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Modular Wall Heating/Cooling

An optimum temperature, 365 days a year

Wall heating is one of the oldest forms of heating. The Romans already knew the value of the pleasant warmth provided by wall heating, and used this method to heat their homes. With water-based wall heating, the surface of the entire wall is quickly and evenly heated up using a pipe system. During the summer, the same system can be used to cool the room to a pleasant temperature.

Comfortably warm thanks to radiant heat

Wall heating uses radiant heat: the infra-red waves hit furnishings and unheated surfaces at right-angles. They emit this energy in the form of heat. The people in the room are warmed “from the inside”. This kind of warmth feels particularly natural and pleasant, since it basically works like solar radiation.

Another benefit: almost no convection, which means that the air in the room is not too dry in the winter.

During the summer, the water flows through the pipes at a temperature of around 16-20 °C, keeping rooms comfortably cool.

Silent cooling during the summer

With wall heating/cooling, the heat also stays outside during the summer months. Why? Cool water with a temperature of 16-20 °C flows through the pipes and cools the walls to keep the room climate comfortable and healthy. And all this with the same single system! Wall cooling also saves on up to 30% of energy costs compared to standard air conditioning units.

Since wall cooling cools by exchanging radiant heat, there are no draughts and there is no noise. This means that it can also run during the night.

The added bonus: no unattractive air conditioning unit needs to be attached to the wall.

Where can wall heating be used in drywall construction?

  • New buildings
  • Attic extensions
  • Pitched surfaces
  • Old buildings/refurbishment
  • Medical facilities
  • Listed buildings
  • Refurbishment of single rooms, such as bathrooms
  • Room cooling via the wall

Cosy bathrooms

The modular wall heating can be installed in individual rooms at a later date. The bathroom gets even cosier with wall heating. The drywall construction wall heating warms up quickly and heats the bathroom in an instant. Foggy mirrors after showering are a thing of the past.

If you wish to keep your radiators in the other rooms, Variotherm can offer a solution: the VarioPump distributor station or Pump microstation with pump connects the new low-temperature system with the existing high-temperature one. The radiator pipes can still be used.

Constant energy saving

Wall heating:
Wall heating is a low-temperature system. In other words, due to the fact that the pipes are laid over a large area, this surface heating can operate with low flow temperatures. Depending on the outside temperature, it is usually sufficient when water is heated to between 26 and 38 °C. By comparison, conventional radiators require a flow temperature of up to 60 °C. The reason for this is that due to their smaller size, they only radiate heat at certain points in the room.

Another reason why wall heating/cooling saves energy is that thanks to the radiant heat, the room air temperature can be reduced by up to 2 °C compared to convection heating systems. Even so, we feel more comfortable in the room than before. Every degree less saves around 6% heating costs per year.

Our tip: Well insulated ceilings and outside walls reduce the heat loss in the room and save money.

Wall cooling:
If the ceiling or wall is used for cooling, the room already feels comfortable at temperatures of around 26 °C, thanks to the exchange of radiant heat. By comparison, with air conditioning, the room has to be cooled down to 23 °C to achieve the same level of comfort. Therefore, with a water-bearing surface cooling system, you save up to 30 percent on energy costs.

On top of this, the wall is cooled silently, and without using forced air.

Wall heating compared to floor heating

Compared to the floor, a wall offers a larger exchange area for heating and cooling. More radiant energy is received by the people in the room than with floor heating systems.

For a better explanation, a brief excursion into the world of physics. With radiant heat the infrared rays are emitted at right-angles to the wall. This means that they exchange radiant heat directly with the person in the room. The body is warmed “from the inside”. With floor heating, only a lower percentage of the potential surface area of a person’s skin is exposed for the direct exchange of radiant heat.

Depending on a person’s need for warmth, with wall heating, they can choose how far away they are from the heating surface themselves. With floor heating, they are in direct contact with the heating surface.

Another advantage compared to screed floor heating is that wall heat reacts more quickly. This means that it can respond faster to temperature fluctuations, for example when the sun warms the room in the interim period during the afternoon.

Wall and floor heating combined = 100% comfort!

And one more benefit: During the summer, the wall cools the rooms to a pleasant and healthy temperature.

One system – many benefits

Enjoy all-round radiant heat! With wall heating/cooling, your home becomes an oasis of wellbeing with optimal temperatures, regardless of the season.

The benefits. 

  • Invisibly installed in the wall
  • with more freedom for your interior designs
  • Free of draughts– does not whirl dust around
  • Silent – can also run during the night
  • Installing sockets and light switches and hanging up pictures is no problem at all!
  • A comfortable room climate thanks to heat exchange
  • The temperature can be regulated individually for each room
  • Alternative energy sources such as heat pumps, solar or biomass can be used efficiently
  • Saves up to 25% heating costs
  • Maintenance-free
  • 10-year guarantee

Technology

This is how wall heating/cooling is constructed using drywall construction

Variotherm wall heating/cooling using drywall construction is a flexible panel system and is installed ready for use on walls and roof slopes. The Variomodular pipe (aluminium multi-layer composite pipe) is already integrated in the rear of the ModulePanel.

Flexible panel sizes for a quick installation

5 panels with a fixed height

5 panels with a variable height. Even more flexibility

Module Panels

with 75 mm pipe spacing

The 18 mm thick ModulePanels for wall and ceiling heating/cooling are health and safety tested gypsum panels. The heating pipe (Variomodular pipe 11.6×1.5 laser) is integrated on the back of the panel with a grid spacing of 75 mm. There are also ModulePanels with a pipe spacing of 105 mm for ceilings. They allow lighting concepts to be realised even more easily.

Thanks to the pre-marked centre-punched holes, the ModulePanels can be precisely screwed on to the substructure.

Tested: better safe than sorry!

The ModulePanel is climate friendly, environmentally compatible, certified and fire-proof. It meets the highest safety standards and, among others, it has been tested by the Institute for Fire Protection Technology and Safety Research Linz (IBS) as per its fire safety standards EN 1363-1 and EN 1364-1.

Test number: 10111710.

Module Panel technical data

Panel: The ecologically tested gypsum fibre board consists of recycled paper fibres, gypsum and water (without binding agents). The components are pressed under high pressure to form a stable and odourless board.

  • Apparent density ρK: 1150 ± 50 kg/m³
  • Water vapour diffusion resistance factor μ: 13
  • Thermal conductivity λ: 0.32 W/mK
  • Specific heat capacity: c = 1.1 kJ/kgK
  • Brinell hardness: 30 N/mm²
  • Thickness swelling after 24h water storage: < 2%
  • Thermal expansion coefficient: 0.001 %/K
  • Expansion/shrinkage when the relative humidity changes by 30 % (20 °C): 0.25 mm/m
  • Equilibrium humidity at 65 % relative humidity and 20 °C air temperature: 1.3 %
  • pH value: 7-8
  • Fire resistance as per DIN EN 13501-1: non-flammable, A2
  • Identification as per DIN EN 15283-2: GF-I-W2-C1

Notes

With load bearing wall construction the Variotherm ModulePanels must not carry any static ceiling loads and must not be used for building reinforcement. The relative humidity must not exceed 70 % during storage, installation and additional processing of the ModulePanels and during the construction phase and normal use of the building. Wet plaster and wet screed must be applied and have dried before installation of the ModulePanels. The ModulePanels can be used in rooms up to moisture class W3 (ÖNORM B 3407). They are not approved for installation from moisture class W4 (e.g. canteens and shower blocks) upwards.

Fire protection-tested

The fire protection of building components refers to their preventive and defensive fire protection properties. It is important that components withstand fire for a specific period. Variotherm ModulePanels for walls, sloping surfaces and ceilings can also be used as fire protection panels thanks to their certification by the Institute for Fire Protection Technology and Safety Research Linz (IBS).

From a fire protection perspective, the 18mm Variotherm ModulePanels correspond to a 12.5 mm FERMACELL gypsum fibreboard panel (Test IBS-Linz No. VFA2001-0389.01, fire protection assessment file number 10111710).

Wooden or metal substructures

The substructures for the ModularWall are made of timber studs or metal profiles. The structure can be constructed with or without surface panelling or cavity insulation and vapour retarders (vapour barrier).

The following must be observed:

With wooden constructions, the timber used must be sufficiently dry and straight, and conform to the Austrian standard EN 338 (sorting class C24).

With metal constructions, the profiles must be made of soft, non-alloyed steel with double-sided galvanising of at least 100 g/m² according to the Austrian standard DIN 18182-1.

It must be ensured that the construction is designed to carry the weight of the ModulePanels (20.5 kg/m²) and any eventual cladding (tiles). Do not glue the ModulePanels directly to solid wall structures (plaster).

Arrangement of the heating/cooling surfaces

Wall heating and cooling systems provide optimum comfort. For this reason, they should be evenly installed on the interior sides of exterior walls. With ceiling heights up to 3 m in buildings with good thermal insulation, it is sufficient to construct the ModuleWall to a maximum height of 2 m above the finished floor level.

With ceiling heights > 3 m (e.g. in halls, stairwells, therapy areas), the wall heating systems must be designed higher than 2 m.

Experience has shown that the radiant heat can be felt up to 5 m from the heated wall. In larger rooms it is therefore advantageous to install wall heating systems on two opposing walls.

Estimated values for dimensions:
~ 40 % wall surface of the room area for heating.
~ 70–80 % wall surface of the room area for cooling.

VarioModule-Pipe 11,6×1,5 Laser – aluminium multi-layer composite pipe

The aluminium multi-layer composite pipe from Variotherm is flexible and yet dimensionally stable.

The Variomodular pipe 11.6×1.5 Laser is an aluminium multi-layer composite pipe. Five layers are joined together and make the pipe flexible, easy to bend and dimensionally stable.

The innermost layer is made of polyethylene and temperature resistant. The inner surface is smooth as glass, making it impossible for deposits to form. The water flows through the pipe without resistance and with minimal pressure losses.

Construction VarioModule-pipe 11,6×1,5 Laser

  1. Raised-temperature-resistance polyethylene (PE-RT)
  2. Adhesive layer
  3. Homogeneous laser-welded solid aluminium pipe
  4. Adhesive layer
  5. Raised-temperature-resistance polyethylene (PE-RT)

Advantages

Fully corrosion-free
Optimum creep behaviour
Just as light as a plastic pipe
10-year guarantee with certificate
Flexible, easy to bend, extremely good hydrostatic stability
Resistant to hot water additives (inhibitors, antifreeze)
Mirror-smooth inner surface – less pressure loss – no encrustation
High pressure and temperature resistance (10 bar, +95 °C)
100% oxygen diffusion-tight
Lower linear coefficient of expansion, lower heat expansion forces
Tested as per EN 21 003 (IMA Dresden), SKZ A 397

Where the VarioModule pipe is deployed

The Variomodular pipe 11.6 x 1.5 Laser is already fully integrated in the rear of the ModulePanel. The heating pipe is embedded within the 18 mm thin, health and safety tested gypsum fibre board, with a grid spacing of 75 mm or 105 mm.

The ModulePanels are ready to be installed on walls, pitched roofs and ceilings.

Elongation

The aluminium layer guarantees elongation up to nine times lower than PEX pipes. That means the VarioProFile pipe is ideal for surface heating and cooling systems.

Elongation with 10 m and temperature difference Δt 25 °C (e. g. 20 °C to 45 °C):

 

Creep rupture properties

The creep behaviour indicates the long-term heat resistance of the VarioProFile pipe. This behaviour has been scrutinised in a creep rupture test. It is very important for heating piping as this is exposed to high temperatures over long periods.

Scrutinised creep behaviour has been tested for a service life of 50 years.

Technical Data

Pipe diameter: 11,6 mm
Pipe wall thickness: 1,5 mm
Aluminium pipe thickness: 0,15 mm
Water content: 0,058 l/m
Special narrow bending radius (usea suitable bending device): 30 mm
Max. operating temperature [tmax]: 95 °C
Short-term resistant [tmal]: 110 °C
Max. operating pressure [pmax]: 10 bar
Linear expansion coefficient: 2,3 × 10-5 [K-1]
Mean heat conduction coefficient [λ]: 0,43 W/mK
Heat transmission resistance: 0,0033 m²K/W

Installation

Simple and quick to install

A water-bearing wall heating and cooling system can also be retrofitted using drywall construction for sensitive building refurbishment projects. The ecologically tested ModulePanels are screwed to the pre-marked positions on the timber or metal substructure and glued with the joint adhesive – and it stays in place!

Connect the Variomodular pipes using press-fit couplings and finally fill the panel joints and screw connections. The wall is then ready for painting, tiling, plastering or even wallpapering.

Flexible panel sizes for a quick installation

5 panels with a fixed height

5 panels with a variable height. Even more flexibility

All you need for installation

Module Panel with integrated Vario Module pipe

VarioModul-Pipe 11,6×1,5 Laser is easily bendable and inherently stable

The pipes are easy to locate with the pipe locator or using thermofoil

Thermostats guarantee simple, fast regulation of the room temperature

The pipe connections are 100 % tight

Heating/cooling manifolds are fully assembled and pressure-tested

FAQs

Can the Modular wall heating/cooling systems be instaled on the pitched surfaces?

Yes they can.The modular wall heating/cooling is a drywall construction system with a wide range of different panel formats. The system is flexible and can be installed in any wall or roof pitch. With a panel thickness of just 18 mm, the ModuleWall saves a great deal of space. Now, there’s nothing standing in the way of attic floor extensions. During the summer, overheating of rooms is also not a problem, since the pitched roofs can also cool them down using the same system.

Can I still locate the heating pipes after they have been installed? And can I hang pictures on the wall if I have wall heating?

The answer is: yes!

With modular wall heating/cooling, the heating and cooling pipes are inserted in the rear side of the panel. The aluminium multi-layer composite pipes are easy to locate. The pipe locator detects the Variomodular pipes thanks to their aluminium layer and indicates their presence with a beep and an LED lamp.

The pipe locator with LED indicator light and beeper and the thermofoil can be used for locating Variomodular pipes and VarioProFile pipes (aluminium multilayer compound pipes) in the wall.

The pipe locator in detail

The pipe locator locates die aluminium multilayer compound pipes equally well in drywall modular walls and also in plastered walls.

How it works:

  • Hold the device up in the air and away from any metal parts (perpendicular to the surface to be scanned).
  • Move the calibration unit onto point sensor (aluminium plate of the calibration unit, outer side).
  • Press and hold the start button. After about 2 seconds, the green LED lights up.
  • Search for the pipe: Slowly scan the surface. The red LEDs and the longitudinal sensor’s blue light along with a beeping sound will indicate the position of the pipe.
  • The device switches off when the start button is released.

TIP: Hand jewellery may affect calibration and the scanning results and must therefore be removed prior to starting the device.

If the wall heating is in operation, the pipes can be easily located using thermofoil.

How thermofoil works

The thermofoil is suitable for the detection of heating pipes during the heating phase. Operation temperature range: 25 °C to 30 °C.

The black thermofoil is placed laterally to the pipes being sought, or fastened with adhesive tape, during the heating process.

At a surface temperature between 25 °C and 30 °C the foil discolours to reveal the position of the pipes: Possible discolourations are black, blue to yellow and red. The foil discolours red at the highest measurable temperature range of approx. 30 °C . The foil discolours black again at temperatures above the measurable range.

Can I place furniture in front of the wall heating?

If too large a wall heating/cooling area is covered by furniture, the heating and cooling performance is reduced. Smaller shelves or sideboards and a couch are suitable for wall heating/cooling. A wall unit or large cupboard, for example, are not suitable, since they take up too much heating and cooling area from the wall heating/cooling system. General rule of thumb: maximum of 15% furnished area.

Our tip: decide on your room concept and interior furnishings in advance.

Does wall heating/cooling have any disadvantages?

You should avoid placing furniture in front of the heated or cooled wall without prior planning, since the heat output could otherwise be impaired. Even so, it offers a great deal of freedom when it comes to your interior design. Why? Because there are no more unsightly radiators in the room.

When hanging up pictures, please be careful and locate the aluminium multi-layer composite pipes in advance using the pipe locator or thermofoil

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