Underfloor Heating System

Problem to be solved

Installation of Underfloor Heating in an area of 4,500²ft that was entirely open to the elements. The variation of floor depths, with some areas 150mm and other areas 85mm, increased the difficulty factor.

Solution

As the installer of this underfloor heating system, we had to pay meticulous attention to the buildings electrical design drawings. The underfloor heating design was particularly tricky as electrical trunking and electrical boxes were already installed. We used a specialist screed product for restricted floor depths and directed the inducing of cut lines to prevent the screed cracking in the curing process.

The full story

We were contracted to install and commission the Underfloor Heating in the new Belfast MET campus in the Titanic Quarter. The project presented many challenges, not least the expanse of the main entrance hall which is a massive 4,500²ft of ground floor area entirely open to the elements.

“We had to thread the heating system around already installed electrical trunking and floor boxes. We were also working with a wide variation of available floor depths. The weather also made life difficult for us”.

The project was complex, but we thrive on a challenge! Despite everything that was thrown at us – not least the unpredictable weather, the project was completed on time and within the £25,000 budget.

“The target ambient temperature for the entrance hall is 21°C. The heating has been working to 100% successfully since the college opened its doors in September last year. We have not had to go back to site once since completion”.

To meet the objectives of Belfast Met, we designed and installed a tailored solution, choosing the most suitable materials for a high footfall space.

“We have built a portfolio of suppliers based around the integrity of their product and manufacturing processes. We insist on full traceability of all products and their components. We also ensure we visit the manufacturing sites of all suppliers to ensure they meet our exacting standards. When designing a renewable energy system for a client, we choose the right product to best suit the project.”

The mechanical consulting engineers on the job, WYG Belfast, commissioned us at Daly Renewables, based on our credentials and reputation for exactness, proven experience mastering complex projects and reliability.

The complexity of the project was compounded by factors such as restrictions in floor depth and the fact that the electrical trunking and electrical boxes were already installed when our team came on board. We requested the electrical design drawings and designed the system to ensure that all underfloor heating pipework was directed around these floor depth restrictions. The variation in floor depths ranged from 85mm to 150mm. A specialist product, Airflex, was specified for use on the parts of the floor which were 85mm thick, which allowed the floor screed to remain at 75mm throughout which is crucial for heat distribution.

“We used pipe sleeves for expansion joints as the main contractor planned to induce a cut line to prevent the screed from cracking during the curing process, allowing for expansion within the floor screed. This necessitated sleeving of the underfloor heating pipework in certain areas of the floor”.