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How to find the optimal hall heating

Do you want to get the most out of your new hall heating system, save energy costs and be prepared for environmental legislation of the future? Then it is advisable to consider some tips before buying. You can find out which ones in this article.

First of all, be aware that industrial and commercial buildings have different heating requirements than homes or offices. Sounds trivial? But it is not. Because, in fact, many planners still make the mistake of applying a heating strategy similar to that used for multi-story buildings. The problem: Warm air rises to the top. This is not relevant for low ceiling heights, such as in offices or apartments. In halls, on the other hand, the warm air collects quasi uselessly at a great height under the hall roof.

Until it is pleasantly warm on the ground, operators have to channel a lot of heating energy into the hall and use systems that direct air flows back down. Basically a waste of money, because heat is usually only required in large halls at a person height of around two meters, but not at higher elevations. Therefore, as a rule, it is enough to heat 20 percent of the volume of the room. Already then employees have it pleasantly warm and can develop full productivity.

Find the right technology for your hall heating

Now the question is what technology to consider to specifically heat the 20 percent or so of your hall. If you look around the market, you will notice: There are centralized and decentralized heating systems. Central systems include such things as industrial radiant floor heating, centrally supplied water-based air heaters, and hot water radiant ceiling panels. They work with a central power generator and a piping system that transports hot water to the desired location.

On the other hand, decentralized heating systems include infrared heaters that can be mounted under the ceiling. They are gas-powered and work with electromagnetic waves. As soon as the waves hit a solid body, such as a person or the room frame, the energy is converted into heat. The highlight: Infrared radiators do not heat the air! In this way, only the occupied and usage area is heated.

At the same time, hall operators enjoy flexibility. They specifically divide the hall into different heating zones with several infrared radiators - and provide more heat to employees in order picking, for example, than to colleagues in production, where machines already provide sufficient basic heat. A flexibility that strengthens employee satisfaction. Even if the hall is converted, it is easier to adapt the system with these decentralized solutions compared to the centralized system.

Another advantage of infrared technology: it is responsive. Operators switch the heating on and off in a similar way to the lights. Since the energy does not take a detour via the air, heat is available virtually at the push of a button. And you don't even need to manually turn on and off in the automation age. This task is performed by intelligent control technology, which adapts the heating power to the changing conditions. Users thus reduce energy costs by up to 70 percent, so that the investment in the heating system pays for itself in a short time.

Get an overview of the requirements of your hall

In order for hall heaters to develop their full potential, they should be adapted to your hall like a tailor-made suit. However, this adaptation by an external service provider will only succeed if you have a clear picture of your hall building, hall use and your heating requirements in advance. Be particularly oriented to the factors that could have an impact on the temperature. These questions can help you do that:

  • What are the dimensions of your hall?
  • What is the condition of the building?
  • How is the hall used?
  • Are there different areas and times of use?
  • What about gate opening hours?
  • How has heating been done so far - is there consumption data?
  • What goals and requirements should the new heating system meet?

The answers to these questions provide a foundation on which your heating partner can build.

Think through different energy sources for your hall heating system

In times of climate change, the German government's targets are ambitious: Germany is to be climate-neutral by 2045 at the latest. Accordingly, industry is making efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. Many companies are saying goodbye to heating oil, which will be banned for new buildings from 2026 anyway, and are instead focusing on renewable energies and technologies such as solar thermal energy or electric heat pumps.

If you decide to go this route, however, you should be aware that you are committing to a central heating system. And for this you need a hydraulic distribution system. In addition, such a system is often associated with two to four times higher investment costs and is comparatively inert, so that in many cases the heat supply cannot be adapted quickly enough to dynamic requirements.

Infrared radiators work with natural gas. But compared to other fossil fuels, this gas is environmentally friendly as thelowest CO2 among the classic fuels, as it has the lowest primary energy factor of all. In addition, natural gas is becoming increasingly green due to the upcoming feed-in of regeneratively produced hydrogen (power-to-gas technology) and is considered one of the most sustainable energy sources in Germany, especially in conjunction with the excellently developed gas network.

Now you may be wondering: The new Building Energy Act (GEG) stipulates that in the future I may only heat with renewable energies. Isn't an infrared heater prohibited there? No! According to the GEG, from a hall height of more than four meters you are no longer bound to regenerative energy sources. While central heating systems are required to use renewable energy to meet GEG specifications, the most efficient infrared indoor heating technology allows them to be implemented using natural gas. So you don't have to worry about compliance.

Take a close look at hall heating suppliers

To ensure that you find an efficient and future-proof hall heating system, you should check the competence of suppliers in advance. The following questions are suitable for orientation:

  • What references does the provider have?
  • Is there a nationwide service (if you have or want to set up multiple locations).
  • Can you trust that you will still receive spare parts and service in 15 years?
  • Does the provider have a development department that is innovative and develops products according to modern standards?
  • Do the employees appear competent?
  • Is the system flexible? Can it be adapted to changes in the law and conversions without much trouble?

It is also advisable to focus not only on the price of the hall heating system, but also on the total cost of ownership (TCO) - i.e. the operating costs over the entire life cycle. Only with this value can you calculate whether it is a worthwhile investment.


Große Produktionshalle im Weitwinkel mit Heizsystemen zur Beheizung von Hallen.

HALL HEATING: 6 HEATING SYSTEMS AT A GLANCE

Warm air, panel heating or rather infrared? A wide variety of heating systems are available for heating halls. Depending on the requirements, one is more suitable, the other less. This article will give you an initial overview of the six most relevant systems for industrial and commercial halls and how they work.

Getting started - the difference between centralized and decentralized systems

Systems for heating halls are divided into centralized and decentralized systems. Centralized systems require a separate boiler room where heat is generated. This heat is then conducted to the heating devices, where it heats the heating medium conducted in it, which in turn provides heat for heating. This process is also known as "indirect heating." However, part of the heat is already lost through the transport. Decentralized systems, on the other hand, use the primary energy directly in the usable space or the heating unit itself, which first generates the heat where the employees need it. They do not require a separate boiler room, are more flexible and can be used more quickly.

Warm air heating of halls: You have these options

The basic principle behind warm air heating systems is very simple and quickly explained: a fan directs warm air into a room and heats it in this way. If you want to rely on warm air to heat halls, you have two options:

DECENTRALIZED HEAT SUPPLY VIA WARM AIR GENERATORS

In the case of direct-fired warm air generators, the burner generates the heat directly in a decentralized manner. By means of a heat exchanger, air drawn in on the secondary side is then heated and blown into the hall.
When heating halls with the help of warm air generators, room air-dependent and room air-independent modes of operation can be used. This means that the unit either draws in fresh air or heats the air from the hall itself. The latter is particularly practical. After all, since warm air is known to rise, the air in the working or floor area tends to be colder. Room-air-dependent warm-air heaters feed precisely this cool air back into the warm-air generator, thus providing a supply. Room-air-independent units, on the other hand, often additionally use the heat of the exhaust duct to heat the air supplied from outside.

CENTRAL HEATING OF HALLS WITH AN AIR HEATER

Indirectly heated air heaters, also called air heaters, do not heat the air themselves. Rather, a separate boiler or central heating system is connected here, which heats the heat exchanger externally. The air heater also draws in air and then passes it over the heat exchanger, which heats it. Then the warm air can be blown into the hall or distributed through air ducts. If you want to use an air heater to heat halls, you should again consider convection and plan accordingly for warm air recirculation or ceiling fans.

Surface heating systems for heating halls

Basically, you can install panel heating in the floor, ceiling or walls. Underfloor heating is probably the most common, but the system behind it is basically the same. For underfloor heating, thin pipes are laid in the floor in a snake-like pattern covering the entire area when the hall is built. Underfloor heating can also be installed later in an additional screed layer.

To heat halls, an externally heated heating medium (e.g. water) is passed through these pipes. The heat generated in this way can be felt directly in the floor and is only slowly released into the room, but remains there for a while even if the heating is switched off for a short time.

Please note with this heating system that too deep anchoring of shelves or machines can damage the heating hoses.

Not to forget: The radiant heating systems

When heating halls via radiant heat, a distinction is made between light and dark radiators. In addition, there are the ceiling radiant panels.

RADIANT CEILING PANELS

Also known as "hot water ceiling radiant panel," this system uses pipes welded to a metal plate directly under the ceiling. Similar to underfloor heating, hot water heated by an external heat generator flows through these tubes, transferring heat to the entire structure. A radiant panel then conducts the heat down into the room, where it raises the surface temperatures of all surfaces.

You should place an insulation layer between the ceiling and the radiant ceiling panel to reduce heat loss upward. If you want to use radiant ceiling panels to heat halls, you should also plan for a large heating area of about 15-20% of the ceiling area.

DARK RADIATORS FOR EFFICIENT HEATING OF HALLS

Dark radiators, also known as black radiators, are a variant of infrared radiant heating systems. In this case, halls are heated decentrally by individual units that use a burner to produce a long flame in a radiant tube. The energy source is usually natural or liquid gas, but biogas and hydrogen also have potential for the future.

Reflectors on the radiant tube direct the heat generated in the form of infrared radiation into the areas to be heated. There, this only provides heat when it hits the enclosure and surfaces of objects or people - similar to the sun. The decisive advantage of radiant heating of this type is therefore that no warm air physically rises under the ceiling and must be returned.

LIGHT RADIATORS: HEAT GENERATION VIA CERAMICS

Light radiators work in a similar way to dark radiators. A gas-air mixture is burned on ceramic plates, generating heat and emitting infrared radiation. Here, too, reflectors direct the rays specifically into the working area. The fundamental difference, however, is in the combustion process. In the case of bright radiators, combustion takes place openly - and thus the exhaust gases initially remain in the room. Indirect discharge of the exhaust gases is therefore necessary. Anyone who relies on bright radiator systems to heat halls must therefore ensure adequate ventilation.

What is particularly worthwhile for heating halls?

Which heating system is the right choice for you depends entirely on your usage profile and your economic requirements. For room heights of 4 meters and more, however, infrared dark radiators are recommended at this point, as they are particularly well designed for the physical characteristics of halls and are characterized by comparatively low investment costs with high efficiency, flexibility and operational reliability. Let us talk about it in a personal meeting - or use our configurator to find out which heating system is best suited for your object!