Client: Berkeley Homes
Contractor: Greenhall Insulation Contracts Ltd
Value: £60 million
Type of works: A total of 1,700m² of Kingspan KoolDuct was assembled on-site and installed throughout the Grosvenor Bridge House complex at The Chelsea Bridge Wharf development.

Kingspan KoolDuct, the latest in ducting technology, played an important part in completing the first phase of Chelsea Bridge Wharf, a prestigious London riverside residential development by Berkeley Homes.

Phase one of the south-west London project was the £60 million Grosvenor Bridge House, a nine-storey block of 150 luxury apartments and penthouses, commanding some of the finest views in London.

The completed Chelsea Bridge Wharf development will comprise more than 600 high-quality apartments, in addition to a 320-room hotel and 6,500m² of office accommodation.

A total of 1,700m² of Kingspan KoolDuct was assembled on site and installed throughout the Grosvenor Bridge House complex by Greenhall Insulation Contracts Ltd, in order to supply ducting for the project's fan coil, air-conditioning system.

By opting for the fast-ttrack KoolDuct System, an installation rate of 10 to 12 flats per day was easily achieved, which is three times the planned productivity.

In fact, the progress of the installation was so much faster than planned, that the ductwork was able to be removed from the project’s critical path. This also allowed the ductwork to be completed ahead of the internal partitions, removing the need to subsequently cut a hole through each connecting wall.

The fast-track performance of Kingspan KoolDuct on the project bears out a recent independent analysis by consultants Bucknall Austin, which concluded that the system can be installed up to three times faster than sheet metal ductwork. Furthermore, the Bucknall Austin report singled out the lightweight, yet strong, Kingspan KoolDuct as one of the most effective options for projects where weight is an issue.

Peter Merrien, of Greenhall Insulation Contracts Ltd, said: ‘The installation of KoolDuct was up to 75% quicker than using traditional sheet-metal ducting and insulation, which was a huge advantage on a time critical project such as this.’

He continued to say: ‘In addition, the fact that KoolDuct is pre-insulated and does not require additional lagging, made it ideal because of the confined space between the false ceiling and soffits which had to carry all services as well as the ducting.’

As part of Kingspan Insulation's commitment to combine product innovation with social responsibility Kingspan KoolDuct now has zero Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) as standard, being fabricated from CFC/HCFC-free, rigid-phenolic insulation panels. The panels are faced with reinforced aluminium foil on both sides, making Kingspan KoolDuct zero ODP very durable, and also aesthetically pleasing in open to view applications.

Other benefits of The Kingspan KoolDuct complete-system technology enhance its appeal to specifiers. The system's low level of air leakage and superior insulating properties can result in electrical consumption savings. With the Kingspan KoolDuct system, ventilation-air flows over aluminium surfaces and does not have contact with any material containing loose fibres, making it ideal for high-specification projects.

Rigid-phenolic insulation offers several further advantages, including excellent fire resistance with negligible smoke emission and first class moisture resistance.