Page 6 - Climate Control News September 2021

News
Changes to ductwork installation rules
INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS FOR FLEXIBLE DUCTWORK IN BUILDINGS HAVE CHANGED WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW STANDARD AS 4254.1:2021.
ABOVE: Using load support material
when installing flex duct systems is critical.
CONSULTANTS, CERTIFIERS, INSTALLERS,
and suppliers of product to the industry are ad- vised get a copy of the new standard which has only just been published.
Formally known as ASA 4254.1 - Ductwork for air-handling systems in buildings part 1 Flexible Duct; it will address poor installation practices which lead to increased and wasteful energy consumption.
Air conditioning impacts greatly on the ener- gy consumption of most buildings in Australia. In the new version of AS4254.1 there is a formal test method to certify R values of flex duct.
In 2012, AS 4254.1:2012 introduced a specific method for hanging flexible ductwork.
Standards Australia recognised that installers were using products such as 12mm wide blue carton strapping and 25mm wide blue tarpaulin strips. This resulted in several problems.
Narrow strapping compresses the insulation walls of flexible duct which causes cold bridging which leads to condensation. This is the reason why so many office ceilings have ceiling tiles and water stains.
It also results in the shape of the flex duct be- ing distorted reducing airflow and the overall performance of the system. 12mm wide carton strapping can be quite abrasive, cutting through the outer jacket of the duct.
AS 4254.1:2021 now provides two options to hang flexible duct.
Option 1: A load support strap with a minimum
width of 75mm
Option 2: A hanging strap with a minimum
width of 25mm to be used in conjunction with a load support saddle a minimum width of 75mm.
Unfortunately, the industry has been slow to
adapt the 2012 requirements to use a load sup- port material when installing flex duct systems. Partly due to the additional product and la-
bour costs which installers often cannot recover and partly because there has been a lack of un- derstanding as to why a load support system is critical.
With the modifications to the 2021 version of AS 4254.1, option 1 provides the opportunity to prevent these issues with minimal impact on in- stallation costs.
It is a win for building occupiers and the environment.
Rewarding the jab
WATER TREATMENT SPECIALISTS Hydro- Chem are one of a growing number of Australi- an companies to reward staff who choose to get their COVID-19 jabs.
HydroChem CEO Mike Lenton said the company, which is an Australian owned and operated manufacturer and service provider, has introduced a scheme that gives employees a gift voucher for providing documentation that they have received their two TGA ap- proved vaccine shots.
HydroChem employs almost 250 staff around Australia, and operates branches in Adelaide, Perth, Darwin, Cairns, Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney and Launceston, in addition to its Vic- torian manufacturing hub in Melbourne’s outer south-east.
If all employees take up the offer, the initia- tive will cost the company about $12,000 but Lenton says it was a small price to pay to keep staff, customers and the wider community safe. He also sees it as a way the essential services provider can help reduce the threat of further debilitating lockdowns, and vertically align themselves with their clients’ own needs.
“Our HydroChem team has faced significant and fluid logistical challenges since the pan- demic began,” Lenton said.
“There has been an employee-led, can-do ap- proach to each new hurdle and I am intensely proud of their resilience.
“Our water treatment and water hygiene ser- vices are critical to keeping the community safe. Our testing, dosing and servicing has con-
HydroChem staff on a service call.
tinued unabated as it is vital our customers maintain legislated compliance.”
“I see this reward program more as an in- vestment than an expense – it’s an investment not only in our people, but also in the broader Australian community within which they and their families live.”
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