Building operators have a six-month window to cut energy costs

The Government’s Energy Bill Relief Scheme, announced this month, is set to reduce the impact of high energy bills on businesses this winter. Even with this welcome support package, the energy costs for running ventilation systems have increased significantly since last year.

Energy costs are forecast to remain high for the next couple of winters, but the government relief scheme does offer building owners a chance to rethink energy efficiency to meet this long-term challenge.

While there will no doubt be plenty of focus on new, more efficient heating systems and insulation, one important – and often overlooked – method of cutting energy costs is to look at how efficient a building’s Heating and Ventilation (H&V) system is.

This should not come as a surprise as, according to The Carbon Trust, heating and ventilation have been found to account for almost of half of the running costs of your average commercial building.

One crucial factor is the importance of ductwork in saving energy. We are so used to seeing steel ductwork in buildings that we forget that the industry has moved on and there are now non-metal alternatives that can cut energy costs.

Traditional galvanised steel ductwork is prone to leaks resulting in inefficient airflow, which can undermine energy efficiency savings. If we can remove these leaks and smooth the flow of air around the ventilation system, it can significantly cut down the amount of energy required.

Cryogenic laminate non-metallic ductwork can do this as well as improve insulation. Our tests show that cryogenic ductwork, like our Spiralite system, deliver a friction factor that is one thirteenth that of steel, reducing external static pressure, and contributing again to efficiency. This leads to an impressive reduction in energy consumption by as much as 20 per cent or up to 48 per cent, in some cases where air pressure is high.

Better ductwork is also good for the planet

CO2 savings of around 28,000 tons/year in one ten-storey building are possible just by using more energy efficient ductwork. This gives Spiralite a lower carbon footprint than steel ductwork, alongside other environmental attributes including no VOCs, CFC/HCFC/HFCs, Low GWP, Zero ODP and minimal site wastage. This new ductwork is also lighter than steel, and arrives as a flatpack kit; these key features cut transport costs by 85 per cent and, again, reduce emissions.

Ductwork can improve air quality

The COVID pandemic has increased interest in the importance of clean air. The good news here is that cryogenic ductwork delivers important health benefits. Poor air quality from steel ventilation systems occurs when mould builds up over time in the system. The advantage of cryogenic ductwork has is that its inner surface is bacteriostatic, which does not allow bacteria to adhere to the duct lining and multiply, as is the case in traditional systems. Spiralite undertook tests which compared the performance of a 3-year-old traditional steel ductwork system versus a system fitted with Spiralite. The results showed that the older system had a bacterial count per swab of 4,300 compared to 11 per swab for the Spiralite system.

Abdulrahman AbdulAziz Khansaheb

As energy prices are likely to remain high for the foreseeable future, it is worth welcoming the respite the Government has bought the industry through its Energy Bill Relief scheme, to consider whether it’s time to think again about all aspects of H&V systems, including ductwork, to maximise energy efficiency.

If we do see cryogenic ductwork gradually replacing traditional steel ductwork, it will not only help cut energy bills and emissions, but will also lead to healthier air in our buildings.

For more information visit https://spiraliteductwork.com/

-ends-