TermoDeck is an award-winning system that uses the thermal mass in hollowcore concrete floors to provide low energy heating and cooling. This highly-efficient system maintains year-round comfort by enabling the exposed concrete to absorb heat from, or release heat to, the air passing through the cores. So, by the time the air enters the room, it is at the optimum temperature for occupant comfort.
TermoDeck is well established in the UK and has been used in some of our most energy efficient and sustainable buildings. For example, the ‘Innovate Office’ building in Leeds designed by Rio Architects, achieved the highest ever BREEAM rating of 87.5 per cent when it was completed in 2007. More recently, the Howe Dell Primary School in Hertfordshire designed by Capita, was awarded an ‘A’ rated Display Efficiency Certificate (DEC) – an award which only 0.5 per cent of buildings in the UK have achieved.
The precast hollowcore slabs are usually 1,200mm wide, approximately 250–400mm deep (depending on span) and incorporate up to five smooth-faced extruded holes along their length. In each slab, three of these are used to form a heat exchanger, through which air is channelled from a mechanical ventilation system. The air then enters the room through supply outlets, located on the soffit. TermoDeck can be configured to suit a variety of applications and in its basic form can handle cooling loads of up to 40W/m2. The addition of mechanical cooling can increase the cooling capacity to about 50W/m2.
