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The right choice for a low carbon future
Underfloor heating can make a major contribution to reducing carbon emissions, argues Malcolm Jaques of Warmafloor. He re, he highlights the‘ green’ credentials of underfloor heating and shows how the company has demonstra ted a commitment to practicing what it preaches.
Over the past few years we have seen a major change in the attitude of specifiers and building operators in the face of energy-saving legislation. This has created a new world of opportunity. It's a world in which underfloor heating is now a first choice solution. The development of modern warm water UFH technology, based on flexible plastic pipe, means that, at last, there is an alternative to inefficient warm air heaters and radiators as a means of heating commercial and industrial buildings. By turning the entire floor area into a giant radiant plane, an underfloor system heats the area from the floor up rather than the ceiling down and with a much higher proportion of radiant rather than convected heat. This not only improves comfort levels, it can lead to major savings in running costs – particularly in areas with high ceilings such as atria, airport departure and arrivals halls, theatres, cinemas, warehouses, factories etc.
In addition UFH is totally invisible, maintenance-free and tamper-proof. And remember, the larger the area served, the lower the cost of the total installation in comparison to traditional methods.
Capital gains
A few years ago, the application of underfloor heating to any building involved a premium in additional capital cost. This was not so much for the system itself, but rather for the insulation layer required to prevent downward heat loss. Now Part L regulations demand insulation in the floor whether you heat it or not. In fact, most of the projects we get involved in have layers of insulation with a thermal performance far in excess of that required for the heating system.
Today, the cost of the insulation material and the time taken to install it are no longer part of the underfloor heating package, so the best solution is now often the least expensive too.
Watchwords
Capital cost, reduced time on site – these were once the watchwords of the building services industry. Of course they’re still important, but new words have now entered the professional's vocabulary. And when architects, consultants and clients use them, they mean what they say - they have to. Those words are ‘low carbon emissions’.
By making the best use of condensing boilers, heat pumps and other heat sources low energy UFH systems make a major contribution to reducing carbon emissions for heating systems alone. However, the drive for ‘greener’ buildings means that underfloor heating and cooling is increasingly being considered as a viable alternative to air-conditioning. The same pipework matrix that heats the building in the winter can circulate chilled water during the summer period to create cooler, more comfortable conditions. Simultaneous heating and cooling of different parts of the building to cope with solar gains is also perfectly possible. It’s a cost effective and environmentally friendly alternative method of cooling.
Into practice
Until recently there haven’t been too many examples of all these techniques being combined in a single building. Until, that is, Warmafloor decided to put preaching into practice at the company’s new head office building. This brand new, purpose built 20,000ft2 structure employs a whole range of low energy environmentally-friendly systems to provide total comfort in a virtually carbon-neutral environment. Unsurprisingly there are no radiators anywhere in the building. Instead, environmental control systems are integrated into the very structure. Loops of 20mm Polybutylene pipe are embedded in the structural slab to provide heating and cooling. The pipe circuits are connected to ground source heat pumps with a high-efficiency condensing boiler as a back up at peak demand.
The building, the first of its type in the UK, consists of three floors of office and warehouse and is heavily insulated – way beyond building regulation requirements. While the floor is the main element providing the base load for both heating and cooling, ceiling cooling panels and specially designed corner convectors near the larger windows have also been introduced as ‘trimming’ devices to the base load. An air replacement system with heat recovery, low energy, ‘sound activated’ lighting together with solar shading, and rainwater harvesting all combine to minimise carbon emissions.
Spreading the word
The new Warmafloor building will be much more than just an office. We are committed to a policy of training for excellence. Warmafloor helped to pioneer ‘distance learning’ with NVQ qualification and are now in the vanguard of support for a new BPEC underfloor heating course. Once this UHMA sponsored course is established, it is hoped to use the state-of-the-art facilities to run modules for plumbers and contractors to complement our existing programme of CPD seminars for design engineers, consultants and architects.
So, underfloor heating has come of age. It's cleaner, greener and more versatile by miles. However, just as in any other industry, there are good, bad and indifferent underfloor heating companies. Since the system is going to be integrated into the structure of the building it’s as well to make sure that you choose a good one – one with good pedigree, experience and reputation.
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