As autumn temperatures drop, industrial buildings face a specific heat loss problem: loading bay doors opening and closing throughout the day, and high ceilings that let warm air rise straight past the people working underneath it.
Radiant heating panels solve this by warming people, floors and equipment directly rather than heating air that escapes with every door cycle. SPC’s radiant heating range, which now includes the iTwelve radiant panel, gives specifiers and facilities managers a heat pump compatible option built for exactly this challenge.
Why does radiant heating suit industrial buildings in cold weather?
Radiant panels transfer heat directly to surfaces and occupants rather than warming the surrounding air. That matters in buildings where air is constantly displaced through open doors, extraction systems or simple ceiling height. Convected warm air rises and stratifies near the roof, doing little for anyone on the factory or warehouse floor. Radiant heating avoids that problem entirely, which is why it performs well in spaces where conventional heating struggles to keep up through autumn and winter.
How does the iTwelve panel extend SPC's radiant range?
The iTwelve radiant panel is a recent addition to SPC’s radiant heating range, engineered with a patented 12mm copper “D” profile tube and an aluminium panel face. It’s a heat pump compatible option built for mid-height spaces such as sports halls, warehouses and mid-height commercial buildings, sitting alongside SPC’s other radiant panel options. For specifiers working on projects that don’t need the tallest high-bay coverage, it’s a slimmer profile worth having on the shortlist.
Where does industrial radiant heating work best?
- Warehouses and distribution centres with frequent loading bay door use
- Sports halls and mid-height commercial spaces
- Manufacturing facilities with high ceilings and significant heat stratification
- Any industrial building where conventional convected air heating struggles to reach occupied floor level
Is radiant heating compatible with heat pumps and lower flow temperatures?
Yes. SPC’s radiant panels, including the iTwelve, are heat pump compatible, which makes them a practical fit for buildings moving towards lower-temperature heating systems as part of a decarbonisation strategy.
CIBSE’s Guide B1: Heating highlights the importance of selecting heat emitters that can deliver the required output at the lower flow temperatures typically associated with heat pump systems. Radiant panels can be well suited to this approach because their large emitting surfaces can provide the required heat output at lower water temperatures, subject to correct sizing and system design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, radiant panels can be specified for both new build and retrofit projects, though mounting height and pipework routing need to be assessed for the specific building. SPC can support with a project-specific specification.
Yes. Because radiant panels don’t rely on fans to circulate warm air, there’s no forced air movement to stir up dust, which is a genuine benefit in manufacturing and warehouse environments.
Radiant panels begin warming surfaces and occupants as soon as they reach operating temperature, without needing to first heat the full volume of air in the building, which is typically faster to feel than convected heating in large, high-ceilinged spaces.
This depends on the panel and the space. The iTwelve is designed for mid-height spaces rather than the tallest high-bay applications, so mounting height should be confirmed against the specific project brief.
Specify radiant panels on your next project
Contact SPC’s team for specification support on your next industrial heating project.