A guide to integrated design of sports halls

Underfloor Heating in Sports Halls

Client: sportscotland

Sportscotland receives numerous enquiries from designers about how to best illuminate and heat sports hall spaces, particularly in schools where a hall can be used for a number of purposes.Recent provision of sports halls suggests that, if carefully designed, underfloor heating can provide a suitable background heat giving all round user comfort. There is also reason to believe that underfloor heating has additional amenity benefits including that it can de-clutter a sports hall and therefore enhance the lighting conditions.

The resulting report reviewed the available choices for sports hall heating and their suitability for single and multi-purpose halls, different flooring types and their suitability for underfloor heating, and the relationship to human factors and functional requirements such as lighting. It includes case studies of best practice.