How passive solar heating in your showroom saves you money

Energy costs are increasing every year. This month, British Gas announced their gas and electricity prices will increase by 5.5%, and other energy companies are showing similar trends. For spaces like showrooms – that are already hard to keep warm – increasing energy prices may start to take a significant chunk out of your business’s profitability. So what can you do to mitigate the effects of rising energy bills?

Controlling the Temperature

Make sure you only use heating when necessary, ensuring that you meet the 16°C law requirement for workplace temperatures. But, there are also ways to control your showroom temperature that don’t rely on electric or gas heating systems. Natural heating systems can be built into the architecture of your showroom meaning less money spent on heating and less contribution to global warming from fossil fuel powered heat. Most of this design relies on your windows.

Showrooms are places for you to show off your products. This means that often, showrooms have many large windows to catch curious eyes. If these windows are put on the south-facing side of your showroom, they let the sun stream in and trap the natural heat. In the northern hemisphere, South-facing windows are in contact with the sun for the most hours per day, so they capture the most warmth.

To maximise the capture of natural warmth from the sun, you add heat absorbing floor materials like concrete slabs or tiles. These store heat from the sun and slowly release it throughout the day. This is useful for evenings when the sun has set, allowing you to still feel its warmth.

The Effects Of Natural Passive Solar Heat

You will be surprised how effective natural heating is. Sometimes, during particularly hot summer days, the natural heating is almost too effective. For this reason, it is good to have a control visor over the windows. This allows the sun to stream in during the winter when it is most needed but blocks the sun out during the hottest days. This is because the sun is higher in the sky during the summer than in winter.

This natural heating method is called passive solar heating because it requires no artificial energy. But, in the UK we can’t always rely on the sun being around, so it is best to use passive solar heating in combination with an efficient heating system. This will keep staff and customers comfortable while reducing your energy bills as you only have to use your heating system as a backup for passive solar. Passive solar heating is integrated into the design of the showroom itself. For showrooms that are already built or cannot undergo structural changes, there are still efficient heating systems that provide you with the most effective heating with the lowest impact on your wallet.



At Winrow, we are confident we can install the best bespoke heating system for you. We use the latest heat recovery techniques to provide heating which is 30% more cost-effective than typical showroom heating options. If you are wondering how to better heat your workspace, get in contact with us today 08000 588 035, and we can show you how.