Extending the service life of buildings responsibly – including ventilation ducts

Topic:	Sealing, coating and renovation of ventilation ducts
Focus:	Extending building service life, energy efficiency, airtightness, circular economy and hazardous substance management
Suitable for:	Renovation of existing ventilation ducts and improving the airtightness and durability of new ductwork
Solutions:	TKR’s bio-based coating and sealing solutions for ventilation ducts, penetrations and technical spaces

Requirements related to low-carbon construction, energy efficiency and circular economy are changing the way buildings are designed, renovated and maintained.

Increasingly, the most important question is not what should be demolished and rebuilt. It is what can be preserved, improved and used safely for longer.

This way of thinking also applies to ventilation ducts.

In both the renovation of existing ventilation ducts and the construction of new ductwork, airtightness, cleanliness, durability and long service life are becoming increasingly important factors.

Replacing ventilation ducts is not always the only solution

In many buildings, demolishing and replacing old ventilation ducts can have a significant impact on the use of the entire building.

Demolition may involve, for example:

• long interruptions in use
• extensive demolition work
• high material costs
• high carbon dioxide emissions
• disruption to building users
• the need for temporary facilities or restrictions on the use of spaces

However, replacement is not always the best option from a technical, financial or environmental perspective. In many cases, the service life of existing ductwork can be extended responsibly.

Sealing and coating ventilation ducts can make it possible to:

• reduce air leaks
• improve energy efficiency
• make ventilation balancing easier
• provide corrosion protection for ductwork
• encapsulate fibres
• manage hazardous substances
• extend service life by decades

Especially in hospitals, schools, office buildings, industrial facilities and residential properties, this can help avoid extensive demolition work and reduce the impact of renovation on building users.

Three reasons to assess duct renovation before deciding on replacement

Hazardous substances in ventilation ducts can also be managed without demolition

Various impurities and types of damage can be found in old ventilation ducts. These may include, for example:

• mineral fibres
• PAH compounds
• creosote
• VOC compounds
• corrosion damage
• microbial impurities

However, replacing all ducts is not always necessary.

Encapsulation and coating of ventilation ducts can enable hazardous substances to be managed and the system to be used safely without heavy demolition work. When impurities can be controlled through encapsulation and the ductwork can be coated with a suitable system, both costs and environmental impact can be reduced.

In new ventilation ducts, airtightness and long service life are essential

The airtightness of ventilation ducts directly affects how well a building functions and how much it costs to operate.

Airtightness has an impact on:

• energy efficiency
• indoor air quality
• ventilation adjustment and balancing
• building operating costs
• the life cycle of the system

Leaking ductwork increases energy consumption and makes ventilation balancing more difficult. It can also reduce system predictability and place unnecessary strain on ventilation performance.

That is why it is increasingly important to ask:

From TKR’s perspective, sealing duct joints, penetrations and critical points already during installation can:

• improve airtightness
• reduce air leaks
• make system adjustment easier
• prevent corrosion
• improve system durability
• reduce life cycle costs

The long service life of ventilation ducts is especially important in energy-efficient buildings, hospitals, cleanroom environments, solid timber buildings and industrial properties.

Extending the service life of buildings is also a climate action

The environmental impact of a building is not created only by energy consumption during use.

Significant emissions are also caused by:

• the manufacture of materials
• transportation
• demolition work
• construction waste
• the construction of new structures

When the service life of existing structures can be extended, the overall environmental impact of construction can also be reduced. This also applies to ventilation ducts.

Duct renovation, sealing and coating can be part of a broader approach to responsible renovation, where a building is not treated as a disposable whole but as a long-lasting resource.

Preserving structures supports circular economy

The aim of building maintenance is not to preserve poor-quality or unsafe structures at any cost.

The goal is to find technically safe solutions that can:

• extend the service life of structures
• reduce the need for demolition
• lower the carbon footprint
• save natural resources
• improve energy efficiency
• preserve the value of buildings

This is circular economy in practice. When functional structures can be repaired, protected and used for longer, unnecessary material consumption and the need for new construction can be reduced.

TKR’s perspective: the best circular economy is extending the service life of existing structures

For more than 40 years, TKR’s work has been guided by the same idea:

TKR’s bio-based coating and sealing solutions can be used to implement several solutions that extend the service life of buildings, whether in ventilation ducts, technical spaces or other demanding structures.

Before replacement, it is worth asking one question

In the construction of the future, the key question is not always:

An even more important question is:

The same thinking also applies to ventilation ducts.

An airtight, clean and long-lasting ventilation system is an investment in both energy efficiency and healthy indoor air. It is important in both new construction and renovation.

What should be assessed before replacing ductwork?

Before making a major demolition or replacement decision, it is worth assessing whether the service life of the ductwork can be extended in a controlled way.

Questions to consider include:

• Is the duct structure technically suitable for preservation?
• Can air leaks be reduced by sealing?
• Does the ductwork require corrosion protection?
• Are there fibres or hazardous substances in the ductwork that can be encapsulated?
• Can the building remain in use during the renovation with as little disruption as possible?
• Which solution produces the lowest life cycle costs and environmental impact?

When these questions are assessed in time, decisions can be made that serve the building users, the owner and the environment.

 

Would you like to find out whether ventilation duct sealing and coating could be suitable for your project?

If your project involves questions related to ventilation duct airtightness, coating, hazardous substance management or extending the service life of a building, contact TKR. Together, we can determine which solution is best suited to your project.