Synco HVAC building automation for enhanced comfort and energy efficiency

HVAC building automation needs vary greatly between individual buildings, depend on factors such as building size, life
cycle, operating times and comfort needs. Synco building automation can be matched to all these requirements: The
standard controllers offer maximum energy efficiency plus reliability and represent a product range of modular design. This
means that Synco enables you to plan a versatile, cost- and energy-efficient HVAC control system and to straightforwardly
install and commission it with no need for programming. In addition, functions like the energy indicator or the HomeControl
app support the user in monitoring and controlling their HVAC plant, facilitating energy-efficient operation.
Highlights at a glance:
Energy savings thanks to intelligent building automation
Energy efficiency ensured by eu.bac-certified controllers
Well prepared for any requirement with a comprehensive product range
Versatility and expandability for future use
Straightforward operation and quick commissioning
Optimum control and fast setting options through remote plant access
Superior support through a reliable partner
Highest quality and reliability backed by decades of experience and high standards



Building Automation System
EC-Net
AX
Web-based Multi-protocol Building Automation and Energy Management Platform
EC-Net
AX
s building automation system (BAS) multi-protocol, multi-function capabilities provide seamless and
intelligent integration of HVAC, Lighting, Access Control, CCTV, Energy Management, and other building systems.
EC-Net
AX
BAS provides the power to do more, with cost-effective and scalable integration of all your control,
monitoring, and operational needs. A truly open solution, the platform creates a sustainable foundation that supports
and evolves with your building systems lifecycle.
Program, manage, and monitor your building automation system using a Web browser
Common platform provides global functions such as network control, monitoring, alarming, database and log
management, and audit trails for all building functions
Monitor, acknowledge, and review alarms with sophisticated alarm processing and routing, including e-mail
and paging
Manage multi-site or campuses with one system
Choose best-of-breed products and prolong the useful life of existing systems by extending their capabilities,
regardless of manufacturer or protocol
Leverage real-time business intelligence through connectivity with enterprise applications such as
accounting, tenant billing, and energy management and utility monitoring interfaces
Open standards provide a useful, cost-effective infrastructure for convergence with IT networks

Sorting out the options in fiber glass duct insulation
Key concepts Fiber glass insulation is used in HVAC systems for temperature, noise,
and condensation control, and energy conservation. Four primary types of products
are duct liner, duct wrap, duct board, and flexible fiber glass ducts.
By David Tomchak
03/01/2000
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Key concepts
Fiber glass insulation is used in HVAC systems for temperature, noise, and
condensation control, and energy conservation.
Four primary types of products are duct liner, duct wrap, duct board, and
flexible fiber glass ducts.
Studies show fiber glass insulation does not contribute to microbial growth
and has a positive impact on building IAQ.
For more than 40 yr, fiber glass insulation has been used as a component in
air duct systems to maintain comfort and indoor environmental quality. HVAC
fiber glass insulation is specified for four primary reasons:
- Temperature control -- Delivering heated or cooled air at a temperature
level best suited to building needs
- Acoustical control -- Absorbing noise generated by air handling equipment
and by air moving through ducts
- Condensation control -- Preventing condensation that could damage
insulation and other HVAC system components
- Energy conservation -- Reducing HVAC system operating costs and
energy use by lowering heat loss or gain through air duct walls.
More than 99% of all HVAC insulation products use fiber glass technology.
The material remains an optimal choice in terms of safety, cost-effectiveness,
and performance.
Types of insulation
There are four basic types of HVAC insulation products: duct liner, which is
used in the interior of sheet metal ducts; duct wrap, which is used on the
exterior of sheet metal ducts; fiber glass duct board, which is used to fabricate
duct; and flexible fiber glass ducts.
1. Duct liner. Fiber glass duct liner products come as flexible blankets or rigid
boards of fiber glass insulation. Either a coating or a fibrous mat may form the
airstream surface. Liners are offered in a variety of thickness and density
combinations from 1/2­2 in. Their tough airstream surface resists
puncturing, tearing, and surface wear during fabrication, installation,
operation, and cleaning.
Most duct liners contain an EPA-registered biocide to make them suitable for
IAQ-sensitive jobs. Although most liner products are intended for application
in square and rectangular ductwork, products specifically designed for round
duct are available.
2. Duct wrap. Fiber glass duct wrap is applied to the outside of sheet metal
duct. It is a blanket-type thermal insulation composed of glass fibers bonded
together with a thermosetting resin. Duct wrap can be used for both round and
rectangular duct. It normally has a vapor-retardant facing of foil scrim kraft
(FSK) or vinyl. Unfaced duct wrap insulation is also available when vapor-
retardant facing is not required. Rigid board insulation with reinforced FSK or
all-service jacket facings (ASJ) are used as exterior insulation on large metal
ductwork.
3. Duct wrap. Fiber glass ducts are fabricated from 1, 11/2, or 2-in. thick
boards. The boards consist of insulation materials made from resin-bonded
inorganic glass fibers. The outside surface of the board has a manufacturer-
applied reinforced aluminum/FSK laminate facing that serves as an air barrier
and water vapor retardant. Some products are available with mat-faced or
coated airstream surfaces. Many contain a safe, effective EPA-registered
biocide to protect against the growth of mold and mildew. Surfaces on these
enhanced products can be easily cleaned using industry-approved methods.
4. Flexible fiber glass ducts . Flexible fiber glass insulated ducts consist of a
spiral-wire-reinforced inner air core wrapped with fiber glass insulation and
jacketed with a vapor-retardant reinforced foil or plastic film. These ducts
provide an efficient, economical way to connect trunk ducts and room
diffusers or registers. Flexible fiber glass ducts should be used in restricted
lengths.
Effect of insulation on IAQ
A number of myths about the safety of fiber glass insulation have arisen over
the years. Most question the impact of the material on a building's indoor air
quality (IAQ) levels. It is unquestioned that the presence of water in HVAC
systems is what contributes to mold growth. And mold is no more likely to
grow on fiber glass than on any other surface in the duct system.
A study conducted by Duke University backs up this claim. Researchers
examined the role of such environmental factors as temperature, humidity,
airflow, operating hours, and presence of liquid in the enhancement of
microbial growth in a ventilation system. They consistently found that
microbial growth is greatest in wet zones, such as areas close to cooling coils,
mixing boxes, and places where cold air mixes with hot, humid air and creates
condensation.
Keeping the surface temperature above the dew point can greatly reduce the
wet conditions that contribute to microbial growth. Fiber glass insulation can
help control condensation, inhibit mold growth, and positively contribute to a
building's IAQ.
Some specifiers have suggested that microbes use the binder and glass in
duct liner as a food source and that microbial infestation can cause duct liner
to degrade. A Harvard University School of Public Health study indicates
this is not the case. The binders are not a nutrient for mold and do not amplify
growth.
Others believe that glass fibers erode from the interior surface of fiber glass
duct liner and board and become an irritant to workers. Study results from 25-
yr ago are consistent with current research. The World Health Organization
has declared that fibers do not have an adverse health effect on building
occupants. The University of Nevada-Las Vegas also looked into the amount
of exposure to occupants from manmade vitreous fibers when fiber glass
insulation was used in air handling systems. That research confirmed that
fiber erosion is not a significant issue.
Ensuring that an HVAC system continues to provide efficient, quiet air
delivery, occupant comfort, and cost-effectiveness is best ensured with
regular system maintenance. High-efficiency filtration is very important, as are
regular inspections, adjustments, system balancing, and the draining of
cooling coil trays.
-- Edited by Jeanine Katzel, Senior Editor, 630-320-7142,
jkatzel@cahners.com