Infrared heating for offices in Leicester
Commercial infrared heating design and installation for offices across Leicester, Leicestershire. Offices suit infrared because occupancy is predictable and zonal. You heat the desks that are in use during working hours and switch off overnight, with no boiler to service and slimline panels that disappear into the ceiling.
Is infrared heating a good fit for offices in Leicester?
Yes. Leicester records about 1938 heating degree days a year (close to the UK average of ~2000), and for offices the practical win is zonal, on-demand radiant heat rather than warming a large air volume — a typical 18 m² occupied zone works out around £272/yr at the current price cap.
Leicester at a glance
- Region
- East Midlands
- Heating degree days
- 1938/yr
- Avg temperature
- 10.6°C
- Zone cost (18 m²)
- £272/yr
Climate figures: Open-Meteo 2024 archive for Leicester. Costs are indicative estimates.
Why infrared suits offices
Typical building: Defined working hours, zoned floorplates and a mix of open-plan and cellular spaces.
- Zone by floor or department and heat only occupied areas.
- Instant warmth at the start of the day — no slow boiler warm-up.
- Ceiling-integrated panels free up wall space and need no servicing.
- Simple timer and smart control tied to working hours.
Typical specification
Ceiling-tile or suspended infrared panels zoned per area, on time and occupancy control.
Sizing guide: Around 60–90 W/m² of floor area depending on insulation and glazing.
Estimate a running cost for Leicester
| Heating type | Est. kWh/yr | Est. cost/yr |
|---|---|---|
Infrared panels Low upfront cost, zonal on-demand heat, no maintenance. | 1,110 | £272 |
Air-source heat pump Lowest running cost (COP ~3.2) but high install cost; £7,500 grant. | 445 | £109 |
Gas central heating Cheap fuel today, but fossil and being phased out of new builds. | 1,581 | £98lowest |
Old electric / storage heaters What infrared usually replaces — resistive and always-on. | 1,423 | £349 |
Indicative estimates using the degree-day method, real local climate data and the current Ofgem price cap. Heat pumps show the lowest running cost because they move ~3× more heat per kWh — infrared's advantages are upfront cost, zonal control and zero maintenance, not kWh efficiency. Your actual costs depend on tariff, usage and building fabric.
How we design a offices system
Offices are designed around desks and glazing. Panels go above workstations and along cold perimeter glazing, with meeting rooms zoned separately because they sit empty for most of the day. Suspended ceilings take cassette panels in place of a tile, which keeps the install tidy and reversible in leased space. Controls are usually per zone with a working-hours schedule and a manual boost for early starts. Open-plan floors are split into at least two zones so one team working late does not heat the whole floorplate, and any server room is deliberately left unheated.
Running costs in Leicester
Office running costs hinge on the schedule. Heating a 40-hour week rather than 168 hours is the single biggest lever, and it favours a system that reaches comfort in minutes. Meeting-room zoning typically removes a surprising share of consumption because those rooms are occupied a fraction of the day. For leased offices, the fact that panels are surface-mounted and removable also matters at dilapidations, which is a real cost that boiler replacement does not avoid.
Infrared for offices in Leicester: FAQs
Reviewed by the Infrared Heat Solutions technical team · Last updated July 2026 · Data sources: Open-Meteo (Leicester 2024 climate), Ofgem price cap