Embedded Carbon
When the decarbonisation of the nation’s homes is becoming increasingly important, how does the carbon impact of underfloor heating fair versus traditional heating systems?
A recent study has shown that underfloor heating systems have very low embedded carbon, when compared to radiators.
Steel Production = 7.1 MTCO2e
Plastic Production = 3 MTCO2e
* Govt Stats
Of course, other things to be taken into consideration are statistics such as the product lifecycle and material volume.
To use the example of an average house made up to 10 rooms, over two floors, using underfloor heating would only require 129.4kg of material. However, using radiators in the same dwelling would require around 222.6kg of material.
The carbon footprint of a heating system is not only dependent on the energy consumed or wasted but is also inclusive of the manufacturing processes and the product lifespan.
At WMS, we guarantee the high-quality 5 layer PE-RT (polyethylene of raised temperature resistance) pipe used in our UFH systems for 50 years – in most cases it will outlive the building itself.
Radiators, however, typically have a lifespan of 25 years before they require replacing. So, within the lifespan of an underfloor heating system a homeowner could need to replace their radiators up to three times.
To add to this, PE-RT can be melted down safely and reused, further underlining the sustainability factor of the major component of underfloor heating. All these elements added together reveal that switching to underfloor heating will reduce the embedded carbon of the heating system in a new build dwelling by up to 93%.
With the way we heat our homes changing, it’s time to be conscious of the carbon impact of the way we heat, the sustainability and the ultimate effects on our environment.
Get in contact for more information about our underfloor heating systems, a low embedded carbon heating system, for your project.
Joanna Crown, Marketing Director at WMS Underfloor Heating, looks at the carbon impact of underfloor heating and traditional radiator systems. Read the full article from Housing Association Magazine.
WMS joins the conversation on the flooring trends, like low embedded carbon underfloor heating, housebuilders are following in 2023 in Showhouse magazine