We were very pleased with your help and input and will look to specify or include yourselves on any relevant schemes in the future.
CPW, MEP Engineers & Environmental Building Services
Why infrared outperforms traditional warehouse heating
Most warehouses still run on ducted warm-air systems. Here's what that's costing you.
| Infrared (ARC Thermal) | Warm Air / Ducted | |
|---|---|---|
| Heats people directly | ✓ Radiant warmth reaches staff instantly | ✗ Heats air first - staff feel it last |
| When doors open | ✓ Warmth stays with staff - radiant heat doesn't escape | ✗ Cold air drawn in, warmth lost immediately |
| Energy wasted on empty space | ✓ Minimal - heat targeted to occupied zones | ✗ High - entire volume must be heated |
| Warm-up time | ✓ Felt in minutes | ✗ Hours for large spaces |
| Maintenance | ✓ Near zero - no moving parts | ✗ Filters, fans, ductwork servicing required |
| Typical energy saving | ✓ 50 - 70% vs warm-air baseline | - Baseline |
Ready to switch? Get your free site survey >
Built for warehouse and industrial environments
Picking and packing areas
Keep staff comfortable at workstations
Loading bays and shutter doors
Warmth that doesn't escape when doors open
High-ceiling industrial units
Targeted heat without heating empty height
Cold zones in older buildings
Retrofit-friendly, no structural changes
Heat exactly where your people are. Not the air above the racking.
Using occupancy sensors and smart zoning, we heat only the zones in use.
Picking stations stay at 15–17°C while empty aisles stay unheated.
Open a loading bay - the warmth stays with your staff, not the air.
And because infrared heaters mount overhead with no ductwork, installation causes zero disruption to your operation.
REAL RESULTS - PILOT UK DISTRIBUTION
A 70% cut in heating energy costs - here's exactly how we did it
Pilot UK came to us running a legacy gas system across their warehouse and offices. Energy bills were high, staff were cold, and warm air was disappearing every time a loading bay opened. We installed a zoned infrared system covering just 14% of the warehouse floor area.
The result was a 70% reduction in heating energy costs - and the total installation came in at less than the cost of a heat pump for the office alone. Staff felt the difference within hours. There was no production downtime and no structural work.
Infrared Heating & Solar PV - Pilot Pen UK Office
ARC Thermal replaced Pilot Pen's 35-year-old gas system with infrared heating and a 148kWp solar PV array - generating more clean energy than the heating needs.
- Project Type
- Office & Warehouse Heating
- Client
- Pilot Pen (UK) Ltd
- Location
- UK
- Products Installed
- ETHERMA LAVA Infrared Panels, ETHERMA EEZ Radiant Ceiling Heaters, Heating Save BEMS, 148.72 kWp Solar PV System
Want results like this in your warehouse? Get a free site survey
Traditional warm-air heaters heat the air in your building - and in a warehouse, that's mostly wasted energy. Air heated at ceiling level takes time to reach staff on the floor, and escapes the moment a door opens. Infrared heats people and surfaces directly, the same way the sun warms you on a cold day. Your staff feel the benefit within minutes, not half an hour.
See how it performs in your building - book a free site survey →
Yes - and this is one of infrared's biggest practical advantages. We can design a system that heats picking stations, packing benches, dispatch bays, or mezzanine offices independently, leaving storage aisles and unused areas unheated. Smart zoning controls mean you only pay to heat occupied zones.
Yes. Infrared is particularly effective in high-ceiling industrial buildings because it doesn't rely on air temperature. The radiant heat travels directly downward to the people below, regardless of ceiling height. The Pilot UK case study covers a full warehouse space with heaters covering just 14% of the floor area.
Nothing significant. This is one of the most common reasons warehouses switch from warm-air to infrared. Warm-air systems lose their effectiveness immediately when a loading bay opens - the heated air rushes out. With infrared, the warmth has already been absorbed by your staff and floor surfaces, so opening a door doesn't undo the comfort.
Get a system that delivers - even with loading bay or shutter doors open →
Very little. Infrared radiant heaters have no moving parts, no filters, and no ductwork. We recommend an annual safety inspection, which is quick and low-cost. Compare that to the regular filter cleaning, fan servicing, and duct inspections required by warm-air systems.
Yes. Infrared heating is electrically powered, which makes it a natural partner for solar PV. Several of our warehouse customers run their heating system on solar-generated electricity, effectively reducing their heating cost to near zero during daylight hours. If you're interested in combining infrared heating with solar, we can discuss that as part of your site survey.
Still have questions? Let's talk through your building.
Every warehouse is different. Our engineers are happy to answer questions before you commit to anything - and a free site survey is always the best place to start.
Book your free warehouse survey - we'll do the rest.
Tell us a little about your building and we'll arrange a visit, model your energy use, and send you a full savings estimate. No cost, no commitment, no sales pressure.