Looking to upgrade your outdated heating systems within your educational facility?
Goodbye draughty corridors and classrooms…
If you are looking to move on from expensive outdated heating systems, then an underfloor heating (UFH) system is a great option.
Underfloor heating works by circulating warm water through a series of continuous loops of pipes that are located underneath a floor, creating a large, heated surface that heats spaces from the ground up, this enables it to run at lower temperatures and therefore more efficiently.
As the UK moves towards a zero-carbon future, there is no time like the present to invest in a heating system that integrates well with low carbon heat sources to minimise carbon impact.
If your project is inclusive of heat pumps, then there is even more reason to consider underfloor heating, as the two work perfectly together because they work at their most efficient when at low temperatures.
Reasons To Consider Underfloor Heating for Education
The Basics…
Underfloor heating heats larger surface areas due to being completely under the floor and the heat provided being evenly distributed within your learning environment, with no cold spots. UFH uses radiant technology to heat which is a similar feeling to the warmth emitted from the sun; a gentle and natural form of heating, aiding ‘thermal comfort.’
Radiators can be large and to meet new low temperature requirements most will have to become larger still, which take away from usable floor and wall space within the buildings. UFH is hidden out of sight under floor, providing more space and freedom in classroom layouts.
(Thermal) Comfort
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advise that effectively managing thermal comfort can help improve morale and productivity. If a learning environment is too hot or too cold concentration can be affected, as well as short cuts being taken to complete work to get out of cold environments.
Health and Wellbeing
The International Wellbeing Institute credits radiant heating technologies as being the best way of heating for comfort. UFH promotes a safe environment due to having no hard edges and no scalding surfaces – which gives added peace of mind when working with young people.
UFH heats radiantly and does not require the movement of hot or recycled air, meaning the movement of dust and other allergens that trigger asthma symptoms are reduced. With 40% of children in the UK being diagnosed with an allergy (one of the four most common being asthma), according to Allergy UK, choosing UFH can assist in cleaner air and a much more comfortable environment for asthma sufferers.
Energy Efficiency
Underfloor heating will save you between 15-40% on your energy bills due to the system being able to run at much lower temperatures. Running your heating and hot water at 45°C instead of at 75°C will also be a much safer temperature for staff and students.
Product Longevity
WMS guarantee the five layered PE-RT pipe we use in our systems for up to 50 years, it can withstand high pressures, temperatures and is flexible and easy to use.
An underfloor heating system requires little maintenance, nor does it require flushing or bleeding. Keeping to an annual servicing schedule is highly recommended, however, to ensure the lifespan of the heating system.
Environmental Considerations
PE-RT pipe is environmentally safe and can be easily melted down and recycled at the end of its life.
Opting for underfloor heating instead of traditional steel radiators will save you 93% in embedded carbon over the lifecycle of the product, as underfloor heating requires less material, lasts longer and plastic uses less carbon to produce.
Our Projects within Education
WMS specialise in the system design and install of underfloor heating within educational settings so you can rest assured that your project plans will remain on track with us.
Here are a few of our projects within education facilities:
WMS installed a plated underfloor heating system within the sports hall of this flagship campus as it had to fit within a specialist sports floor. The 17mm, five-layer pipe was fitted into pre-grooved aluminium plates installed between the timber sprung battens.
The Architects for this project were specifically looking for a heating system that provided maximum comfort and that did not encroach on the teaching space, as well as wanting to maintain environmental standards at all costs – underfloor heating was the only solution. The school was heated through the floor by a tacker system on top of a 50mm laminated polystyrene insulation.