Radiant Heating and Cooling Panels
Radiant Heating and Cooling
Radiant heating and cooling panels are a vital component of SPC’s product range, providing cost-effective and efficient solutions for heating up a room quickly. They are widely used in schools, hospitals, and offices due to their low-maintenance and easy-to-clean surface.
Our radiant heating and cooling panels provide silent, efficient climate control for schools, healthcare facilities, offices, and commercial buildings across the UK. Unlike other heating systems, radiant panels transfer heat directly to people and surfaces using infrared radiation, the same principle as warmth from the sun.
Radiant panels are particularly effective in spaces with high ceilings, where convection-based heating would waste energy warming air that rises and stratifies. They’re also ideal for sensitive environments where air movement must be minimised, such as operating theatres, cleanrooms, and heritage buildings.
Our low-pressure hot water (LPHW) radiant panels are highly responsive, distributing heat throughout a space much faster than underfloor heating. They occupy significantly less wall space than radiators of equivalent output, and their silent operation makes them suitable for libraries, recording studios, and classrooms.
For situations where hot water isn’t readily available, our Thermatile Electric Radiant Panels offer an equally effective alternative, requiring only a 230V electrical supply.
SPC offers a variety of radiant panels that meet a range of environmental needs and hanging applications, including:
Ceiling-mounted panels
Free-hanging panels
Sportsline panels (ideal for sports halls)
Wall-mounted panels
Plasterboard panels
Electric radiant panels
iTwenty Eight Industrial radiant panels
The iTwenty Eight is perfect for industrial projects that require large bore waterways and offer new possibilities for industrial design. These panels combine the highest available efficiency in radiant heating and cooling with easy installation.
Where are radiant heating and cooling panels used?
Schools and educational buildings
Radiant panels provide even, draught-free heating for classrooms, assembly halls, and sports halls. They’re particularly effective in spaces with high ceilings where warm air would otherwise rise and be wasted. Panels can be ceiling-mounted to keep walls clear for displays and whiteboards, or wall-mounted with protective ball guards in sports halls.
Healthcare facilities
Hospitals, GP surgeries, and care homes benefit from the silent operation and absence of air movement, which prevents the circulation of airborne contaminants. Radiant panels meet infection control requirements and can be easily cleaned.
Offices and commercial spaces
Ceiling-mounted radiant panels integrate seamlessly into suspended ceiling grids, maintaining clear sightlines and maximising usable floor space. They’re compatible with heat pumps and low-temperature hot water systems.
Industrial and warehouse spaces
Large, open spaces with high ceilings benefit from radiant heating’s ability to deliver warmth directly to working zones rather than heating the entire air volume. Our iTwenty Eight panels are designed specifically for these applications.
Heritage buildings and places of worship
Radiant panels can be discreetly installed in listed buildings and churches without visible pipework or damage to historic fabric. They heat intermittently occupied spaces quickly without the warm-up time required by convection systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, radiant panels work very effectively with heat pumps and low temperature hot water (LTHW) systems. Because radiant panels have a large surface area in contact with the room, they can deliver meaningful heat output even at water temperatures as low as 45–50°C, which is typical for heat pump operation. This makes them one of the better choices for heat pump-based heating systems, particularly in buildings with high ceilings.
Yes, radiant panels can be used for both heating and cooling by circulating chilled water through the panel instead of hot water. For cooling applications, the panel surface temperature is controlled to prevent condensation forming on the surface. This typically requires either a dehumidification system or careful control of the chilled water temperature to keep it above the dew point of the room air. Radiant cooling is common in modern office buildings and healthcare facilities where silent, draught-free cooling is required.
The Thermatile TEN and TWELVE designations refer to the diameter of copper tube used in the heat exchanger (10mm and 12mm respectively). Thermatile TEN is used for single panels up to 3.6 metres long. Thermatile TWELVE is used when continuous runs longer than 3.6 metres are required; multiple Thermatile TWELVE panels are connected together using flexible hoses. The choice between Thermatile TEN and TWELVE is determined automatically by SPC’s selection software based on the panel run length and water flowrate. Both types have the same visible finish and can be mixed within a single space.
Radiant panels can be installed into T-bar suspended ceiling grids (dropping in place of ceiling tiles), into plasterboard ceilings using mounting frames, free-hanging from structural soffits using wire or rod suspension, or wall-mounted at an angle using brackets. The most common installation is into a suspended ceiling grid, as this integrates the panel seamlessly into the ceiling and requires no additional structural support. Wall-mounting is used in sports halls and gymnasiums, typically with ball guards to protect the panels from impact.