Demand for denser and more efficient air ducts is growing across Europe

Sealing of Air Handling Unit

Creative air duct construction

MEZ-AEROSEAL in use

MEZ-AEROSEAL in use

MEZ-AEROSEAL in use

The MEZ-TECHNIK GmbH air system products have been successfully expanding the European partner network for the MEZ-AEROSEAL process since the beginning of the year. The innovative technology for sealing already installed air duct systems from the inside out has filled an important gap in ventilation construction since 2015 - the gap between "desire and reality". On the one hand, regarding compliance with the required airtightness classes in existing buildings according to DIN EN 15727:2010-10, and on the other hand, in achieving the specified airtightness classes for the entire piping network in new projects.

Denser air ducts are a fundamental factor on the way to achieving the climate goals of EnEV 2014 (Regulation on energy-saving thermal insulation and energy-efficient plant technology in buildings) and the national Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NAPE), aiming for nearly climate-neutral building stock by 2050.

The new EDL-G law, which regulates energy services and other energy efficiency measures, requires non-SMEs to conduct energy audits from December 5, 2015. This brings the MEZ-AEROSEAL process into focus for facility management, as it can be applied both to newly installed systems and to existing air duct systems.

Expensive and transported air should stay where it belongs – in the air ducts, until it reaches the inlet or outlet. The MEZ-AEROSEAL process is the most effective & efficient measure to achieve this requirement, as even the highest airtightness class D can now be reached without significant additional effort on-site in a installed duct network, and even leakage limits can be undershot. Furthermore, higher duct system airtightness results in an unprecedented level of hygiene & comfort.

Europe-wide Service Partner Network Continues to Grow

MEZ-AEROSEAL is now represented by a partner network in three European countries. The Swiss company Avenco AG operates from Affoltern am Albis on the Swiss market, Aeroseal Austria GmbH, based in Linz, handles the Austrian market, and the French partner MapClim has branches in Bordeaux, Paris, and Lyon. Project inquiries from countries without local partners are currently handled and implemented by the MEZ-AEROSEAL team at MEZ-TECHNIK GmbH.

The Swiss ventilation specialist Avenco AG (www.avenco.ch) focuses on planning, service, and customer support in plant engineering and also supplies the products needed for project implementation. With MEZ-AEROSEAL, the company aims to make ventilation systems in Switzerland more energy-efficient and to continue to solidify its pioneering role in future-oriented ventilation construction.

The Aeroseal Austria GmbH is a newly founded company comprising several specialists in air duct manufacturing, plant engineering, and air duct cleaning, headquartered in Linz/Oberösterreich. The company expects to finally overcome long-standing problems in ventilation systems—whistling noises, odors, and energy loss due to leaks—by applying Aeroseal, as well as ensuring compliance with specified airtightness classes according to standards or customer requirements. The necessary energy-related assessments and measurements can also be provided by Aeroseal Austria through its certified experts. Additionally, the company anticipates cost advantages in project execution through synergies in cleaning and renovation of existing systems with MEZ-AEROSEAL, all from a single source.

The third partner in the MEZ-AEROSEAL network specializes in planning, airtightness and hygiene testing, service, and maintenance of air duct systems. MapClim (www.mapclim.fr), based in France, is present in the country's major urban areas and can respond to inquiries from all parts of the country. Through the partnership with MEZ-AEROSEAL, the company expects to deepen its activities around energy efficiency and indoor air quality, as well as optimal regulation of ventilation systems for greater sustainability.

Cost Savings in Double-Digit Percentages

Avenco CEO Sven Sieber describes his perspective as follows: "MEZ-AEROSEAL fills an important gap in ventilation construction. Namely, the gap between desire and reality. On one hand, we have the theoretical efficiencies of the systems determined by engineers; on the other hand, what the systems actually achieve in reality. There are sometimes worlds between them. With MEZ-AEROSEAL, it is now possible to make the systems more efficient." Aeroseal Austria confirms this: "With MEZ-AEROSEAL, it is now possible not only to carry out cosmetic renovations but also to achieve genuine improvements in the condition of the systems, ensuring energy-efficient and standard-compliant air duct networks for end customers (even with old systems)." However, the Aeroseal process is not intended as a "replacement for craftsmanship or the use of high-quality products in manufacturing and installation."

Sven Sieber also emphasizes the increasing importance of environmental protection and energy efficiency in the ventilation industry and expects nothing less than a small revolution in the sector through the application of MEZ-AEROSEAL: "If the 'theoretical' airtightness classes can also be practically realized in regular operation, this will certainly generate interest, and planners and builders will insist more strongly on compliance with the requirements." From Linz's side, expectations are similar, and it is assumed that in the future "compliance with the specified values will be more closely monitored in newly installed systems." Avenco's CEO sees this paradigm shift and the increased awareness of duct airtightness as leading to a rising demand for sealing ventilation systems in existing buildings. He anticipates significant cost reductions in the operation of ventilation systems—"in the double-digit percentage range"—through the use of MEZ-AEROSEAL.

New Awareness for Energy Efficiency

The focus on energy efficiency is also central for the managing directors of MapClim, Salvador Rodriguez and François Tojagic. They observe a steadily growing awareness among building operators regarding the immediate impact of a well-functioning ventilation system on operating costs. The shift in awareness about the airtightness of air duct systems can be particularly seen in the profile of clients for airtightness testing, which MapClim has been offering for nearly 10 years. Initially, clients were exclusively hospitals, and the projects arose from concerns about hygiene standards. Today, the situation is quite different, and airtightness tests are also conducted in industry, schools, and various other types of buildings, often driven by the goal of increasing energy efficiency.

The market, of course, is far from saturated due to these partnerships, and more partners will gradually reduce the gaps on the European map. Companies interested in partnering are warmly invited to inquire and to contact MEZ-AEROSEAL by phone or email.

Meets VDI 6022 and VOC Standards

MEZ-AEROSEAL also holds the Indoor Air Comfort certification for the MEZ-AEROSEAL sealant used during the sealing process (in accordance with national regulations regarding VOC emissions in Europe). During this certification, the emissions of the product were successfully tested according to the requirements in Germany, France, and Belgium. In Germany, this involves the specifications of the Committee for the Health-Related Evaluation of Building Products (AgBB, 2012) and the German Institute for Building Technology (DIBt, 2010). In France, the sealant complies with the French regulation on emission classes (Decree 2011-321), corresponding to the best VOC class A+ in France. In Belgium, the sealant passed the test specified in the Belgian Royal Decree C-2014/24239. In addition to good VOC values, the Indoor Air Comfort Label also confirms that carcinogenic substances were not detectable in the tested product after 3 or 28 days.

The MEZ-AEROSEAL sealant also meets the requirements of the VDI 6022 Hygiene Guideline, Part 1 (07/2011) for microbial inertness, making it suitable for use in HVAC systems.