What's an ideal way to heat a 300-ft. by 500-ft. slab-on-grade industrial building with 20- to 30-ft. high ceilings, and a design load of 3 million Btu/hr.?
It's hard to imagine an avid reader of PM who wouldn't think of hydronic floor heating when presented with such a question. Tubing buried in the slab is well protected from industrial traffic above. Loading dock areas remain comfortable despite frequent opening of overhead doors. Because the air is not heated to high temperatures it doesn't stratify into the high ceiling bays. Worker comfort is maintained at lower air temperatures, which translates into substantial fuel savings. No other system could lay claim to such benefits.
Like many industrial buildings some floor space will be used to inventory both raw materials and finished products, other areas will be used for production lines, and still others for shipping and receiving. Several office and support facilities are also housed in this huge facility.