Overview
Ductwork should be constructed to be sufficiently airtight since excessive ductwork air-leakage affects HVAC system performance. Leaky ducts can, amongst other things: increase operational energy usage and noise levels; decrease comfort levels; affect humidity, space temperature and ventilation controls; and create negative or positive room pressures that can affect leakage through the building fabric. Low ductwork air-leakage rates, however, can yield significant electrical consumption savings because of reduced heating and cooling loads, and reduced fan energy usage.
The Study
The Kingspan KoolDuct System produces pre-insulated ductwork, where the air-leakage can be reduced to a fraction of that typical of sheet metal ductwork.
Kingspan Insulation commissioned a review, by independent testing and research organization, BSRIA, of the implication of ductwork specification and different duct air-leakage rates on energy consumption and associated capital cost. The purpose of this exercise was to examine: insulated sheet steel ductwork and ductwork fabricated from The Kingspan KoolDuct System; their relative performance with regards to energy consumption; and its implication of the capital cost of associated plant.
Results
The findings show that the use of The Kingspan KoolDuct System:
- Can save over 30% of the energy required to run a fan in a HVAC system
- Can reduce the size of fan required in a HVAC system - this reduction in fan size can yield a 10% saving in its capital cost