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| Advantages and disadvantages of the four heating systems | |||
| Fuel | Heat emitter type | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Gas (low-temperature hot water) | Radiators | Proven technology Relatively low maintenance Good temperature control | Slow control response High capital cost for small areas Labour-intensive installation Restrictions on surface temperatures |
| Gas (low-temperature hot water) | Continuous perimeter heaters | Low surface temperatures Pipework concealed in casing Even heat distribution | High capital cost Regular cleaning of heat transfer elements required |
| Electric | Wall-mounted radiant panel | Very low maintenance Simple to install No combustion products Good control Very low capital cost | High energy costs Increases site electrical demand Slow response time |
| Electric | Night storage heaters | Uses off-peak electricity Simple to install Lower capital cost | Poor control of output Dedicated cabling may be required Can be expensive to run |
| Design criteria | |
| Gross internal area | 1080 m2 |
| Net internal area | 930 m2 |
| Number of storeys | 2 |
| Ventilation provision | Natural |
| Glazing | Openable, double glazed |
| Building location | Thames Valley |
| Wall construction | Brick/block with insulated cavity |
| Roof construction | Pitched/tiled |
| Heat emitter zone | 1/15-22.5 m2 net area |
| Internal sill height | 1000 mm from finished floor level |
| Floor to ceiling height | 2500 mm |
| Facade area | 540 m2 |
| Heating load | 52 W/m2 |
| Glazing as percentage of facade | 20% |
| Capital costs for the four options | ||||
| Option 1 (£) | Option 2 (£) | Option 3 (£) | Option 4 (£) | |
| Net capital cost | 40 344 | 50 320 | 21 338 | 32 950 |
| Testing and commissioning | 605 | 755 | 320 | 494 |
| Subcontractor’s preliminaries | 2 421 | 3 019 | 1 280 | 1 977 |
| Sub-total | 43 370 | 54 094 | 22 938 | 35 421 |
| Main contractor’s preliminaries, overheads and profit and attendance | 7 590 | 9 466 | 4 014 | 6 199 |
| Builder’s work in connection | 2 168 | 2 705 | 1 147 | 1 771 |
| Allocation of professional fees | 5 204 | 6 491 | 2 753 | 4 251 |
| Total capital cost | 58 332 | 72 756 | 30 852 | 47 642 |
| Life expectancy | |
| Item | Life (years) |
| Boilers | 15-20 |
| Pumps | 15-20 |
| Boiler flue | 15-25 |
| Pipework installation (steel) | 20-25 |
| Radiators (steel) | 10-15 |
| Thermostatic radiator valves | 10-15 |
| Control valves | 10-15 |
| Sill-line perimeter heating | 15-25 |
| Electric panel heaters | 15* |
| Electric night storage heaters | 15* |
| Panel heater controls | 15* |
| Electrical switchgear | 20-25 |
| Mains cable installations | 25-30 |
| *based on manufacturers’ information | |