Underfloor heating
Tabs & chilled ceilings – a glimpse into the future
New restrictions on noise levels and ever more challenging targets on energy reduction mean that specifiers and indeed clients are increasingly looking for quieter and more efficient alternatives to heating and cooling a modern, open plan office space, advises Tony Harbour
ing option for specifiers is a chilled ceiling system, working in conjunction with radiant under- floor heating.
Installing a Rehau pipe in an off site constructed TABS system
in part the growth in popularity of radiant heating and cooling solutions, coupled with the fact that they are also broadly recognised as providing the opti- mum comfort levels for occupants. With comfort levels equating directly to staff output and per- formance, it is hardly surprising that, for a growing number of clients in new build developments in particular, the ideal scenario is now a combination of radiant underfloor heating to provide warmth and a chilled ceiling to provide coolth.
The systems tick all the other boxes for clients in terms of low noise levels, low energy levels and low maintenance costs, particular- ly when compared with fan coil units, but above all they offer improved levels of comfort and response which have been proven to help improve staff productivity and well being.
The only hurdle as I see to increased specifications of the sys- tems in the future is the require- ment for them to be designed into the building at a much earlier stage than conventional heat emitters. In its most fundamental form, radiant heating and cooling can now mean embedding PE-Xa pipework within the concrete building structure in the system known as TABS (Thermally Activated Building System). By circulating chilled or heated water
30 | September 2014 | HVR
through the pipework, the thermal mass of the concrete can be utilised to temper the environment inside the building.
Whilst this system has already been used extensively in Europe and in South Africa, it is now beginning to win supporters in the UK and Rehau is currently involved in a high-profile installa- tion in the new Tate Modern building which is close to comple- tion in Southwark, London. From a design perspective,
TABS requires that the output and the flow takes into account the mass of the concrete itself as well as the final floor covering, so this needs to be considered at an early stage. However, it does have the advantage that it can be installed off-site in precast slabs if required as it has been at the Tate. The Rehau Everloc fitting is a huge benefit in these projects as we are able to install these fittings within the concrete slab itself, meaning the minimum amount of pipework penetrates the concrete at a single point. This is particular- ly valuable where space is at a premium. It also means that we are able to offer a quick and simple repair solution should anybody drill through the pipe at a later stage. And, it is all covered by the 10-year Rehau warranty. Of course, not every building can accommodate TABS and a more mainstream and less daunt-
Chilled ceilings are essentially radiant chilled plasterboard panels with loops of PE-Xa pipe pre-fit- ted. They can be used in place of standard suspended ceiling panels to provide a simple, effective and concealed cooling solution along- side an underfloor heating system. The key point of course being that underfloor heating generates warmth which naturally rises to the occupied area and a chilled ceiling generates coolth which naturally falls to the occupied area. Rehau has installed more than 80 chilled ceilings across Europe in recent years, including at Siemens’ Urban Sustainability Centre, The Crystal, in London’s docklands.
Our all-in-one solution is quick and easy to install with pre-drilled fix holes located on each panel and a guaranteed leak proof joint- ing system which gives contractors and clients complete peace of mind that there will be no drips from overhead.
The primary constraint at both the design and installation stage is that the system must not clash with other services such as lights and sprinklers or audio systems. The ceiling panels must not be penetrated and there also needs to be constant vigilance to ensure that no pipework is cut during the installation of other services. However, Rehau can provide a full design service and installation advice to eliminate any potential
Tony Harbour
problems. Clients who want a more conventional ceiling finish can choose a skim finish over the panels but this will have a slight impact on the performance so, again, it needs to be considered at the design stage.
It took more than 20 years for
underfloor heating to make the transition from niche to main- stream solution in the UK, largely because many of the early pipework systems were simply not up to the task and the systems were difficult to control with noto- rious hot and cold spots. There are none of those con-
cerns with chilled ceilings – the concept and the components are well proven and there are now intelligent control options available which even take into account the response times of the plasterboard. With contractors and clients already embracing the new tech- nology, I can confidently predict that the transition from niche to mainstream will be much quicker. // The author is the specifications manager for Rehau //
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