How to save a lot of energy with the right hall heating system

The energy transition is a challenging time for companies. The country should be climate-neutral by 2045. In future, companies will have to generate electricity and heat exclusively from renewable energies. Unthinkable at the moment. According to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the combustion of fossil fuels such as gas and oil covers over 80 percent of heating requirements. In order to accelerate the transformation, the German government is increasing the pressure.

The CO₂-Abgaben auf fossile Energieträger wie Heizöl, Erdgas und Co. steigen sukzessive an von 45 Euro pro Tonne CO₂ im Jahr 2024 auf bis zu 65 Euro im Jahr 2026. Ab 2027 wird der europaweite Handel mit CO₂-Emissionszertifikaten auch auf den Wärmesektor ausgeweitet. Die CO₂-Abgabe beträgt dann nicht mehr einen bestimmten Preis, sondern bildet sich frei am europäischen Markt. Der CO₂-Preis und damit die Kosten für Heizöl und Erdgas werden voraussichtlich kontinuierlich ansteigen, da die Anzahl der jährlich verfügbaren Emissionszertifikate schrittweise abgesenkt wird. Die meisten Energieunternehmen reichen diese Kosten an die Kunden weiter. Es ist also davon auszugehen, dass Heizen immer teurer wird – gerade das Erwärmen großer Flächen in Industriehallen droht zur Kostenfalle zu werden. Entsprechend wichtig ist es, Energieträger sparsamer einzusetzen und die steigenden Kosten mit der richtigen Hallenbeheizung abzufangen. Wie das GEG-konform gelingt? Beispielsweise mit modernen Infrarotheizungen.

In order to understand why infrared heaters are the best way to save money, we first need to take a look at conventional heaters. Although they may differ from one another technologically, they generally have one thing in common: they heat air. And hot air rises. In halls with high ceilings, it usually collects at heights where nobody needs it. Operators therefore have to use an unnecessary amount of energy to heat a comparatively small usable area of around two meters above the hall floor - and often use energy-hungry air distribution systems to direct warm air flows downwards. A waste of money par excellence.

And infrared heaters? They do not heat the air per se. Instead, the devices generate electromagnetic waves that are converted into heat as soon as they hit solid objects - such as the floor, people and machines. This allows the area of use to be heated in a targeted manner, while gigantic air masses above remain unaffected. The devices also react much faster than conventional hall heating because heat does not take the detour via relatively inert water and the air.

When the operator switches the infrared heater on, the heat is available almost immediately. Switching it off is just as quick. If intelligent control systems are added to the mix, the heaters adapt perfectly to the changing heat requirements of everyday life. Without wasting energy. In addition, the auxiliary energy costs are low because the decentralized devices for hall heating only require electricity for ignition, control and the removal of exhaust gases - no energy is required for heat distribution!

The energy savings are impressive: they can amount to up to 70 percent. A saving that compensates for rising fossil fuel prices for years. In addition, employee satisfaction increases. Why? They find the heat particularly pleasant because it corresponds to the natural heating principle of the sun - goodbye dry heating air, swirling dust and draughts. This reduces sickness-related absences and increases productivity.

Grün-Weiss Mannheim is one of the largest tennis clubs in Baden. The traditional club operates two halls with ceiling heights of 6.8 meters and a total area of 1,400 square meters. In the past, the club used oil to heat the halls in order to provide the tennis players with sufficient warmth. And consumed up to 35,000 liters per year. Money that the club would rather invest in important things such as youth work.

Those responsible therefore decided to replace the oil heating system. They installed infrared heaters instead. The pitch and the players can now be supplied with targeted heat. The heating temperatures and switching times are controlled via an LCD display in the hall vestibule - individually for each court.

The club saves even more energy by using the waste heat from the heating systems with condensing boiler technology to heat water. Overall, the energy-saving hall heating, intelligent control and residual heat utilization result in savings of 47 percent. Money that now benefits youth work. Point, set and match for Grün-Weiss Mannheim.

And so Reiners + Fürst decided to throw out the old oil heating system. The alternative: the H.Y.B.R.I.D. infrared heating system from KÜBLER. The high-efficiency infrared heaters, supplemented by standard appliances, have been doing the heating job ever since. And here too, the infrared heaters only heat the areas where the heat is needed, according to the hall's usage profile.

Die Anpassung an den Alltag übernimmt ein intelligentes Steuerungssystem. Es bestimmt selbstständig die optimalen Ein- und Ausschaltzeitpunkte und fährt die Heizung auf maximal effizientem Leistungsniveau – je nach Schichtbetrieb sowie Wochenend- und Ferienzeiten. Wie beim Tennisclub Grün Weiss Mannheim geht auch hier die Abwärme der Infrarotheizungen nicht verloren. Nur ist man hier noch deutliche Schritte weitergegangen und hat die Energieströme in den Hallen im Hybridsystem zusammengeführt. Genutzt wird nicht nur die Abwärme der Heizungsgeräte, sondern z. B. auch die der Härteöfen und Kompressoren. Sie deckt dank des Wärmerückgewinnungssystems O.P.U.S. X den Wärmebedarf der 1.200 m² großen Bürofläche ab.

Saying goodbye to the old oil heating system quickly paid off for Reiners + Fürst. During the planning phase, the company actually expected to reduce its energy costs by 40 percent. In the end, the bottom line was 65 percent. Heating costs fell from 71,500 to 25,000 euros.