Fabric Ducts Could Cut School Costs
FLORENCE, Texas — Florence Independent School District’s new $2.4 million gymnasium is expected to achieve significant savings on operational costs due to an alternative air distribution system.
Designed by Fromberg Associates Ltd., of Austin , Texas , which worked with Kent Consulting Engineers LP, also of Austin, the open-ceiling facility features a fabric ductwork system that is expected to save the district up to 50 percent of the new gym’s operating costs.
The two firms specified the fabric duct instead of conventional metal ducting to save money for the district and improve energy efficiency. Studies show that fabric ducts can disperse air more evenly than metal duct/register configurations, reducing potential leaks and other inefficiencies.
Installed by DuctSox, of Dubuque, Iowa, the air distribution system consists of two 165-foot lengths of 36-inch-diameter duct with a single L-vent linear diffuser along the entire duct, allowing even air distribution without drafts.
Commercial-grade Verona fabric duct with Comfort Flow air dispersion allows 85 percent of the air to flow evenly through the linear vents. The remaining 15 percent will flow through the fabric to eliminate condensation and surface dust accumulations, common challenges for gyms and other open-ceiling facilities in humid climates, according to project officials.
The system will work in conjunction with an energy-recovery unit by Greenheck, of Scofield, Wis., to remove humidity from the outside air using mechanical and enthalpy dehumidification. The two 29-ton cooling/gas-fired heating recovery units are activated by carbon dioxide sensors and are throttled by on-board microprocessor-controlled variable-speed drives. The units distribute air through wall grills and are designed to operate only during occupancy periods.
The energy recovery units are expected to reduce the cooling load of the building’s four 12.5-ton direct expansion units, each of which provide 5,000 cfm of airflow to the fabric duct system.