Craig Edwards from WMS Underfloor Heating gives his views on why the latest embodied carbon data on heating systems shows that underfloor heating is the option to consider for specifiers pursuing low emissions
The total carbon emissions from a building can only truly be calculated when both the running emissions – for heating, cooling and power – are added to the carbon embodied within materials and from construction. The calculation also includes carbon emissions from the deconstructing and disposing of materials at the end of the building’s (and product’s) life cycle – so, material specification choices today will continue to have an impact long into the future.
Following recent regulatory changes with the way we heat domestic properties, and sustainability remaining firmly in the spotlight, the important matter of embodied carbon is becoming even more pressing.
Changes in the making
The latest regulations for newly built dwellings – namely the low water temperature update to the Building Regulations and Part L – are already driving the changes needed to achieve a net zero emissions state in the UK by 2050. These new rules and goals ahead have not only opened up conversations about which heating system to specify, but also the manufacturing process of products/materials, overall sustainability and their wider effects on the environment.
To gather a deeper understanding of how underfloor heating compares with traditional radiator systems, WMS carried out a study using key statistics from a Government report in relation to the carbon impact of manufacturing building materials. The study revealed that underfloor heating systems have very low embodied carbon, when compared to radiators and when all the key elements are taken into consideration, switching to underfloor heating has 93% less embodied carbon.
Crucial calculations
The foundation of this calculation is data from within the Government statistics which disclose the carbon impact of manufacturing building materials. The report states that the manufacture of iron and steel products have a 7.1 MTCO2e (metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent), compared with plastic products which have a 3 MTCO2e – 58% less than that of iron and steel.
Material volume is also a key aspect. In an average house with 10 rooms over two floors, underfloor heating also proves to be a low embodied carbon heating system as the system requires 42% less material (129.4 kg) compared with 222.6 kg of material for an equivalent standard radiator system.
The weight, and consequently the volume of material, would also increase further for larger, low temperature radiators now required to meet the demands of the new 55˚C flow temperature update to the Building Regulations and Part L revisions, which are now in force.
Future proofing
The relatively short life cycle of traditional radiators, around 25 years, means that, in addition to being less efficient than underfloor heating when in situ, they become a waste product in a relatively
short space of time. While they can be recycled once decommissioned, the carbon produced during the recycling process is extremely high.
Underfloor heating systems are distinctly different, as the system can last three times longer, with most offering at least a 75-year guarantee. This not only boosts the building’s sustainability credentials, but also provides reassurance that the system will likely outlive the lifetime of the building. A good quality underfloor heating pipe – which is made from superior quality five layered sustainable PE-RT (polyethylene of raised temperature resistance) – can also be melted down safely and reused. So, when it comes to a longer view of a building’s overall carbon emissions, underfloor heating is also proven to be a truly sustainable specification choice.
Craig Edwards is sales manager at WMS Underfloor Heating