richard Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Hello all I am in the process of working with a design team on the conversion of a chapel to a performance space. One of the issues we are trying to resolve is how to heat the space, and underfloor heating has come up as a suggestion from the M&E chaps. I have been told by one dance production manager that this would be a bad idea as it would cause feet to get sweaty, and may cause Marley floors to deform, or the tape not to stick properly, but I was wondering if anyone has any experience of it.. Any thoughts much appreciated! Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry davies Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 The best dance studios around have underfloor heating. It is not simple but These guys managed it. The expertise exists but I doubt it would be cheap and their mention of floor level ventilation is interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard Posted December 12, 2012 Author Share Posted December 12, 2012 Brilliant. Thanks Kerry! Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigclive Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 If you do go with underfloor heating in the form of the water pipes weaving back and forth along the length then make sure there is a solid policy in place to ensure that people don't drill holes or put screw or nails into the floor. This includes warning service installation companies not to drill the floor for routing cables between levels. A burst pipe will require a modest section of your flooring be lifted for a repair to be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Lewis Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Not a dance floor, but we have underfloor heating with PVC tiles on top in our practical space. Any tape (gaffer etc.) that is left on for more than a few hours ends up almost chemically bonding with the tile and needs solvent to remove. Bigclive's warning regarding drilling must be heeded... I've come across a new build where the security safe installers drilled through the floor to fit Rawlbolts and were somehat bemused by the fountain they created... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Pearce Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 My last place had underfloor heating in the concrete floor in the theatre and the semi permanent dance floor stage needed retaping worryingly regularly.On the rare occasion we had the sprung floor out the heat caused no problem. Perhaps the air gap and wooden surface help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryson Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 DanceCity in Newcastle has underfloor heating throughout (yes, even in the lobby!). It's no problem aside from the no drilling policy. I've no idea where the "sweaty feet" thing comes from - never seemed to be an issue for us. The floor thing: well, you do have to roll the floor out and let the temperature even out before you tape it, but you should be doing that anyway if you want to do a good job. We never had an issue with tape not sticking or sticking too much. It also means that mopped dancefloors dry a fair bit faster than you're used to which can be handy if you didn't get to mop it until just before doors! James (DC's Technical Manager) is a sometime member here - he may have more long-term perspectives on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Pearce Posted December 12, 2012 Share Posted December 12, 2012 Actually on a sweaty feet note, underfloor heating lessens the issue as the foot moisture doesn't condense onto the floor, as its not cold, and where it does it evaporates quicker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam2 Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 Underfloor heating has a lot to commend it, though my experience is mainly not for performance spaces. If well installed it is simple, long lasting, and reliable. The only downside that no one else has mentioned is that underfloor heating takes a long time to respond to changes in heating needs. If you know that the space is going to be needed at a certain time, then the heating needs to be turned on some hours before, preferably automaticly. Likewise if you know that the space tends to become uncomfortably warm when stage lighting is in use and large numbers of people present, then the heating needs to be turned off/down well beforehand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry davies Posted December 15, 2012 Share Posted December 15, 2012 underfloor heating takes a long time to respond to changes in heating needsAs with Adam my only hands-on experience with UH is in non-performance buildings like the cousin's holiday homes and this is not a problem there. The heating is never fully turned off and the problem with hot and cold spots does not arise.The buildings are maintained at a comfortable ambient temperature and ventilation used to regulate rather than using the heat source. The steady temperature provided by their ground source heat pumps makes it simpler that way. Similarly the ventilation at Laban appears to be the really clever bit of it and the heating relatively simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard Posted June 25, 2013 Author Share Posted June 25, 2013 Hello, me again. Still on this subject, does anyone know of any theatres (rather than dance venues) which use underfloor heating? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImagineerTom Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 erm...... you're not going to find a theatre with underfloor heating in the stage.Most modern-build theatres have a type of underfloor heating - HVAC systems are usually built in to the floor and use vents under the seats so that air is delivered as close to patrons as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Different world I know but the large receiving house here has underfloor COOLING in the auditorium. The whole of FOH is built on a plenum which is slightly pressurised with cool air--seats as required have a duct through the framework which allows cool air out onto the audience--on hot summer days the auditorium is brilliant! An unforeseen advantage is that the whole plenum is useful for running unexpected extra cables--for example a "god mic" for directors can go under the floor a the mix area and come up wherever they've set the production desk. On hot days, running that cable through the plenum is a sought after job! The stage itself has no heating (never needed) and more conventional air conditioning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbuckley Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 How much height is there in that plenum? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 The whole of FOH is built on a plenum which is slightly pressurised with cool air... The Sarah Siddon's Theatre at Westminster College is like that but there it runs under the stage area as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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