Badshot Lea Garden Centre

Installing underfloor heating instead of more "traditional" alternatives can bring major savings in running costs for garden centre operators and offer improved zonal control to match the specific requirements of different trading areas within a centre.

In garden centres running costs savings will vary according to the size, structure and layout of individual centres. However the running costs for the Warmafloor underfloor heating systems are typically one third of those for radiant heating and one sixth of those for warm air blowers.

"Unlike warm air heating where a substantial amount of heat is wasted at high level, underfloor heating is a very effective means of maintaining the required temperature within a garden centre. There is minimal heat waste and heating circuits can be laid to correspond accurately to different areas. Restaurant, retail, plant, and pet locations can each have their own controlled zone, with temperatures being more readily maintained at area borders than is the case with alternative heat sources."

In some installations it has proved possible to maintain the necessary ambient temperatures whilst running the heating system only for a few hours a day. This is because heat is temporarily "stored" within the floor slab and then released gradually to the atmosphere. The concrete floor screeds commonly used within garden centres are the ideal compliment to underfloor heating. These systems can also be used effectively with many other floorings, such as block pavers laid on sand.
As well as the energy saving benefits, underfloor is fast finding favour with centre designers because there is no need for wall or ceiling mounted equipment that might otherwise effect the appearance of the interior and impinge upon trading space.
Warmafloor underfloor heating can be laid quickly and efficiently in most new build and refurbishment schemes, provided that relaying the floor forms a part of the project.
The purpose designed and fully integrated Warmafloor system uses 20mm diameter flexible polybutylene (PB) 5 layer pipe . This is clipped into position over thermal insulation before the concrete screed or other type of floor is laid. Each zone is connected back to its own control manifold, giving great accuracy in temperature settings throughout a building.