Simply put - Your body is warm and radiates heat 24/7.
What if you are in a space with surfaces cooler than your body?
Your warm body can now GIVE AWAY heat to the cooler surfaces.
By giving away heat, you feel cooler - its just that simple !!!
The same logic applies for heating.... one system can heat and cool.
COOL IS'NT IT ?
While promoting the loss of heat or gain of warmth by the human body, radiant heating and cooling provides higher thermal comfort.
The HVAC system can now support use of treated fresh air, drastically improving the indoor air quality.
By reducing the use of air for heat transfer, the air side can be sized to run more efficiently.
The selection of specific radiant heating or cooling system depends on:
1) Building design - architectural and structural
2) Materiality - selection of materials used
3) Location - to select types of operations needed
4) Utility - Type of use of the building
5) Operations - how will the building run ?
Irresepective of the mechanical system selected, answers to these questions help map an efficient and best suited solution.
Polymer piping is installed between the floor finish and slab. Heating and cooling the screed and floor finish
Insulation may be used to prevent loss of heating / cooling from below.
Polymer piping is installed underthe floor and behind wall panelling or plaster to heat or cool the room. Typically used in heating applications.
Installed onsite at the time of civil structural work, the polymer pipe is embedded inside the massive structure of the building. The heating and cooling is provided through the surrounding mass of concrete.
Best suited for a retro-fit option, suspended systems in the form of flat panels, baffles and sails, the hot / cold water is passed through the suspended elements to provide comfort to the occupants
Air requirements to support latent and fresh air requirements.
Possible to have only fresh air based system.
Reduced thermal asymmetry.
Lower air speed = less noise and thermal shock
Thermal heat removal through water vs air.
Chillers operating at higher efficiency
Possibility to use free cooling.
Minimal moving components
Robust controls sytems possible
Closed loop system
Building sustainably does not imply a compromise...
There are excellent examples of innovations around us.
Here is a small collection of reference material to help..
The Institute of Rural Research And Development (IRRAD) houses the headquarters for the Non-profit Government Organization, S.M. Sehgal Foundation (SMSF) which works on development projects in rural Haryana. Designed by Architect Ashok B Lal, the building synergizes the values of IRRAD and its rural mission.
The UN program focusses its attention on sustainable development in India.
The 2010 report has a indepth discussion about sustainability and its implications for all. The report goes into great detail to highlight the power of frugal innovations in sustainability
INFOSYS is pioneering the industry's engagement towards being sustainable. Platinum rated buildings, company wide integrated waste and water management policies are a cornerstone to prove that being green is good for business. Widely quoted case studies have established how being sustainable does not cost more and saves money too !!