Factory heating: zoning a production floor economically
On a production floor the economics turn on zoning. Heating the entire volume to comfort temperature is almost never justified — heating the line positions where people stand, at the hours they stand there, usually is.
What is the right heating system for a factory?
In production buildings the heating specification follows the process: a comfort target for assembly lines, a minimum for machinery and materials, and often a ventilation rate that dictates how much heat you lose per hour regardless of the system.
The problem with factory heating
Process heat, high roofs and mixed occupancy across one floorplate. Some areas need comfort heating all shift, others none at all, and a single system for the whole building wastes most of what it produces.
Zoning strategy: Zone per production line or cell; leave automated and process-heat areas unheated.
Options compared
| System | Verdict | Upfront | Running |
|---|---|---|---|
Infrared / radiant panels Warms people and surfaces directly; instant and zonal, with no wet system. | Best fit | Low | Medium |
Gas radiant tube The workhorse of large UK factories where gas is already on site. | Best fit | Medium | Low |
Gas warm-air heaters Heats air, which stratifies to the roof — most output never reaches floor level. | Poor fit | Medium | Low fuel cost, high waste |
Destratification plus existing system A cheap partial fix that recovers roof heat; often paired with radiant zoning. | Viable | Low | Low |
Indicative annual heating cost — 2,000 m², older / poorly insulated
Degree-day method at UK average 2000 HDD, Ofgem price cap (indicative, 2026). Whole-space figures — zoning typically cuts these substantially.
- Infrared panels£44,029/yr
- Air-source heat pump£17,640/yr
- Gas central heating£15,872/yr
- Old electric / storage heaters£56,448/yr
What factory heating costs to install
- Single production cell£2,000 – £6,000
Zoned radiant over the line positions.
- Mid-size factory floor£15,000 – £40,000
Multi-zone radiant with BMS or time control.
- Large plant£40,000+
Phased installation across shifts to avoid downtime.
How to size factory heating
| Situation | Sizing guide |
|---|---|
| Assembly and light production | Radiant over the line at 150–250 W/m² of occupied zone; comfort target 16–19 °C depending on physical effort. |
| Heavy or hot processes | Often needs no comfort heating at all in the process area — heat rejection is the real problem. |
| High ventilation rates | Where extraction is continuous, size on air-change losses rather than fabric losses; radiant limits the penalty because it does not heat the extracted air. |
| Material and product storage | Minimum-temperature zones for adhesives, coatings and moisture-sensitive stock, controlled separately. |
| Frost protection only | Low-output background heating on a frost stat for plant and pipework, distinct from occupied-zone heating. |
Disruption and installation time
Production rarely stops. Work is phased by bay and shift, with fixings to steels, containment along existing routes and a board tie-in — usually nights or a planned shutdown week. Gas radiant tubes add flue and commissioning work per bay.
Regulations and approvals that apply to factorys
- Workplace regulations reasonable-temperature guidance: 16 °C, or 13 °C for strenuous work.
- DSEAR and ATEX considerations where dust, solvents or flammable atmospheres are present.
- LEV and ventilation requirements that interact directly with the heat load.
- BS 7671 electrical installation, plus machinery-safety clearances.
- Sprinkler clearances and fire-detection interaction with high-level units.
Guidance summary only — confirm the current requirement with your local authority, inspector or a qualified engineer before ordering work.
Expensive mistakes in factory heating
- Specifying comfort heating for a process area that already rejects surplus heat.
- Ignoring extraction volumes, so the calculated load bears no relation to reality.
- Single-zone control across bays with completely different occupancy and process needs.
- Choosing gas radiant without checking whether the incoming gas supply can carry the load.
- Installing units that machinery, cranes or FLT masts eventually collide with.
When radiant heating is the wrong answer
Where the building is insulated, continuously occupied and needs a genuinely uniform ambient temperature — a cleanroom, a controlled-humidity process, a temperature-critical store — air-based heating with proper control is the right technology and radiant is not.
What to ask before you sign
- What process minimums drive the specification, separate from comfort?
- What ventilation and extraction rates were used in the load calculation?
- How is the system zoned by bay and by shift pattern?
- What are the clearances to machinery, cranes and stored goods?
- How is frost protection handled separately from occupied-zone heating?
Factory heating: FAQs
Reviewed by the Infrared Heat Solutions technical team · Last updated July 2026 · Data sources: Open-Meteo, Ofgem, Energy Saving Trust