an increasingly important role. Considerable effort is invested in measuring and reporting impact, yet lifecycle thinking can receive less attention once a solution has been installed.

Curtains, however, do not have to be limited to a decorative role.

What Curtains Can Contribute

When specified with intent, curtain solutions can support multiple performance aspects within a building. They can regulate daylight and glare, improve acoustics, stabilise indoor climate and enhance the usability of space. They can support concentration, contribute to calmer working environments and reduce energy demand during the operational phase - thereby lowering associated CO₂ emissions.

At the same time, well-considered curtain solutions can reduce the need for more resource- and energy-intensive materials, while supporting better space optimisation through flexible division and use of existing square metres.

In certain contexts, curtains can also support building preparedness through their material properties and functional flexibility.

Looking Beyond Installation

Perhaps the most overlooked value lies in what happens after installation.

When curtains are designed with flexibility, documentation and dismantling in mind, change becomes a logistical exercise rather than a source of waste. Solutions can be moved, adapted, reused or upgraded, allowing the original investment to follow the organisation rather than remain tied to a specific address.

At CIS Nordic, we approach interior solutions as assets designed to move with organisations - not as permanent elements tied to a single location or discarded when relocation occurs.

Where ESG Value Takes Shape

From this perspective, genuine ESG value is created through extended lifespans, fewer new purchases and reduced resource consumption. This is where Scope 3 emissions are reduced in practice - through concrete design decisions rather than statements or intentions.

A Question of Timing

The question, then, is not whether curtains can contribute to sustainability.

It is whether decisions are made early enough in the process to enable that contribution.

If a solution cannot be documented, reused or shown to create measurable value for both people and organisations, its long-term role becomes limited - regardless of initial cost.

Curtains are not just curtains.
They are a choice.

And those choices shape how we approach responsibility, resources and the future of the built environment.

Would you like to explore how interior solutions can create long-term value in your project - before they are specified?