BSEE ENERGY MANAGEMENT


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CHOOSING THE RIGHT INSULATION FOR HVAC Ensuring the correct temperature and saving energy


John Hutchison, National Sales Manager – Technical Solutions UK, at Knauf Insulation discusses the benefits of selecting mineral wool for the insulation of ductwork in commercial installations.


have put a very strong emphasis on fabric improvements to the outer envelope of structures.


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Away from the headlines, however, significant advancements have been made in the field of building services: improving not just the reduction of energy losses within systems, but their overall performance in terms of enhancing occupant comfort and even protecting life.


As highlighted by the outstanding performance of Team GB at the Rio Olympics, world-beating performance is often down to ‘marginal gains’ – the incremental improvements over the opposition that eventually guarantee success when it counts. In other words, if we are ever to get over the line in terms of energy reduction and sustainability, then all possible areas must be considered.


Lifetime costs


Whilst the ratios between construction, maintenance, building operation and staffing costs are much debated, it is accepted that the overwhelming proportion of a building’s lifetime costs are in its operation, rather than the original construction. Just as combating heat loss to the atmosphere is essential; reducing energy loss within the building services will also pay dividends. With the use of air-conditioning (or comfort cooling) rising to half of all retail space and approaching 70% of office accommodation, choosing the right insulation solution for HVAC systems is more critical than ever. Crucially, it affects not just the comfort of occupants by helping to deliver the correct air temperature room-to-room, but properly installed it will attenuate noise transfer, reduce fire risk and offer other benefits, while saving the building owner significant sums in running costs.


The early applications of air conditioning in UK properties generally saw service voids filled with


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With the use of air‐conditioning (or comfort cooling) rising to half of all retail space and approaching 70% of office accommodation, choosing the right insulation solution for HVAC systems is more critical than ever. Crucially it affects not just the comfort of occupants by helping to deliver the correct air temperature room‐to‐room, but properly installed it will attenuate noise transfer, reduce fire risk and offer other benefits, while saving the building owner significant sums in running costs.


’ 24 BUILDING SERVICES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER OCTOBER 2016 VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.bsee.co.uk


uch of the debate over cutting carbon emissions in recent years has centred on switching from fossil fuels to renewable technologies, while Building Regulations


uninsulated ductwork. Sometimes primitive sprayed products or largely ineffective jackets were used. Thankfully contemporary solutions are far more effective, manufactured dominantly with mineral wool (glass or rock), nitrile rubber or foamed plastics such as phenolic foam. Whilst foamed plastics offer low thermal conductivity headlines, mineral wool offers a broader spectrum of benefits across HVAC solutions. In pipe section, mineral wool avoids the potential issue of corrosion to both copper and steel pipework; in ductwork mineral wool offers large volumes of product, easily transportable, compression packaged rolls and slabs that are easy to cut and install, whilst for fire-rated ductwork only high temperature, high density non- combustible solutions such as those presented by rock mineral wool are suitable.


Acoustics are another area where mineral wool scores well. Ventilation systems and the sound of air moving can generate noise pollution, which usually needs to be reduced or eliminated completely. Ductwork can also carry sound between adjacent rooms. Reducing noise pollution is a critical element in creating more pleasant living and working environments. All mineral wool products whether labelled ‘acoustic’ or otherwise, deliver acoustic performance and this applies to those manufactured for HVAC installations. Mineral wool also offers outstanding fire performance; solutions are predominantly non- combustible (Euroclass A1), with foil faced pipe sections typically achieving Euroclass A2, or limited combustibility. These characteristics lend themselves to maximum service temperatures of between 230°C and 250°C.


Ductwork comes in many shapes, sizes and profiles so it’s worth remembering that mineral wool is flexible too, maintaining intimate contact to, and optimising performance of, ductwork without the necessity to groove or profile the insulant, potentially to the detriment of its in situ performance.


From a sustainability perspective, Knauf Insulation’s Klima range of glass and rock mineral wool insulation encompasses both KDR 033 Duct Roll and KDB 033 Duct Board that have been assessed as part of the BRE’s Green Guide to Specification, both delivering a ‘top of the class’ generic rating of A+. Its range of glass and rock mineral wool insulation differentiates itself from


other mineral wool manufacturers as it remains the only HVAC range to feature the no-added formaldehyde ECOSE Technology binder (the ‘glue’ that binds the fibres together) throughout. Knauf Insulation was also the first insulation manufacturer, globally, to produce Environmental Performance Declarations under EN 15804 for their mineral wool products, including all HVAC products, which comply with BS ISO 14025 using life cycle analysis (LCA) according to the BS ISO 14040 series. These declarations can enhance a product’s ‘Embodied Impact’ rating under ‘Mat.04 Insulation’ within BREEAM, boosting a products’ Points/Element. It was also the first manufacturer to earn Eurofins Scientific’s Indoor Air Comfort Gold Standard certificate. The products were described as being of an “outstanding material” in respect of VOC Indoor Air Quality emissions regulations.


10% of UK electricity consumption


Although there is still uncertainty about the exact usage of air-conditioning across the UK’s built environment, a report published by the now defunct Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) estimated that such installations account for approximately 10 per cent of all electricity usage. Even with the National Grid gradually being ‘greened’, and the prospect of more nuclear coming on stream, this represents a highly significant amount of consumption. There are many great reasons to specify effective insulation for HVAC, while in the view of the DECC reports, there remains a real untapped potential for efficiencies in areas such as user behaviour and system management.


Bearing in mind our Olympic coaches’ mantra about marginal gains, it can be reasoned that the correct specification and installation of insulation for ductwork and other building services could deliver a crucial one or two per cent saving in the effort to achieve our commitments made under international treaties such as at last year’s World Climate Summit, COP21 in Paris.


uFor more information see Knauf Insulation at HVAC 2016 (part of UK Construction Week) held at the NEC in Birmingham 18th – 20th October, Stand H4/312. For product literature visit:


www.knaufinsulation-ts.com


uKnauf Insulation’s Klima Duct Roll range of glass and rock mineral wool insulation is the only HVAC range to feature the no‐ added formaldehyde ECOSE Technology binder (the ‘glue’ that binds the fibres together) throughout.


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