Swiss design company Impact Acoustic has launched Balken Light, a new commercial lighting system that combines integrated LED illumination with acoustic performance and circular material innovation.
Designed for offices, education spaces, hospitality environments and other commercial interiors, Balken Light transforms the company’s existing Balken ceiling baffle into an illuminated architectural element. Inspired by the appearance of a traditional timber beam, the system creates the visual warmth of wood while using Impact Acoustic’s recycled PET-based Archisonic Felt material.
The product responds to a growing demand for workplace interiors that support both occupant wellbeing and lower environmental impact. By combining lighting and acoustic treatment in a single ceiling element, Balken Light aims to reduce the need for separate products and simplify installation.
Rather than using virgin timber, the system uses Archisonic ® Felt, a material manufactured from recycled PET with at least 60% certified post-consumer content. The material is available in a wide range of colours, while printed wood-grain finishes provide a natural timber appearance without using additional wood resources.
Impact Acoustic says the material is designed with circularity in mind. Archisonic ® Felt has Cradle to Cradle certification and is supported by the company’s Re take-back programme, which enables eligible products to be recovered and processed for future material use rather than becoming waste.
The hollow structure of the Balken system also contributes to acoustic performance, helping to absorb sound and reduce reverberation in open-plan workplaces and other busy environments. The integrated lighting element can be configured with different optical options, allowing designers to combine ambient illumination with more focused task lighting.
The launch reflects a wider movement within the commercial lighting sector towards products that address multiple building challenges simultaneously: energy efficiency, occupant comfort, material transparency and end-of-life recovery.
As architects and specifiers increasingly look beyond operational energy performance towards embodied carbon and circular design, products such as Balken Light demonstrate how lighting can become part of a broader sustainable interior strategy rather than a standalone building component.
• Learn more sustainable lighting at Circular Lighting Live 2026, Recolight’s flagship conference and exhibition, which takes place on Thursday 8 October 2026 at the Minster Building in the City of London. Free to specifiers, Circular Lighting Live 2026 will feature leading experts, specifiers and policy makers who will share their insights into forthcoming standards and legislation, emerging technologies and new business models. More info: www.circularlighting.live
