Thermaflex at Eco Resort Network 2025

Turning the abundance of the sun into thermal comfort

Soneva Secret is no ordinary resort. Nestled on a remote island in Haa Dhaalu Atoll, this pioneering luxury destination has made history as the world’s first carbon-free cooling resort. Flexalen® 600 pre-insulated polybutene-1 (PB1) piping contributed to this success by making it possible to create a sustainable chilled water network.

Thomas van den Groenendaal showcased how our robust and highly flexible piping solution was engineered and implemented to deliver reliable, energy-efficient district cooling across the island —without compromising the resort’s pristine natural environment.

From weather resilience to thermal efficiency and ease of installation in remote locations, Flexalen® 600 stood out as the ideal infrastructure for enabling sustainable, long-lasting pre-insulated piping network in this area.

Curious how our technology is making a difference at Soneva Secret in the Maldives?

2. Optimal dimensioning of the ducts

Air ducts spread less noise when the air speed in the duct is as low as possible. After all, a higher speed means more noise and more vibration. If the fan needs to work harder, more noise is produced. Therefore, the larger the diameter of the ventilation ducts, the lower the air velocity.
Optimal dimensioning takes into account the duct diameter, the capacity of the unit, and the content of the house (air demand). But also the available space: a larger diameter duct takes up more space. TQ-Air air ventilation ducts are available for all HRV units. With diameters from 125 to 200 mm, an optimal sizing plan can always be made.

3. Clever design of ventilation ducts

Right-angled bends and transitions from wide to narrow ensure more air resistance and therefore increase the chance of noise nuisance. Avoid making too many bends by using a smart layout plan.

4. Choose well insulated ventilation ducts

The noise that the fans produce is carried by the ventilation ducts and spread further through the house. Well-insulated ventilation ducts on the supply and return side insulate thermally, but certainly acoustically as well. This effectively dampens the cabinet radiation. The insulation on the inside of TQ-air ventilation ducts is vapour diffusion tight. Partly because of this, the sound noise reduction is 20dB (system 160/125) or 14dB (system 200/170). (According to DIN-EN-ISO 5135:1999).

5. Airtight connections

Any leakage in the ventilation duct can result in the escape of air, but also of sound. The critical parts of a ventilation duct for leakage are the connections. Due to differences in heat and cold between the air in the duct and that of the surrounding space, there is slack on the connections. So: choose flexible connections that continue to close well, even when the ducts move.
Thermaflex’ TQ-Air connections are made of rubber, which makes them easy to install and prevents the ventilation duct from leaking.

Why work with us

Thermaflex combines decades of expertise with a commitment to sustainable innovation. As your trusted partner, we deliver more than products, we provide comprehensive technical support, proven solutions, and collaborative partnerships that help you achieve project success, regulatory compliance, and long-term operational efficiency across various markets and applications worldwide.