Environmental Benefits of Infrared Heating

Why can infrared heating support more sustainable heating?

The potential environmental advantages of infrared heating come from a combination of how radiant heat is delivered, how an electric system can be controlled and the source of electricity used to power it.

Infrared should not automatically be considered the lowest-carbon solution for every building. A well-insulated property, for example, may have different heating requirements from a large warehouse, historic church or intermittently occupied commercial space. Correct specification is therefore essential.

No on-site combustion

Electric infrared heaters do not burn gas, oil or other fuels at the point of use. This means there are no combustion-related carbon dioxide emissions from the heater itself and no flue is required for the heating process.

There can still be carbon emissions associated with generating the electricity consumed by the heaters, so the overall carbon impact depends partly on the electricity supply.

Compatible with renewable electricity

Because infrared heating is powered by electricity, it can operate using electricity generated from renewable sources. This can include electricity supplied through the grid as well as electricity generated on site by solar photovoltaic panels.

Properties with solar PV may be able to use some of their self-generated electricity for heating when generation and heating demand occur at the same time. The actual contribution will depend on solar generation, heating demand, other electrical loads and whether battery storage is available.

Read our guide to infrared heating with solar panels for a more detailed explanation.

Room-by-room heating and zoning

A significant practical advantage of electric infrared heating is the ability to divide a building into independently controlled heating zones. Individual rooms or groups of heaters can be managed using thermostats and schedules according to when each area is actually required.

This can help avoid heating unused rooms unnecessarily. In commercial, industrial and public buildings, heating can also be designed around occupied zones rather than automatically treating the entire building as a single heating area.

Radiant heating for large and high-ceiling spaces

Warm air naturally rises, which can make air-based heating challenging in buildings with high ceilings. Infrared heating transfers energy radiantly towards people and surfaces within its effective area rather than depending primarily on heating and circulating the entire volume of air.

This characteristic can make radiant heating particularly useful in warehouses, workshops, churches, halls and other large spaces where the objective may be to provide warmth within occupied areas.

No wet heating distribution system

Electric infrared panels do not require a boiler, pumps, water-filled radiators or a network of hot-water heating pipes. Electricity is supplied to the heaters at the point where heat is required.

This removes heat losses associated with distributing hot water through heating pipework, although the significance of those losses varies considerably between different buildings and conventional heating systems.

Thermostatic and smart control

Heating controls can have an important effect on energy use. Infrared systems can be paired with thermostats, programmable schedules and, depending on the products selected, smart or Wi-Fi controls.

Rather than changing the rated electrical power of a heater, thermostatic control manages when the heater operates. Once the required temperature is reached, the control can switch or cycle the heating according to demand.

Lower air temperature does not automatically mean lower energy use

Radiant heating can influence thermal comfort differently from systems that rely primarily on air temperature because people exchange heat with the surrounding surfaces as well as the air.

However, claims that infrared heating will always allow a particular reduction in thermostat temperature or energy consumption should be treated cautiously. The outcome depends on building fabric, heater positioning, controls, occupancy and the heating system being replaced.

Does infrared heating reduce carbon emissions?

Infrared heaters produce no direct carbon emissions at the point of use, but that does not mean operating them is automatically carbon-free. Their operational carbon footprint depends on how the electricity they consume is generated.

As an electric heating technology, infrared can benefit from electricity-system decarbonisation without requiring the heater itself to change. It can also be paired directly with renewable electricity strategies such as solar PV.

The carbon comparison between infrared heating, gas boilers, heat pumps and other technologies will vary according to the property, system efficiency, electricity and fuel carbon intensity, heat demand and operating pattern. For this reason, claims of a fixed percentage carbon saving should not be applied universally.

Infrared heating and Net Zero buildings

Infrared heating can form part of a Net Zero or lower-carbon building strategy, particularly where direct electric heating, renewable electricity, individual zoning or targeted radiant heating suits the way the building is used.

However, achieving Net Zero is a whole-building challenge rather than a feature of one heating product. Insulation, airtightness, ventilation, glazing, renewable generation, energy controls, occupant behaviour and the carbon intensity of imported electricity can all affect building performance.

Infrared heating should therefore be considered as one component within the wider building energy strategy rather than described as a Net Zero technology in isolation.

Infrared heating, solar PV and all-electric buildings

The move towards electrification means heating systems increasingly need to work alongside renewable generation and other electrical technologies. Infrared heating is inherently electric and therefore requires no conversion from gas or another fuel at the property.

In an all-electric building, infrared heating can operate alongside solar PV, battery storage and smart energy controls. The best system design will depend on the building's heat demand, electrical capacity, occupancy and generation profile.

Does infrared heating improve indoor air quality?

Standard infrared panels do not require fans to distribute heat and therefore do not themselves create forced-air circulation. This differs from heating systems that deliberately move heated air around a space.

It would not, however, be accurate to say that infrared heating alone improves indoor air quality. Indoor air quality is affected by ventilation, humidity, pollutants, building materials, occupancy and many other factors.

Similarly, warming surfaces may help reduce the likelihood of surface condensation in some circumstances, but infrared heating is not a substitute for appropriate ventilation or for resolving leaks, penetrating damp or other sources of excess moisture.