Infrared Heating & Green Building Standards: EPC, BREEAM and LEED Explained
Sustainability is now a major consideration in building design, but choosing a particular heating technology does not automatically deliver a higher EPC rating or earn credits under environmental certification schemes.
Infrared heating can form part of a sustainable building strategy, particularly where an all-electric system, individual heating zones and straightforward integration with the building design are priorities.
Does Infrared Heating Help with EPC, BREEAM or LEED?
Potentially — but infrared heating itself does not automatically guarantee a better EPC, BREEAM rating or LEED certification.
These assessments consider wider building performance. Factors can include the building fabric, predicted or modelled energy use, carbon performance, controls, thermal comfort and many other aspects of the design.
Infrared heating should therefore be assessed as one component of the complete building strategy, rather than treated as a sustainability certification in its own right.
Three Different Ways of Assessing Building Performance
EPCs, BREEAM and LEED are often discussed together, but they are not the same thing.
EPC
An Energy Performance Certificate provides an assessment of a property's energy performance. Heating is part of that assessment alongside other characteristics of the building.
BREEAM
BREEAM evaluates multiple aspects of building sustainability, including energy and carbon performance as well as areas such as health and wellbeing.
LEED
LEED assesses buildings across a broader sustainability framework that includes energy performance and indoor environmental quality.
For developers and specifiers, the important question is therefore not simply whether infrared heating is “approved” by one of these systems, but how the complete infrared heating design affects the performance being assessed.
Infrared Heating and Electrified Building Design
Infrared heaters use electricity and do not burn gas, oil or another fuel at the heater itself.
This means there are no combustion emissions produced at the point where an infrared heater operates.
However, that does not mean electric infrared heating should automatically be described as zero-carbon or low-carbon.
Its operational carbon impact depends on factors including the electricity supplying the building, the amount of energy consumed and how the heating system is designed and operated.
Infrared can nevertheless fit naturally into projects designed around all-electric building services.
Developers comparing different electric heating strategies can also see our infrared vs air source heat pumps guide.
Does Infrared Heating Improve an EPC Rating?
An infrared heating system should not be assumed to improve an EPC simply because it uses radiant heat.
The EPC assessment considers the building and its services within the applicable assessment methodology. Heating is only one part of the overall calculation.
Other relevant building characteristics can include:
- Building fabric and insulation
- Windows and glazing
- Heating-system characteristics
- Heating controls
- Hot-water provision
- Other elements included within the applicable assessment methodology
Developers should therefore model the proposed heating specification within the relevant building-energy assessment rather than assuming one technology will produce a particular EPC outcome.
How Infrared Heating Can Fit into a BREEAM Project
BREEAM takes a much broader view of building sustainability than simply identifying which heating technology has been installed.
Its assessment includes areas relating to building energy and carbon performance, while thermal comfort and appropriate temperature control strategies are also considered within the wider framework.
This means an infrared system may form part of the project's overall strategy, but specifying infrared panels does not itself guarantee BREEAM credits.
Relevant characteristics of an infrared design can include:
Heating Zoning
A correctly designed system can divide the building into heating zones so that different areas can be controlled according to their requirements.
Temperature Control
Appropriate thermostatic controls can form part of a strategy for managing temperatures across different areas of the building.
All-Electric Operation
Infrared provides space heating without combustion taking place at the heaters themselves.
Thermal Design
Heater output, location and controls can be planned alongside the wider thermal design of the building.
The project's BREEAM assessor and design team should determine how the complete heating strategy is treated within the specific BREEAM scheme and version being used.
Where Infrared Heating Fits within a LEED Project
LEED also evaluates the performance of the wider building rather than awarding certification based on the installation of a particular type of heater.
Energy performance and indoor environmental quality, including thermal comfort, are among the considerations within LEED building assessment.
Radiant heating can therefore be incorporated into a LEED-targeted design where it supports the project's energy and thermal-comfort strategy.
But again, the presence of infrared heating does not itself establish LEED compliance or guarantee credits.
Important: certification frameworks change over time and differ between project types and versions. If a project is targeting BREEAM or LEED certification, the heating design should be reviewed with the project's accredited assessor rather than relying on generic product claims.
Radiant Heating and the Indoor Environment
Infrared heating does not require a fan within the heater to distribute warmth around a room.
Instead, radiant energy is directed towards people and surrounding surfaces.
This can be useful in projects where silent heating and avoiding fan-driven air movement from the heating equipment are design priorities.
It is important, however, not to turn this characteristic into an unsupported health claim. Indoor air quality depends on many factors including ventilation, moisture, pollutants, building materials and occupant activity.
Designing Heating Around Occupancy
One of the most useful characteristics of an infrared system is the ability to design heating around individual rooms or appropriate zones.
Different parts of a building may have very different occupancy patterns. Meeting rooms, offices, classrooms, bedrooms and communal spaces do not necessarily require identical heating schedules.
Where the controls are designed appropriately, individual zones can operate according to their own temperature and scheduling requirements.
This creates the opportunity to avoid operating heating in areas that do not currently require it.
Control design matters: independently controlled zones require an appropriate control arrangement. A single thermostat should not be assumed to provide independent temperature control across several separate rooms or zones.
Energy Use Still Depends on the Building
No heating technology can overcome a poorly performing building simply through its method of heat delivery.
The energy required for heating still depends on factors including:
- Building fabric
- Insulation levels
- Glazing
- Air leakage and ventilation
- Internal and external temperatures
- Occupancy
- Heater sizing
- Heating schedules and controls
Infrared heating should therefore be designed as part of the wider building-performance strategy rather than used as a substitute for good fabric performance.
You can explore the operating-cost side in our guide to how much infrared heating costs to run in the UK.
Maintenance and System Simplicity
Sustainability considerations can extend beyond annual energy consumption to include the infrastructure required to operate and maintain a building.
Infrared space heating does not require a central space-heating boiler, wet heating distribution pipework or water-filled radiators.
Fixed infrared panels also do not require fans or combustion components within the heater itself.
This relatively simple approach can reduce some of the mechanical and hydraulic components associated with other heating systems.
It should not, however, be described as completely maintenance-free. Electrical installations, controls and the heaters themselves should always be managed in accordance with the relevant requirements and manufacturer instructions.
Building Sustainability Requires a Whole-Building Approach
Infrared heating can support an all-electric, zoned and flexible approach to space heating, making it relevant to many modern sustainable-building projects.
But the strongest specification is an accurate one: infrared heating does not automatically improve an EPC, earn BREEAM credits or achieve LEED certification.
Its suitability should instead be assessed as part of the complete building — including energy demand, fabric performance, heating controls, thermal comfort and the assessment methodology being used.
Explore our infrared heating collections or speak with our team about your project →