BSRIA confirms installation time and cost savings of using Lindab Safe circular ductwork
Tests of Lindab’s Safe ductwork system compared with an identical installation using conventional circular ductwork have shown a halving of installation time and a 20% cost reduction
An intensive programme of testing and evaluation by BSRIA to compare Lindab’s Safe ductwork system with conventional circular ductwork and fittings has shown a halving in installation time and a 20% cost reduction compared with the traditional approach. The Lindab Safe and a traditional ductwork system were installed by operatives from an experienced contractor (FCS Ductwork) under actual site conditions in a test area created within a warehouse in London. Identical configurations were used to represent the type of ductwork runs typically used during office fit-outs. Installation time was carefully monitored, and both systems were subjected to an air-leakage test when completed. At a static duct pressure of 500 Pa, the leakage from the Lindab Safe ductwork was 43.8% of the leakage from the other ductwork system, with Lindab Safe achieving air-tightness Class C of EN 12237 compared with Class B for the other. Iain Robertson, joint managing director of Lindab Ventilation, was delighted with the report’s finding, but stresses that there were no short cuts to the low-leakage performance. He explains, ‘The tests were carried out using the proper self-tapping screws, which are specially designed for the Lindab Safe system. They ensure a tight leak-free fit every time.’ The system comprises a complete range of presealed components to create a circular ductwork system with minimum leakage in the shortest possible time. it is available in Eurovent sizes from 80 to 2000 mm diameter. The conventional system used plain-ended fittings requiring mastic sealant or sealing tape wherever fittings were connected to lengths of ductwork. Sealant alone accounted for nearly 10% of the overall cost of the conventional system. In conclusion, the BSRIA report describes the air tightness of the Lindab Safe system as being ‘significantly better’ than that of ductwork constructed from traditional components. It observes, ‘Low air-leakage performance helps reduce energy consumption through decreased fan workload. Ensuring that a greater percentage of conditioned air reaches the intended areas also improves control of the internal environment.’
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