Journal of Indoor Environmental Quality

Radiant Heating Design Tools

We’ve uploaded new content to the site that should be of interest to our students.

The first page features two new design tools that we’ll be using to validate student projects. The Excel tool will allow us to check and demonstrate from a numerical approach the various temperatures within a radiant cooling or heating panel due to changes in conductivities, spacing, depth and fluid temperatures. The second uses finite element analysis to do a more detail model with the added color coded illustrations. The FEA tool has been validated against the ISO 11855-3 Standards for the design, construction, and operation of radiant heating and cooling systems.

The second called Factor E5, is our summary on the principles of energy, efficiency, entropy, exergy and efficacy. A single page summary of a very big topic - consolidated down into a few simple to understand paragraphs supported by some very cool pictures. Check them out.

 

Pennsylvania Library A Must Read

"Reduction of air infiltration through the use of concrete walls and insulated windows will significantly reduce operating costs and enhance indoor air quality and maximize natural daylighting. Low-E double-glazing; energy efficient mechanical systems, including radiant floor heating and operable windows; and the possible use of a geothermal heating system will also contribute to a LEED rating." Excerpt from Frederic Schwartz Selected to Design Pennsylvania Library Openness and connection to nature, as well as historic relevance, were important factors for the design jury. by Meaghan O'Neill Interior Design · March 15, 2007 Read more about this radiant heated library.

RBc: As an avid fan of higher learning this project is top notch in my books.

Origins of Ondol

“Gudeul refers to an under-ground heating system, or to the floor or room that is heated by the system. Folklore expert Son Jin-tae presumes that “gudeul” originates from “guun dol,” or “baked stones.” “Ondol,” or warm stone, was created by a combination of Chinese characters to describe “gudeul” before hangul was invented.” Excerpt from A warmer backside for Asia by You Sang-chul, Asia news editor at the JoongAng Ilbo., Copyright by Joins.com, Inc.  Photo Credit: Korea Tourism Organization, All Rights Reserved 

RBc; History shows the Koreans using this style of heating over 23 centuries ago. As noted by Wendy Croix, Interior Design School Review Columnist on a Business Week interview with Korean design professor Lee Kun Pyo, the, “Traditional Korean homes, even the poorest, have heated flooring--the “ondol gudeul” --an interior feature Western designers now think of as a luxury for upscale homes.”

This is another example of us North American’s taking the most basic stuff - make it expensive and tag it as a luxury item…it just doesn’t have to be this way.

Discuss this topic at our online forum.

Tonights Webinar On Radiant Cooling and Heating

Tonight Only, 8:00 P.M. EST, March 07th, 2007 One Hour Live Webinar on Radiant Cooling and Heating - Register Here.

Common Ground

I want our readers to meet John Vastyan, whom I've known for several years. John specializes in marketing communications and business-to-business PR, serving the radiant heat, hydronic, geothermal, plumbing & mechanical, HVAC and broad construction markets. His website has a wealth of information in the articles he's published. John has also worked with our current Carlson Holohan Industry Award of Excellence Winner, Mr. Dave Yates.  Spend some time there, you'll be glad you did.  Visit Common Ground

Reminders

Notices for Students and Site Visitors
1) Register Now for Snow Melting Webinar, Tues, Dec 12
2) View the 2006 Year End Review, All the Most Popular Stuff

Weil-McLain Canada makes donation.

We could never bring to our visitors the great content at the healthyheating.com website and blog nor provide the online support at the forum without the help from private and public donors and sponsors.

Weil-Mclain Canada heard what we were doing in education and training for indoor environmental quality and stepped up to help us out.  Because of their recent donation we'll be adding more outstanding scientific images on IAQ + ICQ = IEQ from various libraries

For those that study the site, the "Total Comfort System" shown below includes the Weil McLain Ultra wall mount condensing boiler.

Please consider donating by downloading anyone of the guides or schematics. All funds go towards building and maintaining this site.

Here It Is - The 2007 Radiant Heated Allure

Folks, check out this baby! Among a gazillion creature comforts, it comes with Massage/heated driver and passenger seats with adjustable headrests, and Radiant Floor Heating!

RBc: Surely if you can get a radiant heated coach you must be able to get a radiant heated home? No? Not offered by your builder? Pity!

We can answer your questions online.

We'd love to help you out and its easy. All you have to do is register and post your question online at our help forum.  Here's the link. http://www.healthyheating.com/bb2/index.php
See you soon.

Mark Your Calendar!

Special Event #1, Open House Invitation from National Research Council Canada.

James T. Reardon, Ph.D., Senior Research Officer for the Indoor Environment Research Program at the Institute for Research in Construction invites industry participants with a stake in indoor environmental quality to an open house at the Ventilation Research House facility. This radiant and forced air heated home has just been fitted with advanced interior monitoring equipment including a three dimensional robotic thermal imaging system and was the topic of discussion in our nation wide October 2005 conference call.  You can still download the researchers’ slides from this URL:

http://www.healthyheating.com/Conference%20Calls/ACM-PERD-030-July2005-ForDiscussion.pdf.

Thursday, November 9th, 2006 (NEW DATE)
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Please RSVP by
Phone: (613) 993-9700
Fax: (613) 954-3733
e-mail: James.Reardon@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

Special Event #2, 60 minute RPA Webinar on the Human Factor in HVAC
For the very first time, this key note address on indoor environmental quality for an aging population will be brought to you live via the internet. Historical trends in HVAC systems, consumer priorities in purchasing, demographics and the consumer price index, rising energy costs, the influence of women and the shifting role of interior designers in housing, consumer trust issues with the building industry, human physiology, thermal comfort standards and measurement methods. This public webinar is for consumers and industry decision makers.
A www.healthyheating.com presentation.

Thursday, November 16th, 2006
12:00 noon EST and again at 8:00 pm EST (MAKE NOTE OF THE TIME ZONE)
Register online at http://www.radiantpanelassociation.org