Inside the IKEA — Gurgaon HVAC Ducting & Insulation Project: Engineering Quiet, Safe, Efficient Air

Working inside a facility that serves both retail and warehousing needs demands HVAC work that’s precise, serviceable, quiet and safe. Our ongoing HVAC ducting & insulation contract at IKEA Gurgaon is built around those three pillars — efficient air distribution, robust fire safety, and targeted acoustic control — so the customer experience, operations and building safety all perform at their best.

Project snapshot

Scope highlights

Full supply, fabrication and installation of supply, return, fresh-air and exhaust ducts.
Acoustic and thermal insulation across conditioned and service areas.
Fire & safety accessories: fire dampers, VCDs, smoke-extraction ductwork and necessary access doors.
Testing, Adjusting & Balancing (TAB) and leakage verification to SMACNA / applicable IS standards

HVAC ducting: design-for-service and precision execution

We fabricated ducts using GI and stainless steel sheets to the design gauges, with TDF/TDC and angle-flange connections where required. The routing was coordinated for clearances with other services and to allow easy future maintenance.

Key execution points:

CNC plasma and automated fabrication for accurate, leak-minimised joints.
Accessories installed: turning vanes, splitter dampers, access doors and vibration isolators at equipment interfaces.
Erection methods: GI-threaded rods, hangers, trapeze supports and spring isolators to control vibration transmission.
All wall/partition penetrations in fire-rated areas sealed using approved fire-stopping materials.

The result: a duct network that meets design airflow requirements and is straightforward to inspect and maintain

Fire & safety systems: zoning, control and access

Fire safety is a priority for a mixed-use facility. We installed:

Fire dampers (motorized or curtain type depending on the penetration and fire zone).
Volume Control Dampers (VCDs) for balancing and zonal control.
Smoke-extraction ductwork constructed to higher gauge and treated for fire-rated performance where needed.
Proper access doors adjacent to dampers and key ductwork for inspection, service and cleaning.

Every installed damper and access point is verified for operation and maintainability during TAB activities

Acoustic & thermal insulation: comfort + energy performance

To keep customer-facing areas comfortable and low-noise, and mechanical spaces thermally efficient, we implemented a layered approach:

Acoustic treatment

Sound attenuators at AHU discharge and return to reduce transmitted noise into retail and office zones.
Flexible acoustic linings in select duct sections to attenuate airborne noise without constraining maintenance.

Thermal insulation

Supply and return ducts insulated with mineral wool or XLPE sheets, complete with vapour barrier for chilled-air ducts to prevent condensation.
External cladding (aluminium or PPGI) on ducts located in plant rooms or outdoors for durability.
Flange insulation kits to eliminate thermal bridging at joints.
All insulation joints sealed continuously to avoid cold-bridging and condensation risks.
Fire-rated wraps/boards applied for ducts traversing fire-rated zones.

Testing, Adjusting & Balancing (TAB) — the verification that matters

Quality control and performance verification are integral. Our TAB program includes:

Duct leakage testing to SMACNA / relevant IS standards to ensure system integrity.
Airflow measurements and fine-tuning using VCDs to confirm design CFM and zoning balance.
Functional checks of fire dampers and validation of acoustic performance for silencers and attenuators.

This ensures the system performs as intended from day one and remains serviceable.

Challenges & engineered solutions

Tight service corridors: Routed ducts with offset spigots and compact fittings; coordinated closely with other trades to preserve serviceability.
Noise-sensitive retail areas: Locating silencers and attenuators at strategic points and applying flexible lining to target frequencies without blocking access.
Fire-rated penetrations: Combined mechanical design with approved fire-stop systems and access provisions for inspection.

Outcomes so far

Robust duct network fabricated to tight tolerances with leak-minimising joints.
Thermal and acoustic insulation applied with continuity and anti-condensation detailing.
Fire and smoke control measures installed with accessible maintenance points.
TAB activities underway to ensure verified performance and safety compliance.

Next steps & client assurance

The project remains ongoing and will proceed through final TAB, commissioning of AHUs and handover with operation & maintenance documentation. All installations follow the specified design and applicable standards; we provide operation guidance and a maintenance checklist to the facility team to preserve system performance and longevity.