Radiant Cooling For Buildings

Authors Name: Prof. Sharmila Ganguly

Professor
JBR College of Architecture
Hyderabad, India
Email: ar.sharmilaganguly@gmail.com

Biography of Author
Born in Kolkata, India. Studied in South Point School, Kolkata. B. Arch (Hons) from
Jadavpur University, Kolkata. M. Arch (Hons with Gold Medal) in Environmental
Design from JNAFAU, Hyderabad. Worked in many companies in USA (Virginia), India
(Kolkata, Pune, Hyderabad). Taught in SVCA, Maestro SPA, VSAP, JBR College of
Architecture in Hyderabad.

Acknowledgements
I profusely thank my family, friends and Professor Late K. Sudhakar for their constant
encouragement in my endeavor.
 Radiant Cooling For Buildings

Abstract
Buildings account for roughly one third of global non-renewable energy use. Space
cooling through air- conditioning is typically provided through electric compressor-
driven conventional refrigeration, contributing a significant portion of commercial
building energy use with direct and indirect negative environmental impacts. Radiant
Cooling Systems are efficient cooling techniques which can be used as Low Energy
Comfort Systems and an alternative to conventional air-conditioning for improving
the energy efficiency and thermal comfort of air-conditioning systems in building
spaces in India. This makes the building design most sustainable for the environment
as Greenhouse gas emission, Carbon Footing, Global Warming, Consumption of
energy and Operative Cost are reduced. Radiant cooling is the use of cooled surfaces
to remove sensible heat by radiation and convection. Conventional air-conditioning
systems have several limitations. The most significant drawback in conventional
HVAC system are the consumption of high energy and emission of greenhouse gases
by using refrigerants. Also cold drafts can cause discomfort to occupants. Radiant
cooling systems overcome all of these limitations. In radiant cooling systems, chilled
water is circulated through metal panels or through embedded tubes in concrete
ceilings, walls or floors of the building.

Keywords : Low Energy Comfort Systems, remove sensible heat, chilled water is
circulated.

Word Count : 5269

1. Introduction
1.1 Introduction of the Problem with its Background
A radiant cooling system is a temperature-controlled surface that cools indoor
temperatures by removing sensible heat and more than half of heat transfer occurs
through thermal radiation. Heat will flow from objects, occupants, equipment and
lights in a space to a cooled surface as long as their temperatures are warmer than
that of the cooled surface and they are within the line of sight of the cooled surface.
The heat is removed by the cool water flowing through tubes inside the slab or
panels. Radiant cooling takes advantage of the highest specific heat of water than
any substance. Water has higher cooling capacity than air, so in radiant cooling
energy consumption is reduced.

1.2 Aims and Objectives

The aims and objectives of this research are:
To study a framework of design strategies to identify different radiant cooling
systems based on the main issues concerning the design of buildings, construction,
energy efficiency, sustainability and maintenance.

2. Literature Review
A Brief History of Radiant Cooling

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Radiant Heating was first used by Chinese, Koreans & Romans. In Asia and America
radiant floor heating systems have actually been used for more than 3,000 years.
In 1968, a German engineer named Thomas Engel developed a method to crosslink
the oxygen molecules of polyethylene to create crosslinked polyethylene or PEX. The
following year, Wirsbo — a Swedish company made PEX-a tubing commercially
available. The other types of PEX are PEX-b (silane method) and PEX-c (irradiation
method). Over the past few decades, the same principles that were used to design
radiant-based heating systems have been adapted to provide radiant cooling as well.

3. Methodology
The research presents a methodology for the definition and classification of different
terms, concepts, and approaches in Radiant Cooling and explores the approaches
that innovative architects, engineers, and consultants have taken with Radiant
Cooling which modulate the internal environment of building, through data
collection, case studies followed by analysis and inferences.

4. Findings
4.1 Radiant Cooling Systems – Classification

Figure 1: Types of Radiant Cooling Systems (Source: Bhanware Prashant, BEEP PMTU, Radiant Cooling
System Classification & Basics of Slab Cooling, from
https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-radiant-cooling-system-slab-
cooling_0.pdf )

There are primarily three types of Radiant Cooling systems:

Chilled Slabs
These deliver cooling through the building structure, usually slabs, and is also known
as Thermally Activated Building Systems (TABS) (Citation: Oorja Energy Engineering
2018, from http://www.oorja.in/what-is-radiant-cooling/types-of-radiant-cooling-
systems/). Radiant cooling from a slab can be delivered to a space from the floor or
ceiling. Chilled slabs, compared to panels, offer more significant thermal mass (as
seen in Table 1) and therefore can take better advantage of outside diurnal
temperature swings and give maximum energy efficiency. Chilled slabs cost less per
unit of surface area, and are more integrated with structure (as seen in Figure 1, 2).

3
Figure 2: Thermally Activated Building System (Source: Bhanware Prashant, BEEP PMTU, Radiant
Cooling System Classification & Basics of Slab Cooling, from
https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-radiant-cooling-system-slab-
cooling_0.pdf )

Ceiling Panels
These deliver cooling through specialized panels. Panel systems offer faster
temperature control and flexibility. Radiant cooling panels are generally attached to
ceilings, but can also be attached to walls (as seen in Figure 3). Modular construction
offers increased flexibility in terms of placement and integration with lighting or
other electrical and ventilation systems. Lower thermal mass compared to chilled
slabs means they can’t easily take advantage of passive cooling from thermal
storage, but controls in panels can more quickly adjust to changes in outdoor
temperature. Chilled panels are also better suited to buildings with spaces that have
a greater variance in cooling loads (Citation: Oorja Energy Engineering 2018, from
http://www.oorja.in/what-is-radiant-cooling/types-of-radiant-cooling-systems/).
Perforated panels also offer better acoustical dampening than chilled slabs. Ceiling
panels are also very suitable for retrofits as they can be attached to any ceiling.

Figure 3: Panel Cooling Systems (Source: Jingjuan Feng. PhD Thesis, “Design and Control of Hydronic
Radiant Cooling System”, University of California, Berkeley)

4
Embedded surface system

Figure 4: Comparison between Panel Cooling Systems and Embedded Surface System (Source:
Jingjuan Feng. PhD Thesis, “Design and Control of Hydronic Radiant Cooling System”, University of
California, Berkeley)

Table 1: Comparison between Slab Integrated Systems and Panel Systems (Source: Types of Radiant
Cooling System, http://www.oorja.in/what-is-radiant-cooling/types-of-radiant-cooling-systems/)

Slab-Integrated Systems Panel Systems

Method Pipes are embedded on floors, walls or Mats of small, closely spaced
ceilings. tubes are embedded in plastic,
gypsum or plaster on walls and
ceilings.

Thermal Mass High Low

Thermal Inertia High Low

Typical Surface Area Up to 100% of Ceiling/Floor Area 50-70% of ceiling area

Cooling Surface 18-24 deg C 13-15 deg C

Temperature

Cooling Capacity 24 Btu/hr-ft2 30 Btu/hr-ft2

Best Application 1. Buildings with high- 1. Buildings with greater

performance envelopes variation in skin loads
2. Moderate Climates 2. Buildings with spaces
3. Use with natural ventilation with highly variable
and/or low-energy cooling or internal loads
heating sources 3. Mixed-mode buildings
with zoned or seasonal
operation

5
Additional Opportunities Use to remove solar loads from
structural elements, or to create a
“constant-temperature” slab or pre-
cooled building. Lower cost per unit
surface area.
Good for retrofit applications
including supplementary space
conditioning. Some designs
integrate acoustical solutions

4.2 Radiant Cooling Systems – Methodology

Radiant cooling systems typically use chilled water running in pipes in thermal
contact with the surface. The circulating water only needs to be 2-4°C below the
desired indoor air temperature (Citation: Oorja Energy Engineering 2018, from
http://www.oorja.in/what-is-radiant-cooling/types-of-radiant-cooling-systems/).
Heat is removed by the water flowing in the hydronic circuit once the heat from
different sources in the space is absorbed by the actively cooled surface – ceiling,
floor or walls.

Basics of Slab Cooling System Design

Radiant cooling is often part of a hybrid system that includes conditioning of
ventilation air to address internal latent loads (humidity) from occupants and
infiltration, plus sensible and latent loads (as seen in Figure 5) associated with
outside ventilation air. An actively controlled surface is considered a “radiant
system” if at least 50% of the design heat transfer is by thermal radiation (2004
ASHRAE Handbook)

Figure 5: Radiant system sizing (Source: Bhanware Prashant, BEEP PMTU, Radiant Cooling System
Classification & Basics of Slab Cooling, from
https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-radiant-cooling-system-slab-
cooling_0.pdf )

6
Figure 6: Radiant Cooling System (Source: Bhanware Prashant, BEEP PMTU, Radiant Cooling System
Classification & Basics of Slab Cooling, from
https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-radiant-cooling-system-slab-
cooling_0.pdf )

What is Active Area?

• Surface area available for heat transfer (cooling)
• Cooling capacity must be calculated with active area; not with the ceiling area
(particularly for radiant panels)

Radiant surface temperature

• Objective: Avoid condensation
• Minimum allowable surface temperature is decided w.r.t. dew point temperature
𝑇𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 ≥ 𝑇𝑑𝑒𝑤𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 + 2𝑜𝐶
E.g. with 25oC air temperature & 55% RH; the dew point temperature is ~16oC.
𝑇𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 ≥ 18𝑜𝐶
(Citation: Bhanware Prashant, BEEP PMTU, Radiant Cooling System Classification &
Basics of Slab Cooling, from https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-
basics-of-radiant-cooling-system-slab-cooling_0.pdf )

Mean Radiant Temperature

ASHRAE Standard 55-2010 defines six factors that affect thermal human comfort: air
temperature, radiant temperature, humidity, air velocity, clothing and metabolism.
Since the latter two factors are occupant- dependent, only the first four can be
monitored and controlled by the HVAC system. Radiant heating and cooling systems
address mean radiant temperature (MRT), which is a key factor in thermal comfort .
Unlike in an air-only system, the MRT in a radiant conditioned space recognizes the
intimate relationship occupants have with the surroundings via radiant heat transfer.
This relationship is a key component in thermal comfort when integrated with air

7
temperature to “operative temperature” indices as referenced in thermal comfort
standards.

Operative Temperature
The operative temperature is numerically the average of the air temperature and
mean radiant temperature, weighted by their respective heat transfer coefficients.
Most requirements for comfort are based on the operative temperature in a space.
(Citation: Bhanware Prashant, BEEP PMTU, Radiant Cooling System Classification &
Basics of Slab Cooling, from https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-
basics-of-radiant-cooling-system-slab-cooling_0.pdf )

4.3 Heat Transfer Basics

Heat is transferred in three ways: conduction, convection and radiation. A radiant
cooling system uses all three modes of heat transfer.

Conduction
In radiant heating and cooling systems, conduction occurs between the PEX-a tubing
and the concrete slab. The heat transfer rate is based on the conductivity of
materials, the tubing surface, and the temperature difference between the tubing
and the slab. Conduction also occurs between the cooled slab and the objects in the
space that are in contact with the slab, including air film, furnishings and occupants.

Convection
In the case of radiant-based HVAC systems, natural or “free” air convection occurs
due to differences in air densities influenced through contact with warmed or cooled
surfaces. Natural convection is a design consideration with radiant-cooled ceilings as
the layer of air in contact with the cool ceiling will drop due to its higher density,
increasing air movement, and thus heat transfer, in the space.

Radiation
The sensible heat transfer in a radiant cooling system is through radiation. Radiation
is heat transfer through electromagnetic waves travelling through space. When the
incident waves from a warmer surface come into contact with a cooler surface, the
energy is absorbed, reradiated, reflected or transmitted. Energy at this intensity
upon a surface at room conditions will be absorbed, reflected and/or transmitted
based upon the color and optical characteristics (reflectivity, absorptivity, emissivity,
transmissivity) of the receptor surfaces, wavelength, temperature and the spatial
relationship between the cooled surface and the occupant. In radiant cooling, the
electromagnetic waves from the occupant are drawn toward the cooled surface,
resulting in the occupant experiencing a cooling effect. The radiation within a space
is usually separated into two groups: long-wave and short- wave.

Long-wave Radiation: Long-wave radiation is the heat flux that occurs between the
conditioned surface and the unconditioned room surfaces; its quantity and
wavelength are temperature- dependent.

8
Short-wave Radiation: The transfer of short-wave radiation upon room surfaces from
solar gains or high intensity lighting is not dependent on the temperature of the
absorbing surface.

4.4 Design Procedure

Figure 7: Design Procedure (Source: Bhanware Prashant, BEEP PMTU, Radiant Cooling System
Classification & Basics of Slab Cooling, from
https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-radiant-cooling-system-slab-
cooling_0.pdf )

Figure 8: Determining Cooling Capacity of Chilled Slab (Source: Bhanware Prashant, BEEP PMTU,
Radiant Cooling System Classification & Basics of Slab Cooling, from
https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-radiant-cooling-system-slab-
cooling_0.pdf )

4.4.1 Estimating tubing length required per zone

• Length of tubing from supply to return ports in a zone is called tubing length.
• Typical tubing diameter ranges from 12.5 to 20 mm (0.5 to 0.75 inch )

9
• Tube spacing is the distance between two tubes (center to center), typically it
ranges from 150 to 450 mm (6-18 inch )
• Tube length per sq. ft. depends on tube spacing, it ranges from 2.2 to 6.6 m/m2
(0.67 to 2 ft/ ft2 )
• Total tube length = Available surface area x tube length per sq.m. (Citation:
Bhanware Prashant, BEEP PMTU, Radiant Cooling System Classification & Basics of
Slab Cooling, from https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-
radiant-cooling-system-slab-cooling_0.pdf )

Figure 9: Estimating tubing length required per zone (Source: Bhanware Prashant, BEEP PMTU,
Radiant Cooling System Classification & Basics of Slab Cooling, from
https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-radiant-cooling-system-slab-
cooling_0.pdf )

Effects of long single piping layout:

– Higher temperature drop along the piping leads to uneven surface temperature
– High flow rates through pipes leads to higher pressure drop
Solution:
– Dividing the total tube length into multiple loops as suited for Out zone
requirements. (Citation: Bhanware Prashant, BEEP PMTU, Radiant Cooling System
Classification & Basics of Slab Cooling, from
https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-radiant-cooling-
system-slab-cooling_0.pdf )

Selecting loop length and diameter (as seen in Table 2).:

– Affects temperature drop of the chilled water (important from surface
temperature uniformity point of view)
- Affects pressure drop of the loop (pump energy)
Tube length and tube diameter decides Pump Energy and Slab Surface Temperature
Uniformity

10
Table 2: Loop length and Diameter (Source: Bhanware Prashant, BEEP PMTU, Radiant Cooling System
Classification & Basics of Slab Cooling, from https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-
basics-of-radiant-cooling-system-slab-cooling_0.pdf )

Pressure
Tube diameter Tube diameter Tube length Tube length
drop (in
(inch) (mm) (ft) (m)
WC)
3/8” 9.5 125 – 150 38 – 46
1/2” 12.7 250 – 300 76 – 91 Goal PD <
5/8” 15.9 350 – 450 107 – 137 10 ft (3 m)
3/4” 19.1 450 - 500 137 - 152

Determining number of loops per zone

• No of loops = total tube length / single loop length
• No of loops depends on zone size, individual loop lengths and tube diameter E.g.
16 mm tube diameter & 107 m tube length, No. of loops ~ 25

4.4.2 Loop layouts arrangements

There are several options for arranging the tubing in the slab:
• Serpentine layout
• Counter-flow layout
• Reverse return layout
• Radiant Rollout Mat
The method used will depend on a number of factors, including the size and shape of
the room, obstructions, and the heat gain in the space.

4.4.3 Installation procedure

• Insulation installation
• Laying pipe layouts
• Pressure testing
• Connecting radiant cooling pipes to chiller
• Commissioning the system

4.5 Zoning the System

As with any type of HVAC system, there are a number of factors to consider when
zoning a radiant heating and cooling system. Variances in envelope load, internal
load, occupancy and schedule are important considerations. The level of control
desired also needs to be assessed against the cost of the associated controls.
With radiant heating and cooling systems, the control system is used to manage the
slab temperature by controlling both the temperature and the flow of the water
circulating in the loops. A system can have single or multiple Water Temperature
Zones, where water temperature is controlled. Each water temperature zone can
have single or multiple local zones, where water flow is controlled. This system is
analogous to a variable air volume (VAV) system. The chilled water control valve for
the air handler is modulated to maintain a setpoint discharge air temperature; with

11
local room thermostats controlling the VAV boxes to hold target space
temperatures.

Local Zones
A building zone served by a target fluid temperature can be subdivided into multiple
space zones, where room thermostats can provide additional occupancy and room
use control. This is accomplished either by controlling the flow through stand-alone
control valves or the flow through one or more loops connected to a zoned
distribution manifold.

4.6 Determining the Load Requirements

As with any system design, determining the heating and cooling load requirements
of the building is one of the first steps to correctly size the system. There are a
variety of tools available to determine heating and cooling loads. Regardless of the
method used, it is important to identify the following components that comprise the
total load:
• Total heating load
• Sensible cooling load, including direct solar load
• Latent cooling load

Total Heating Load

Radiant heating systems are capable of effectively handling most heating loads.

Sensible Cooling Load

A radiant cooling system can manage all or part of the sensible cooling load. Average
capacities are between 12 and 14 Btu/h/ft2 for bare concrete installations. Loads
exceeding this base capacity will require supplemental systems to handle the trim
loads.

Base and Peak (Trim) Loads

In some applications for multiple occupancies and uses, it serves to use a single fluid
temperature for a floor, parts of the building or the entire building; and to designate
the fluid flow to the radiant system for the base sensible load. The ventilation system
can then be fitted with the necessary primary coils and secondary zone coils to
condition the air for control of latent loads and secondary (peak) sensible loads.
Latent Cooling Load
Since the radiant cooling is tasked exclusively to sensible loads, parallel schemes are
required for latent loads. These methods are typically part of the ventilation strategy
such as found in the use of dedicated outdoor air systems.

Direct Solar Load

In areas with high direct solar load, a radiant cooling system capacity can increase up
to 25 to 30 Btu/h/ft2 (78.9 to 94.6 W/m2).

By understanding each of these components, one can properly design the radiant
system to maximize its effectiveness with base building loads, while sizing the
secondary system to handle latent, ventilation and trim loads.

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4.7 Control System
The control system is a critical component of any high-efficiency building system.
The radiant control system continuously monitors indoor temperature and relative
humidity to determine the optimal target supply water temperature for maximizing
the system’s performance while ensuring that condensation never forms on the slab.
Inadequate control strategies often lead to sub-par performance, poor response
times, energy inefficiencies, inconsistent operation and condensation. To maintain
the stable thermal environment, the control system is required to manage the heat
balance between enclosures losses/gain and the HVAC system under transient
occupant and outdoor climate conditions.

Control of Thermo Active Building Systems (TABS)

Thermo Active Building Systems (TABS) engage the entire concrete mass as a
thermal battery using chilled or heated water to charge the system. Specifically for
TABS, individual room control using the floor is not practical.

Room Thermostats/Sensors Control

Wireless and wired thermostats/ sensors are available as standard offerings.
Regardless of the choice of temperature and humidity sensing for feedback
or feed forward, the receiving controller will process “if/then” logic to control the
flow entering the occupied zone via the water temperature zone by regulating valves
and circulators. The sensing should always take place to best represent the
controlled element without interference from other aggravating influences.

Condensation Control
An effective HVAC system must provide humidity management, including dew point
control for microbial control over pathogens and allergens. This promotes
respiratory and thermal comfort for occupants as well as dimensional stability in
hygroscopic materials like wood. When humidity is managed to enhance the indoor
climate for health of the environment and, by association, health of the occupants,
and for the dimensional stability of architectural materials, it enables radiant cooling
systems to operate at their peak capacity within acceptable thermal comfort
parameters. Cooling control systems should set lower limits for supply fluid
temperature and limit surface temperatures for comfort to 62°F (16.7°C) and 66°F
(18.9°C) for walls or ceilings and floors, respectively (ASHRAE Standard 55-2010).
Dew Point Control
The surface temperature at any point on the floor is location dependent on the fin
efficiency of the slab. Fin efficiency being the thermal characteristics due to the log
mean temperature differential (LMTD), tube diameter, spacing and depth, and
conductivities of the materials in the slab. The dew point calculation and location for
surface sensor placement should be where the coldest temperature ought to exist
for acceptable control.

Interior Zones
For the interior zones of larger spaces which only need cooling the Entering Water
Temperature (EWT) can be fixed and the flow varied through control of valves or
circulators based on room temperature set-points. During unoccupied times, there is

13
no benefit in pulling the slab temperature down lower than what is necessary to
compensate for the next occupied load. Control strategies should consider
terminating flow to the slab when the core temperature of the slab has been
reached.

Perimeter Zones
Perimeter zones may be equipped with a radiant floor system that provides both
heating and cooling to the space. The EWT may be controlled by a weather-
compensation control combined with individual occupant controlled zones. In
cooling mode, the EWT should be kept constant.

4.7.1 Controlling the Water Temperature Using Indoor Adaptive Reset

A combination radiant heating and cooling system can be effectively controlled using
an indoor adaptive reset strategy. This strategy determines the ideal target water
temperature by assessing the space conditions (temperature, operative temperature
and relative humidity), the water temperature (supply and return) and the slab
temperature. The control system then continually adjusts the target water
temperature based on the rate at which the space temperature changes to maximize
the effectiveness of the slab while ensuring that the surface temperature never
reaches dew point or gets too cold or too hot. The constant flow, variable
temperature concept provides the smoothest control.

4.7.2 Control Integration with the Air-side System

The radiant cooling slab is able to effectively handle all or a portion of the building’s
sensible load. A supplemental system — such as an air handling unit or dedicated
outside air system (DOAS) — is assigned to handle the balance of the sensible load,
the latent load and the ventilation load. It is important to control these systems
together so that they do not function in opposite modes of operation. A common
strategy is to operate the radiant system as an offset to room setpoint, using the
radiant slab to handle the base sensible load and relying on the air-side system to
manage the trim loads.

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4.8.1 CASE STUDY 1
Institute of Rural Research and Development (IRRAD), Gurgaon, India

Figure 10: Institute of Rural Research and Development (IRRAD), Gurgaon (Source:
http://www.smsfoundation.org/green-building)

Sehgal Foundation’s headquarters “green” building in Gurgaon, Haryana, of 35000

sft was constructed in 2012 according to the LEED Platinum standards. The founders,
Dr. Suri Sehgal and Mrs. Edda Sehgal, envisioned the use of “green” design,
construction, operation, and maintenance of the building to keep with the
organization’s mission to promote sustainable development and reduce the
building’s impact on human health and the environment (as seen in Figure 7).
The Institute of Rural Research And Development (IRRAD) office building is a
sustainable building designed to meet the extremes of the composite climate. Noida-
based dbHMS, Green Building Consultants, used advance computing methodologies
and extensive energy simulations to design the building's HVAC system through
Radiant Cooling (Citation: Modern Green Structures and Architecture 2018, from
http://www.mgsarchitecture.in/green-construction/technology-projects/1252-
radiant-cooling.html).

15
4.8.2 CASE STUDY 2
Infosys, Pocharam Campus, Hyderabad, India

Figure 11: SDB-1, Infosys Hyderabad campus (Source : Survey by Author)

Rating: LEED Platinum, GRIHA 5-star

EPI : 51.85 kWh/SqM/year
Building number SDB1 made in 2010-11 where Radiant cooling is done in one wing
and conventional HVAC cooling in the other wing (as seen in Figure 8).

Solar Power
Solar energy provides 8.5 to 9 lakh units. For the conventional system 250 units of
power was consumed per person but now it is reduced to 150 units per person after
going with radiant cooling and solar energy.

Sewage Treatment Plant (STP)

The wastewater is treated with RO and UV treatment. The treated STP water is used
in the Cooling Tower which is then supplied in the chilled water pipelines for Radiant
Cooling.
Radiant Cooling
Passive Cooling by Radiant Cooling has been designed by Peter Ramsay. They
achieved 33%-35% energy savings by Radiant Cooling through slabs of floors . So
they adopted the technology in building number 4 and 5.

Building Management System

Water at 16 degC from Chiller through HDPE pipes embedded in the concrete of the
floor or roof slab goes to building through Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS)
and 20 – 25 degC is temperature is maintained in the building and then the warm air
goes back to chiller through DOAS. Beyond 1000 ppm of Co2 level the economiser
supplies the fresh air through the DOAS system. The DOAS and AHU units are located
on the terrace of the building. For Radiant Cooling centrifugal chillers are used with
an oil type transformer.

Radiant cooling is done by passing chilled water after RO filtration through 18 mm.
diameter polythene HDPE pipes which are embedded in the concrete slab which are
designed in grids of 8m X 4m. Both inlet and outlet of pipes are manifold and they
are connected to the header line. Pressure maintained inside the pipe is 6 bar / 6 PSI.

16
Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS)
• There is a Heat Recovery Wheel in the DOAS to reduce the ambient
temperature and CO2 (as seen in Figure 32).
• Ambient CO2 + 700 or 500 ppm = Total 1000 or 1200 ppm.
• Enthalpy and Dew Point Temperature has to be reduced to prevent
condensation of pipes in concrete slab.
• There are 2 coils: LT – Low Temperature 7 – 8 degC( used for HVAC system),
MT – Medium Temperature 16 degC (used for Radiant Cooling System).
• They remain in the same temperature for all seasons so that condensation in
the concrete slab doesn’t happen. For that Dew point Temperature is
important. It has to be maintained between 14 degC to 18 degC.
• Set point is 12 degC.

Radiant Baffle Cooling in SDB 6 & 7

Figure 12: Radiant Baffle Cooling at Infosys, Pocharam, Hyderabad (Source : Survey by Author)

The PEX tubes carrying water are not embedded in the slab. Instead they run on
both sides of the room below the slabs and above the False Ceiling. They are
connected with aluminum Baffle Panels which carry the chilled water through the
tubes within them (as seen in Figure 9). This is an advanced technology and it is easy
to repair any damage or leakage in the tubes. The energy efficiency is less compared
to Slab cooling but minimum 33% higher than the HVAC system. More costly than
radiant slab cooling.

Radiant Baffle Cooling System Technology

RO treated water from STP goes to Storage Tank, then to Chiller and Air Cooled
Cooling Tower. The Refrigerants used in Chiller are eco friendly gas R134A and
R407C. Refrigerant is compressed in Compressor of Chiller and goes to Condenser.
There the water tubes (inside refrigerant) goes to the Cooling Tower. Through
Condenser Water Pumps the warm Return water from Building at 19°c – 20°c also
comes to the Chiller and goes to Condenser and Cooling Tower.

Water at 32°c is dropped through Fills in Cooling Tower and heat is rejected by
Exhaust Fans. Cooling Tower has to be situated at a higher level than Chiller. Water
tubes (surrounded by refrigerant) come out from the Cooling Tower and go back to
Condenser at 28°c. Then it passes through Expansion Valve and goes out of the
Evaporator of the Chiller at 16°c to the Manifold (with Outlet and Inlet Pipes). Then it

17
goes to slabs of buildings through Shafts. Actuator regulates the chilled water flow
based on Dew Point Temperature before going to Manifold.

Radiant Cooling removes the Sensible Heat from the Building. Latent Heat is
removed by Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS). The fresh air is brought in the
building from outside through DOAS which passes through a filter. It also addresses
the Condensation issues. Water temperature through Radiant Panel Circuits must be
maintained above Dew point to avoid Condensation. A space for DOAS is located on
every floor of the building. A space is also allocated for the Building Management
System (BMS) in the building. The Shaft (Duct) carrying the Inlet and Outlet Water
tubes runs throughout the entire height of the building and are connected to the
slabs at every floor.

4.9 Analysis

Figure 13: Analysis of Cooling Energy Consumption ( Source

https://www.grihaindia.org/events/inno/pdf/25nov/guruprakashSastry.pdf)

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Figure 14: Component-wise distribution of HVAC energy in conventional and radiant systems (Source:
http://portal.aeecenter.org/files/newsletters/ESMS/Sastry.pdf)

Figure 15: Infosys SDB 1 Building, Hyderabad (Source: Infosys_TechnicalPaper_GuruprakashSastry,

https://slideplayer.com/slide/14342203/)

Table 3: Cost comparison of conventional and radiant cooling system at Infosys, Pocharam,
Hyderabad (Source: http://portal.aeecenter.org/files/newsletters/ESMS/Sastry.pdf)

NO UTILITY CONVENTIONAL (INR) RADIANT (INR)

1 Chiller 3145200 3145200
2 Cooling Tower 1306400 1306400
3 HVAC Low Side Works 22839000 15310000
4 AHUs, DOAs, HRW 5118200 2878900
5 Radiant piping, accessories, installation, 0 9075800
etc.
6 Building Automation System 6584000 6584000
7 Total cost (INR) 38592600 38300300
8 Area (sqm.) 11600 11600
9 INR/sqm 3327 3302

Table 4 : Performance comparison of conventional and radiant cooling system at Infosys SDB 1
Building, Pocharam, Hyderabad (Source:
https://escholarship.org/content/qt6tp8264b/qt6tp8264b_noSplash_722661c7e895e2c1df4c424090f
781c3.pdf?t=paxgjh)

VAV Side Radiant Cooling Side

Peak design efficiency plant 0.64 kW/TR 0.57 kW/TR

Design chilled water temperature 8°C 14°C

Annual power consumption 38 kWh/m2 25 kWh/m2

First cost of HVAC system ~INR 3220/ m2 ~INR 3190/ m2

5. Discussion

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Radiant Cooling Benefits
Radiant cooling systems are gaining exposure and popularity for a variety of reasons:

Energy Efficiency
A radiant cooling system can help dramatically reduce the energy consumption of a
building through - lower transport energy usage, more efficient operating modes,
higher room setpoints, and lower transmission losses.

Lower transport energy usage: Because the heat-transfer capacity of water is much
higher than that of air, a radiant system that uses a circulator to move water (in lieu
of a fan to move air) can achieve the same heat transfer using significantly less
energy.

More efficient operating modes: In addition to reducing energy consumption by

utilizing pump power in lieu of fan power, a radiant cooling system can also lower
overall energy use by allowing the chiller to operate at more optimum modes (as
seen in Figure 51). Typical chilled water temperatures for a radiant cooling system
are between 55°F (12.7°C) and 63°F (17.2°C). Higher return water temperatures may
allow the chiller to operate within a more efficient range. These higher operating
temperatures also allow greater flexibility in chilled water sources.
Higher Room Setpoints: Because of the way the human body reacts to its
surrounding environment, comparable levels of comfort can be achieved with a
radiant cooling system at higher room temperatures (e.g., 78°F/25.6°C) than with a
forced-air system at lower room temperatures. Therefore, a radiant cooling system,
coupled with a smaller forced-air system (for ventilation, latent loads and
supplemental sensible loads) can reduce a building’s total energy use by operating at
higher setpoints. To achieve a room temperature of 24°c in an HVAC system the
refrigerant needs to be cooled to 8°c whereas in Radiant cooling the chilled water
temperature required for that is only 16°c. This saves enormous energy and cost.

Lower Transmission Losses: With a conventional forced-air system, transmission

losses can occur due to inadequate or poor insulation, and duct leakage. Distribution
systems typically experience lower transmission losses.

As a result of these factors, the total energy consumption of a building can be

significantly reduced.

Superior Comfort
ASHRAE Standard 55-2010, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Comfort
lists six factors that affect thermal human comfort: air temperature, radiant
temperature, humidity, air velocity, clothing and metabolism. Forced-air systems
attempt to maintain comfort by controlling air temperature and indoor relative
humidity, ignoring the impact that radiant temperature has on human comfort. In
typical settings, during low activity with light clothing and moderate air velocities,
the human body transfers more of its sensible heat through radiation. Controlling
floor temperatures and reducing surface temperature differentials results in reduced
stratification and radiant asymmetry. Therefore, a thermal mass system that relies

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on radiation heat transfer can create a more comfortable environment compared to
a system relying exclusively on convective heat transfer.
Greater Architectural Flexibility
With a radiant cooling system embedded in the floor slab, the visible components,
such as air handlers, ductwork, grilles, diffusers, etc. can be much smaller, allowing
greater flexibility in the aesthetic architectural design. The space requirements for
the mechanical system (e.g., mechanical room, roof space, ceiling space for
ductwork) can be compacted, potentially reducing building floor-to-floor heights.

Reduced Operating and Maintenance Costs

The embedded tubing within the concrete slab requires low maintenance. The
radiant cooling system, including the chilled water source and distribution, requires
no more maintenance than typical fluid-based systems. The smaller forced-air
system — made possible by the radiant cooling system — translates to lower
operating and capital costs (e.g., reduced fan horsepower, smaller filtration, smaller
dehumidification equipment, etc.). In HVAC system 1 Tonne Rate of AC cools 200sft,
whereas in Radiant Cooling system cooling is 1200sft/TR.

More Effective Control of Ventilation

In many heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems today, the air
handling systems are sized to deliver airflow based on the total cooling and
ventilation requirements of the spaces and occupants they are serving.
These airflow rates are rarely the same, and controls are often ineffective in
delivering the proper amount of airflow to satisfy both requirements simultaneously.
For example, in some cases rooftop units are used to cycle on and off based on
cooling demand, ignoring the continuous demand for ventilation air. In a radiant
cooling system, these two functions are decoupled. Decoupling these functions
allows more exact ventilation control, ensuring that the occupants always receive
the proper amount of outside air. It is a low pressure system compared to HVAC high
pressure system.

Advantages of Radiant Cooling in controlling cooling, based on occupancy of zones

through DOAS in BMS are:
1. Use automated energy saving strategies/logics - every single electrical motor in
the building uses an energy saving strategy.
2. Manage energy by detail – for lighting, computing and plug loads - floor-wise and
wing-wise energy monitoring for lighting, computing and plug loads for granular
energy control, identification of wastage.
3. Continuous Monitoring and Ventilation, continuous commissioning - measures
energy as well as efficiency for all HVAC and UPS for continuous verification and
improvement.
4. Deliver highest standards of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) - Demand controlled
ventilation to maintain IAQ with minimal energy consumption. Building only uses as
much fresh air as required based on occupancy / CO2 sensing. Less noise due to less
draft, even temperature distribution. Occupant thermal comfort can be achieved
with more appropriate interior air temperatures than with air based cooling systems
and allows higher temperature settings for the same comfort.

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5. Provides data to optimize future building designs - records peak value of W/sqft
on HVAC, lighting, computing.
6. Allow equipment and system level diagnostics and corrections - e.g. extensive
measurement on AHUs allow identification of low flows, malfunctioning valves, fans,
coils, filters, etc.
7. Enables trending and data analytics - e.g. trends to analyse historical operation of
VAVs, AHUs, Chiller plants.
8. Water efficiency: monitors water consumption on hourly, daily and monthly basis
for optimization. If treated waste water is recycled for radiant cooling then excess
water is not required for this process.
9. Energy Efficiency: Radiant Cooling system demonstrates 30% - 45% energy
efficiency, and no significant operating issues. Less harmful gas emission makes the
design sustainable and of low carbon footprint.

6. Conclusion & Recommendations

Radiant cooling systems may be designed in two ways: Ceiling Panels or Baffle
System and Slab Cooling. Panel systems - either suspended type or radiant baffle
system may offer more design flexibility. Radiant baffle systems are an emerging
efficient technology in the HVAC industry. It may be the technology of the future and
may redefine the way cooling is done in India. Radiant Slab Cooling is less expensive
to construct compared to Radiant Baffle Cooling and retains the cooling for a longer
period of time thus reducing the overall expenses as less energy is used for cooling
the building. The extra cost of Radiant cooling technology compared to conventional
HVAC systems can be recovered in less than one year as per the records of Infosys,
Pocharam Campus because of low energy cost.

Maintenance Issue: It is difficult to repair the PEX tubes in Slab Cooling once leakages
or cracks occur as the slab has to be broken for repair, also leakages can wrought the
iron in the slab. Radiant Baffle System helps in easy repair of PEX tubes in case of
damages and its design flexibility.

Ventilation Strategy: Because the function of cooling has been separated from the
ventilation function, ventilation systems can be designed to be more effective.

Acoustics : Better acoustical insulation in buildings because of this system.

System Costs: As this system takes less space it leads to more rentable space in the
building. Radiant cooling system is easier to build since it requires fewer equipment
and the overall cost of the system is lower than the conventional air- conditioning
system. As per the case studies the principal cost is recoverable within a year due to
low energy consumption.

Weaknesses:
The technical knowhow and skilled labour for implementation is scarce in India.
Because of low demand the PEX pipes and accessories are mostly imported and not
made in India yet, in a large scale.

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Two third of India of 2030 is yet to be built (McKinsey report). For 10 billion sq.ft. of
commercial space expected by 2030 in India. Comparison of Conventional and
Radiant cooling technologies has provided us an opportunity to make a clear
conclusion of the advantages of Radiant Cooling which can reduce exploitation of
natural resources and global warming and create a pollution free build ecosystem.

7. References

1. Oorja Energy Engineering 2018, from http://www.oorja.in/what-is-radiant-

cooling/how-does-radiant-cooling-work/

2. Modern Green Structures and Architecture 2018, from

http://www.mgsarchitecture.in/green-construction/technology-projects/1252-
radiant-cooling.html

3. Sastry, Guruprakash. First Radiant Cooled Commercial Building In India – Critical

Analysis Of Energy, Comfort And Cost. Bangalore, India 2018, from
http://portal.aeecenter.org/files/newsletters/ESMS/Sastry.pdf

4. Oorja Energy Engineering 2018, from http://www.oorja.in/what-is-radiant-

cooling/types-of-radiant-cooling-systems/

5. Uponor 2018, from https://www.uponor.com

6. Rehau 2018, from https://www.rehau.com/us-en/radiant-cooling

7. Ministry of Power, Government of India 2018, from https://www.beepindia.org

8. Sehgal Foundation. Green Building, from http://www.smsfoundation.org/green-
building

9. Sastry, Guruprakash. First Radiant Cooled Commercial Building In India – Critical

Analysis Of Energy, Comfort And Cost, from
http://portal.aeecenter.org/files/newsletters/ESMS/Sastry.pdf

10. Jingjuan Feng. PhD Thesis, “Design and Control of Hydronic Radiant Cooling
System”, University of California, Berkeley

11. Bhanware Prashant. BEEP PMTU, Radiant Cooling System Classification & Basics
of Slab Cooling, from
https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-radiant-cooling-
system-slab-cooling_0.pdf

12. Sastry, Guruprakash. Infosys, from

https://www.grihaindia.org/events/inno/pdf/25nov/guruprakashSastry.pdf

13. Energy Efficiency in District Cooling system, from

https://slideplayer.com/slide/14342203/

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14. Reshma Singh, Baptiste Ravache, Dale Sartor, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Building Innovation: A Guide for High Performance Energy Efficient
Buildings in India, from
https://escholarship.org/content/qt6tp8264b/qt6tp8264b_noSplash_722661c7e895
e2c1df4c424090f781c3.pdf?t=paxgjh

8. Copyrights
Copyright for this article is retained by the author, with first publication rights
granted to the journal.

9. Illustrations and Tables

(A) Illustrations
• Figure 1: Types of Radiant Cooling Systems (Source: Bhanware Prashant,
BEEP PMTU, Radiant Cooling System Classification & Basics of Slab
Cooling, from https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-
basics-of-radiant-cooling-system-slab-cooling_0.pdf ) Figure 2: Thermally
Activated Building System
• Figure 2: Thermally Activated Building System (Source: Bhanware
Prashant, BEEP PMTU, Radiant Cooling System Classification & Basics of
Slab Cooling, from
https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-
radiant-cooling-system-slab-cooling_0.pdf )
• Figure 3: Panel Cooling Systems (Source: Jingjuan Feng. PhD Thesis,
“Design and Control of Hydronic Radiant Cooling System”, University of
California, Berkeley)
• Figure 4: Comparison between Panel Cooling Systems and Embedded
Surface System (Source: Jingjuan Feng. PhD Thesis, “Design and Control of
Hydronic Radiant Cooling System”, University of California, Berkeley)
• Figure 5: Radiant system sizing (Source: Bhanware Prashant, BEEP PMTU,
Radiant Cooling System Classification & Basics of Slab Cooling, from
https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-
radiant-cooling-system-slab-cooling_0.pdf )
• Figure 6: Radiant Cooling System (Source: Bhanware Prashant, BEEP
PMTU, Radiant Cooling System Classification & Basics of Slab Cooling,
from https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-
radiant-cooling-system-slab-cooling_0.pdf )
• Figure 7: Design Procedure (Source: Bhanware Prashant, BEEP PMTU,
Radiant Cooling System Classification & Basics of Slab Cooling, from
https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-
radiant-cooling-system-slab-cooling_0.pdf )
• Figure 8: Determining Cooling Capacity of Chilled Slab (Source: Bhanware
Prashant, BEEP PMTU, Radiant Cooling System Classification & Basics of
Slab Cooling, from
https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-

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 radiant-cooling-system-slab-cooling_0.pdf ) Figure 9: Radiant Baffle
Cooling at Infosys, Pocharam, Hyderabad (Source : Survey by Author)
• Figure 9: Estimating tubing length required per zone (Source: Bhanware
Prashant, BEEP PMTU, Radiant Cooling System Classification & Basics of
Slab Cooling, from
https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-of-
radiant-cooling-system-slab-cooling_0.pdf )
• Figure 10: Institute of Rural Research and Development (IRRAD), Gurgaon
(Source: http://www.smsfoundation.org/green-building)
• Figure 11: SDB-1, Infosys Hyderabad campus (Source : Survey by Author)
• Figure 12: Radiant Baffle Cooling at Infosys, Pocharam, Hyderabad
(Source : Survey by Author)
• Figure 13: Analysis of Cooling Energy Consumption ( Source
https://www.grihaindia.org/events/inno/pdf/25nov/guruprakashSastry.p
df)
• Figure 14: Component-wise distribution of HVAC energy in conventional
and radiant systems (Source:
http://portal.aeecenter.org/files/newsletters/ESMS/Sastry.pdf)
• Figure 15: Infosys SDB 1 Building, Hyderabad (Source:
Infosys_TechnicalPaper_GuruprakashSastry,
https://slideplayer.com/slide/14342203/)

(B) Tables
• Table 1: Comparison between Slab Integrated Systems and Panel
Systems (Source: Types of Radiant Cooling System,
http://www.oorja.in/what-is-radiant-cooling/types-of-radiant-
cooling-systems/)
• Table 2: Loop length and Diameter (Source: Bhanware Prashant, BEEP
PMTU, Radiant Cooling System Classification & Basics of Slab Cooling,
from https://pratikgangurde.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/l2-basics-
of-radiant-cooling-system-slab-cooling_0.pdf )
• Table 3: Cost comparison of conventional and radiant cooling system
at Infosys SDB 1 Building, Pocharam, Hyderabad (Source:
http://portal.aeecenter.org/files/newsletters/ESMS/Sastry.pdf,
https://slideplayer.com/slide/14342203/)
• Table 4 : Performance comparison of conventional and radiant cooling
system at Infosys SDB 1 Building, Pocharam, Hyderabad (Source:
https://escholarship.org/content/qt6tp8264b/qt6tp8264b_noSplash_
722661c7e895e2c1df4c424090f781c3.pdf?t=paxgjh)

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