Electric Radiant Heat vs Hydronic Radiant Heat

SmartRooms saves $2872 per year over an electric hydronic system.

Now, I know what most of you are thinking, how can you properly compare the two. It's extremely rare to find two identical buildings using different heating systems to get a good side-by-side comparison. Well, we have such a case.

Both buildings are virtually identical. They are in the same location, right across the street from each other in Amherst Nova Scotia Canada. So weather is the same. The building plans are identical, built by the same contractor and owned by the same developer. The usage is the same. It is a 4-plex senior apartment complex. So we have a true comparison. The only difference is the heating system.

Systems Used: They're both radiant heating systems, one using the SmartRooms Earth Storage Panel System and the other an electric boiler hydronic system using pipes. What's interesting is the SmartRooms system does not use styrofoam insulation under its panels. The hydronic system does. In Canada, the code requires insulation under the concrete slab when using a radiant floor system in the basement or slab construction. The USA building code doesn't require insulation under the slab in this type of situation. And based on our 20+ years of installation and energy savings proves that it isn't required for Earth Thermal Storage installations. Aside for the operating savings, you also save by not having to pay for unnecessary slab insulation. We obviously have an issue with the Canadian building code.

Both systems can take advantage of off-peak (time of use) electric rates. The heating systems are separately metered so we can truly record the cost to heat these buildings. The net result is that the SmartRooms system is 50% more efficient than the hydronic system. After all it did save the owner $2872.00 per year.