Sustainable renovation with focus on good indoor climate

Global environmental challenges, increased energy regulations in the building industry, and the lack of resources such as coal and oil require us to take action and to show an interest in the more sustainable and future-proof alternatives in the building industry.

Much of the existing building stock faces major renovation and this presents an opportunity to introduce more sustainable and energy efficient initiatives in the building industry.

KE Fibertec is ready to contribute with a sustainable ventilation solution following our introduction in October 2012 of the world's first Cradle to Cradle certified ventilation duct - CradleVent®.

Cradle to Cradle is about taking responsibility of the entire life cycle of a product, from cradle to cradle, i.e. from manufacturing to recycling. When our fabric ducts are no longer usable we take them back for disassembly and the various parts will be recycled in another technical cycle.

Think about the indoor climate

Sustainability is not only about the building but also about the people working there. It is a well-documented fact that a good indoor climate increases our power of concentration and causes less absence due to sickness. Therefore the indoor climate is an essential parameter when considering energy renovation.

By prioritizing good ventilation at the workplace you prioritize your employees. A good indoor climate will result in a healthy and effective staff which again will reflect directly on the bottom line. 

Save energy

An environmental focus will not only result in reduced CO₂ emissions but also in reduced energy costs. These are responsible and sustainable initiatives, however, showing respect for the environment is also good business. Energy savings and the ability of giving an account of these savings both as a material supplier and as a contractor will be future requirements, and our trade must be prepared for that.

Fabric ducts from KE Fibertec can be washed when the material after a period has accumulated dust and dirt. Washing the ducts saves energy as the power consumption in generating the required quantity of air is reduced when the duct is clean. It is considerably easier to clean fabric ducts compared to steel ducts, and this is also the reason why very few companies clean their steel ducting systems.

Tailored solutions

From a renovation aspect, it may present a problem to fit the ventilation ducts into existing buildings. Here, fabric ducts are unique in that they can be fitted to each individual room. The ducts will be designed so that in color, shape, and size they will match the room in question, thus becoming part of the architecture.

Sustainability is the road ahead

The journey towards a more sustainable world has just begun. International certification institutes such as DGNB, LEED, and Breeam at construction level and Cradle to Cradle at product level are gaining ground in order to ensure proper documentation for the safety of all parties.

According to a research from 2011 by Arkitema and BullsEye Communications three out of four operators in the building industry anticipate a growing demand on sustainable buildings. Here in 2013 we can say that this trend has proven to be correct - and will continue unabated. Sustainability is becoming a more and more important competitive factor.