Chalford Village Hall near Stroud in Gloucestershire is a popular venue for weekly community groups, including dance, music, arts and crafts, yoga, Pilates and meditation. The hall is also used for family parties, training, presentations, seminars and sales events.
As the hall was closed most of the time during the pandemic, the Trustees decided to decorate the hall throughout and renovate the wooden floor. In addition, the Trustees had to consider heating alternatives, as the gas space heater had failed its annual inspection. A local plumber recommended infrared heating. Two local suppliers gave contradicting advice.
“Fortunately,” commented Trustee Chris Woodcock, “we received a timely email from ARC Thermal, experts in infrared technology and specialists in dealing with large public spaces and numerous village halls. ARC’s consultant met with us at the hall and recommended a ceiling mounted system for the main hall and a wall mounted unit for the kitchen. Three medium-wave EEZ-2000s infrared units were installed in the ceiling of the main hall and a long-wave LAVA DM unit was installed in the kitchen.
Why does infrared work so well?
Andy Bloore, ARC Thermal’s Managing Director commented: “The real innovation in this heating technology lies in the energy efficient way in which it heats a room. In contrast to convection heating, infrared heating warms thermal mass directly (ceiling, walls, furniture and people) where the energy is stored and gradually released back into the room as heat. This homogeneous heating of the room results in a pleasant environment with a constant humidity (circa 45%) and minimal convection currents. The room air temperature can be reduced by up to 2-3°C whilst maintaining the same level of thermal comfort. The warm drier walls become better insulators and prevent condensation. Heating cost savings of approximately 30% are achievable against convection heaters.”
ARC Thermal products
Main Hall: 3 x EEZ-2000 – Radiant ceiling heaters. The EZ model is intended for total and supplementary heating as well as protection against cold draughts from windows. Radiant heaters provide a soft, pleasant heat. Individual comfort can be created with spot and zone heating. No moving parts mean a silent system that does not cause air movements. A hygienic indoor climate is created where the spread of dust, bacteria or odours is reduced.
Radiant heaters require a minimum of maintenance. Ceiling mounting leaves the walls free and increases safety. They give instant heat and the room temperature can be reduced with maintained comfort.
Kitchen: 1 x LAVA-BASIC DM heating panel. Mounted on the wall or ceiling, the heaters are ideally suited for full heating or zone heating.
* Available output: 350 W, 500 W, 750 W, 1000 W & 1500 W
* Lightweight design – easy ceiling mounting
* Large infrared emitting surface
* Maintenance free and magnetic field free
* High proportion of radiation
* Also suitable for ceiling mounting
SMART wireless controls with Smart device App. The wireless control system allows you to regulate the temperature in rooms whilst giving overall control to the administrator. The system comprises an IP Hub which connects to a wireless router giving both on and off site control on smart devices via a free App (unlimited users). A wireless wall-mounted thermostat is located in each heating zone to regulate the temperature accurately and give the occupants the ability to adjust temperature to ensure that they always feel comfortable. At the end of the programmed period, any changes made will revert back to the pre-programmed temperature, thereby preventing any unnecessary heating.
The cost was covered by grants
Chris Woodcock continued: “We learned that infrared heats the fabric of the building and its occupiers, rather than the air and room space. It’s difficult to describe but the heat creates a calming environment and all our users love it.
“We were able to secure a Target 2030 grant through the Severn Wye Energy Agency, sponsored by the European Regional Development Fund and HM Government. This contributed 30% of the cost. Subsequently, Gloucestershire County Council, Stroud District Council and Chalford Parish council provided grants that covered the remaining 70%.
“We are able to programme the system for every session that is booked i.e. when to start heating, when to stop and how warm the hall needs to be. We are able to monitor and control the system remotely by using an app that can be accessed by phone, tablets or computers over the internet.
“Since ARC’s installation, we now have over 12 regular groups meeting weekly and the hall is in constant demand. The floor is ideal for dance and exercise and the heating is perfect.”