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Centerville, Ohio — A survey from the Building Commissioning Association (BCA) found that an overwhelming majority of engineers and other building professionals believe that duct leakage is a significant cause of energy loss in most commercial buildings today.
The survey, taken in December 2015 and sponsored in part by Aeroseal LLC, queried BCA members regarding various building performance issues. A total of 236 BCA members, representing engineers, commissioning agents, facility managers, and other building professionals responded to the survey.
Survey results show an overwhelming majority of today’s building professionals believe that, for commercial buildings, leaky ductwork is a significant cause of energy waste. Three-quarters of the respondents said they believe that leaky ducts contribute substantially to energy loss in commercial buildings.
At the same time, building professionals think that leaky ducts are a common problem. About 74 percent of the respondents said they believe most buildings in the U.S. today have significant duct leakage. About 55 percent said that, in their experience, they believe duct leakage rates of 15 percent or more are somewhat common, while an additional 13 percent said they are highly likely.
“We call it 'The Hole Truth' about building performance,” said Neal Walsh, senior vice president, Aeroseal. “Most people don’t even think about the role that ductwork plays in commercial building performance, but the fact is, duct leakage is one of the most significant contributors to energy waste in U.S. buildings today.”
The U.S. Department of Energy ranks duct sealing third among all HVAC-related upgrades available to commercial building owners for significant energy savings. The agency’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) also ranks duct sealing as one of the 10 most effective energy-saving strategies among all performance enhancement categories.
“For decades, the problems associated with duct leakage in commercial buildings have typically been underestimated for one simple reason — fixing the problem has been a highly expensive and intrusive proposition,” Walsh said. “Now that new innovations in duct sealing technology are available, building professionals are finding duct sealing to be the new low-hanging fruit when it comes to energy savings for both new and existing buildings.”
Results from the survey indicate that 22 percent of building professionals have found significant duct leakage to be prevalent in both new and existing buildings.
The BCA is an international non-profit organization that serves as the recognized authority and resource on commissioning. Its membership is made up of professionals from the commercial building industry, committed to the highest standards and practices for the commissioning process. For more information, visit http://www.bcxa.org.
Aeroseal is dedicated to the development and distribution of innovations in home and building performance technologies. Together with its subsidiary, Comfort Institute, Aeroseal offers building professionals the education, tools, and resources needed to maximize building performance in both residential and commercial applications. For more information, visit www.aeroseal.com.
