Sustainability
Air Leakage / Energy / Running Costs
The InSolution KoolDuct System technology, the fabrication methodology combined with the jointing systems and the complete line of bespoke accessories produce a system where the air leakage can be reduced to a fraction of that typical of sheet metal ductwork. For systems designed to withstand a static pressure of up to and including 1000 Pa / 4 in.w.g., the Kingspan KoolDuct® System can easily meet the air leakage requirements as shown in the table below.
Standard sheet metal ductwork leaks air – most meets the air leakage requirements of Class 24 (SMACNA – HVAC Air Duct Leakage Test Manual) and Class A (HVCA DW/144 – Specification for Sheet Metal Ductwork and BS EN 1507: 2006 – Ventilation for buildings. Sheet metal ducts with rectangular section. Requirements for strength and leakage). It can be difficult to get sheet metal ductwork to achieve the air leakage requirements of Class 3 (SMACNA) and Class C (HVCA DW/144 and BS EN 1507: 2006). The superior insulation properties of Kingspan KoolDuct® rigid phenolic insulation panels, combined with the minimal air leakage of the InSolutinKoolDuct System, can yield significant electrical consumption savings because of reduced heating and cooling loads.
Independent consultants, Rider Levett Bucknall, estimated the effect on fan power of different ductwork air leakage rates, using the results of testing conducted by BSRIA. The research showed that the use of the InSolution KoolDuct System can save over 30% on the annual electricity cost of running a fan. The InSoluton KoolDuct System can provide the optimum energy saving and environmental solution in comparison with other ductwork systems.
Moisture & Exacerbated Heat Loss / Gain
InSolution's KoolDuct rigid phenolic insulation panels are faced on both sides with an aluminium foil vapour barrier jacket, which makes them highly resistant to moisture penetration. The risk of moisture penetration from damage to the aluminium foil vapour barrier jacket is considerably reduced as the rigid phenolic insulation core of the Kingspan KoolDuct® panels is
of ‘closed cell’ construction.
Mineral fibre insulants are open structured materials which rely largely on entrapped still air for much of their insulating power. They can have little long term resistance to water and may have no resistance to vapour flow. Thus, the potential for moisture absorption can be extremely high if the factory applied vapour barrier jacket is either damaged or inadequately sealed. Research has been undertaken to study the effect of moisture on mineral fibre insulants and has concluded that 1% moisture content by volume, within mineral fibre, can increase the thermal conductivity of the material by up to 107%. Such increases in the thermal conductivity of the mineral fibre insulation could have a very significant impact on the level of heat loss or gain on a building services installation.
Key Points
It is now known that the embodied environmental impacts of all of the materials and labour used to create a building are insignificant in comparison with the lifetime operational environmental impacts of that building and so are of very limited importance. Therefore, saving energy by specifying the lowest heat loss / gain and ductwork air leakage standards possible is the most environmentally sustainable action to take if specifying ductwork. As shown left the Kingspan KoolDuct® System leads the field in this respect.
Furthermore, the longevity of a building’s standards of operational energy use, and therefore the longevity of its operational environmental impacts, is critical. The performance of some insulants, such as mineral fibre, can deteriorate rapidly if exposed to water penetration, air movement or compression.
This may increase operational energy use and hence compromise the environmental sustainability of the finished building to an alarming degree. Rigid phenolic insulation is considerably less vulnerable to any of these problems than mineral fibre.
The InSolution KoolDuct System is therefore arguably the most environmentally sustainable ducting technology available.