Goodbye Radiant Floor

Subtitle:

An in-floor hydronic heat distribution system may be overkill for a tight, well insulated house

Images:

[![][1]][2]

_[Editor's note: Roger and Lynn Normand are building a PassivhausA residential building construction standard requiring very low levels of air leakage, very high levels of insulation, and windows with a very low U-factor. Developed in the early 1990s by Bo Adamson and Wolfgang Feist, the standard is now promoted by the Passivhaus Institut in Darmstadt, Germany. To meet the standard, a home must have an infiltration rate no greater than 0.60 AC/H @ 50 pascals, a maximum annual heating energy use of 15 kWh per square meter (4,755 Btu per square foot), a maximum annual cooling energy use of 15 kWh per square meter (1.39 kWh per square foot), and maximum source energy use for all purposes of 120 kWh per square meter (11.1 kWh per square foot). The standard recommends, but does not require, a maximum design heating load of 10 W per square meter and windows with a maximum U-factor of 0.14. The Passivhaus standard was developed for buildings in central and northern Europe; efforts are underway to clarify the best techniques to achieve the standard for buildings in hot climates. in Maine. This is the second article in a series that will follow their project from planning through construction.]_

Goodbye radiant floor. Though we never really knew you, we are sad to see you go away.

[1]: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/blog-river/Radiant floor tubing 4 - Amanda Devries.jpg (Photo of radiant floor tubing)
[2]: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/guest-blogs/goodbye-radiant-floor

URL: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/guest-blogs/goodbye-radiant-floor